(December 2, 2008, New York) – Reed Smith LLP, one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, today announced the addition of two partners from Thelen LLP in its Business & Finance Department. Phillip G. Lookadoo will join the firm in Washington, D.C., and Eulalia M. (“Lal”) Mack will come aboard in New York City. Both transition to Reed Smith immediately.
Both new partners have worked closely with Reed Smith’s new renewable energy team, led by Ellen Bastier, which joined the firm’s Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York offices last month. Mr. Lookadoo specializes in the transactional and regulatory aspects of the energy industry, and Ms. Mack represents energy companies in private equity and public capital markets transactions and SEC compliance matters.
“Phil and Lal bring strong practices and significant clients to the firm, advancing our goal of strategically building our energy and transactional capabilities across the firm,” said Eugene Tillman, Reed Smith’s Global Head of Legal Personnel. ”We are delighted that these talented lawyers will have the opportunity to continue working together with their former colleagues providing exceptional client service.”
Mr. Lookadoo and Ms. Mack represent a third wave of attorneys from Thelen, following the firm’s addition of the Bastier-led energy group and an eight-member labor and employment group led by Tom Hill and Linda Husar in Los Angeles, and Deborah Broyles in San Francisco. Another former Thelen partner, Rauer Meyer, joins Reed Smith today in Los Angeles.
In the energy sector, Mr. Lookadoo focuses on the negotiation and drafting of power purchase agreements for renewable and fossil-fuel-fired power plants, energy trading, financial derivatives (hedging), and long-term physical commodity agreements in oil, natural gas, coal and power, as well as related transmission and interconnection agreements in the U.S. He also handles international transactions involving independent power project development, privatization of state-owned electric and hydrocarbon sectors, oil and gas exploration, pipeline development, and mining operations, as well as transactions with large state-owned utilities. His transactions have spanned the globe, from throughout North, Central and South America, to Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa.
On the regulatory side, Mr. Lookadoo represents companies in the electric, natural gas and other energy-related industries before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He has extensive experience with the FERC´s development of open-access electric and gas transmission policies, independent power projects, power and gas markets, and market-based rate tariffs.
Mr. Lookadoo had been a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Thelen and its predecessor firm, Reid & Priest, since December 1992. He received his J.D. in 1980 from Emory University, an M.S. in nuclear physics in 1977 from the University of Virginia, and a B.S. in physics in 1975 from West Virginia University.
Ms. Mack’s practice focuses on securities and capital markets transactions and other structured financings, as well as derivatives transactions and private equity and other venture capital financings. She also advises public companies with respect to SEC compliance and periodic reporting obligations, listing matters, SOX compliance and other corporate governance matters. She works closely with members of the renewable energy team formerly at Thelen on project finance and development projects. Ms. Mack also has been lead SEC partner for Chinese companies publicly traded in the U.S., and she will work closely with attorneys in Reed Smith’s offices in Beijing and Hong Kong in providing further support for those clients.
Ms. Mack had been a partner in Thelen’s New York office since 2005. She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1990, and a B.S. in Labor Relations from Cornell University in 1985.
“As a result of international growth in every aspect of the energy industry, our energy practice has become increasingly significant,” said John Iino, Reed Smith’s firmwide Head of the Corporate & Securities Practice. “Lal and Phil have the domestic and foreign expertise that companies across this sector require to successfully acquire, develop and market conventional and alternative resources. They will be tremendous assets to our firm and our clients as the world’s new energy paradigms are developed and commercialized.”
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,700 lawyers in 24 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its attorneys provide litigation services in multi-jurisdictional matters and other high stake disputes, deliver regulatory counsel, and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising and media, shipping, international trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com
U.S.: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Princeton, Northern Virginia, Wilmington, Silicon Valley, Century City, Richmond
Europe: London, Paris, Munich, Birmingham, Greece
Middle East: Abu Dhabi, Dubai
Asia: Hong Kong, Beijing