K&L Gates appoints four partners for its Kansas City launch

K&L Gates appoints four partners for its Kansas City launch

Three will be based in the new Kansas City office while the fourth in Austin

As part of the strategy, US firm, K&L Gates, opening a Kansas City office, has appointed a four partner-strong renewables team from Husch Blackwell to build up its energy practice.

The new hired partners, John Crossley, Jim Goettsch and Brogan Sullivan join in Kansas City and Maria Faconti joins the firm's existing office in Austin.

Associated to the renewables industry, the team brings in vast experience in M&A, real estate and project development. They are also joined by two associates, with the firm adding that surplus lawyers are likely to be added in the forthcoming weeks.

"Boosting our already strong competences in the renewable energy sector with the addition of this exclusive group, we are happy to continue building our firm's recent planned development," said Jim Segerdahl, the firm's global managing partner. "With the arrival of the leading practitioners' team in the renewables industry, the firm progresses on a key industry and practice level."

Joining Husch in 1999, Crossley possesses more than two decades of experience. He guides both traditional and renewable energy companies on M&A and project development, construction and financing. A deals lawyer, Goettsch has even more experience at Husch, joining in 1995.

In 2006, from former Kansas City-based energy company, Aquila, Sullivan has joined Husch. He was the assistant general counsel before it was wrecked and sold. Acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other commercial arrangements are his focussed practice. Employed at the Public Utility Commission of Texas for three years, Faconti also joined Husch from an in-house role in 2015. Based on regulatory, compliance and litigation matters, she advises energy and renewables clients.

"This team practices at the premier level of the renewable energy sector. In our firm and energy practice, we are keen to incorporate them, hence look ahead to their improved knowledge and advice for K&L Gates' clients in this significant range," said Steven Sparling, co-leader of K&L's energy, infrastructure and resources practice area.

K&L Gates' Kansas City opening is 25th US office, takes it to 47 globally. Skadden Aprs Meagher & Flom hired DLA Piper's US energy practice co-chair, Drew Baldinger as a partner in Houston as well in May 2022.

To strengthen its energy and infrastructure financing competences, Latham & Watkins made a twin partner hire from White & Case in April 2022. Christopher Peponis joins the firm in Houston and Hamad Al-Hoshan shifts to New York.