Skip to Main Content




Quick Results
View More Results
Search
Practices & Industries

Energy

Print Version

Baker Donelson advises a broad variety of clients in the oil, gas, nuclear, solar, wind, biomass and coal and mining industries.

Subindustries

Energy Default and Restructure
Energy Finance
Nuclear Energy
Oil and Gas
Renewable Energy

Overview

Professionals
Subscribe to
Publications
Special Section – Chevron Doctrine Overturned: What's Next?

Key Contacts

 
Kenneth M. Klemm
T: 504.566.5258
  Email Professional
 
Adam Zuckerman
T: 504.566.5210
  Email Professional

Baker Donelson delivers comprehensive legal counsel across the energy sector, representing clients throughout the oil and gas, chemicals and petrochemicals, renewable energy, nuclear energy, and coal, mining, and minerals industries.

We represent clients throughout the energy value chain in high stakes energy litigation, complex transactions, regulatory matters, and infrastructure and project development, combining legal acumen with industry specific insight. Our multidisciplinary team helps energy clients mitigate risk, protect assets, and navigate evolving regulatory and market demands at every stage of the energy asset lifecycle.

Oil and Gas

Our clients include major independent oil and gas companies operating across the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments of the industry, including producers, well operators, pipeline and transportation companies, processors, and marketers. We also represent drilling contractors, oilfield service providers, financial institutions, royalty owners, and other energy‑related businesses. Our attorneys advise and represent energy companies and asset owners in complex litigation and disputes before courts, arbitral tribunals, and regulatory agencies throughout the United States, as well as in high‑value transactions involving oil, gas, and other energy assets.

Chemicals/Petrochemicals

From environmental compliance and enforcement matters to import/export and trade advice, our attorneys deliver holistic legal counsel to chemical and petrochemical companies. Drawing on multidisciplinary experience across the Firm, we advise clients on the regulatory, transactional, and operational issues that impact their businesses at every stage of production and distribution.

Renewable Energy

The focus on ESG – environmental, social and governance – strategies to curb climate change has created increased opportunities for renewable energy. We represent investors, start-ups, manufacturers, installers, utilities and consumers on the full range of legal issues facing companies in all sectors of the renewable energy industry – from immigration to power purchase agreements to project finance and development.

Nuclear Energy

We are deeply involved in the nuclear energy industry. Our attorneys have served on industry and government advisory boards including the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC), which advises the Secretary of Commerce on trade issues facing the U.S. civil nuclear industry and on the development of programs and policies to expand U.S. civil nuclear exports and strengthen the competitiveness of the industry. Our lawyers also serve as the principal coordinators for the U.S.-Japan Roundtable on Nuclear Energy Cooperation, an ongoing program of the Howard Baker Forum, a public policy affiliate of Baker Donelson which produces programs and initiatives focusing on major questions facing policymakers in the United States.

Coal, Mining, and Minerals

We advise clients on a broad range of commercial and operational matters, including the negotiation of mineral supply and master coal purchase and sale agreements, as well as corporate matters such as restructurings and bankruptcy-related issues.

Featured Video

What Happened to September 4? Non-Competes and Antitrust Enforcement in Labor Markets: Ways to Minimize Risk and Defend Your Company's Competitive Edge August 27, 2024

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

  • Oil and Gas

  • Ongoing defense of a company in a class action lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the U.S. Virgin Islands alleging releases from a refinery contaminated cisterns and soil, involving more than 20,000 alleged putative class members seeking damages, including remediation and medical-monitoring damages.

  • Ongoing defense of a midstream energy company in connection with alleged damage to coastal marshland in a wildlife-management area spanning more than 30,000 acres in Louisiana.

  • Defended one of the largest natural gas producers in the United States in a blowout case against claims of gross negligence to preclude enforcement of limitation of liability, indemnity and allocation of risk provisions in a Master Service Agreement, with the court awarding nearly $10 million in damages, including prejudgment interest, to the client.

  • Represented a provider of infrastructure services in connection with various issues concerning an engineering, procurement and construction contract regarding the Maurepas Pipelines Project, which has three separate pipelines measuring approximately 100 miles in aggregate, and three new pumping stations. The project spans Ascension, St. Charles, St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes in Louisiana and will provide local refineries with pipeline access to domestically produced crude oil. The latest issue has involved contesting $20+ million in liens asserted by the pipeline owner in four parishes.

  • Represented an offshore oil and gas producer in a federal criminal investigation regarding an explosion on a company-owned platform.

  • Represented the special committee of a public energy company's board of directors in connection with a $150 million asset sale.

  • Represented an oil and gas company in the $89 million sale of substantially all of its assets.

  • Defended an ICC arbitration and two appeals to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in securing confirmation of an international arbitral award on behalf of a state-owned petroleum company, which resulted in the dismissal of more than $100 million in breach of contract and tort claims arising out of the sale of multiple gasoline shipments, and ordered reimbursement to the client of more than $730,000 in attorneys' fees and costs.

  • Chemical/Petrochemical

  • Representing a global chemical company in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) litigation defense. 

  • Defended a major chemical company in Louisiana against a significant environmental enforcement action by the U.S. government and contamination claims by local residents. In the federal enforcement action, the government sought civil penalties for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Clean Air Act. The surrounding residents sued for damages alleging trespass and other state law claims. After several days of trial in the enforcement action, the client concluded a favorable settlement with U.S. government.

  • Defended and obtained dismissal of client and its employee for personal injuries to subcontractor's employee resulting from unintended pressure release at chemical plant.

  • Defended an international chemical company in series of suits brought by neighboring residents and municipality alleging contamination of nearby properties and RCRA violations under RCRA's citizen suit provision. Favorable settlement of most claims was reached just prior to trial, and dismissal of remaining claims for violation of Lone Pine order recommended by magistrate.

  • Successfully defended numerous chemical and petrochemical companies against benzene-exposure claims by former employees and contractors in multiple states' courts.

  • Renewable Energy

  • Represented equity investors, lenders and landowners in large solar energy facilities, including addressing real estate issues and state and local tax incentives.

  • Development and financing of solar energy farms, including developers, lenders in equipment sale-leaseback transactions and tax equity investors.

  • Successfully represented an international construction, fabrication, and engineering concern in litigation before the Eastern District of Washington involving allegations of fraud, gross negligence and construction defects related to the construction of silicon and silicate refining facilities for a subsidiary of a major European solar power concern.

  • Represented a solar manufacturer/installer in the acquisition of multiple limited liability companies.

  • Represented an offshore construction firm in connection with bidding on offshore wind farm construction in Massachusetts.

  • Represented one of the largest ethanol distributors in the United States in the sale of a controlling interest to a Brazilian-based sugar trader for approximately $110 million in cash and securities.

  • Represented a biofuel company in the closing of a $240 million refinancing of a syndicated credit facility on behalf of the client and nine subsidiaries.

  • Represented a client in the sale of its nationwide solar asset management company, which was valued at $26 million and provided solar power system operations and maintenance services, to a private equity company.

  • Nuclear Energy

  • Assisted in the defense of contractors operating a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility in a putative class action brought by neighboring landowners alleging releases of hazardous materials and radionuclides over 50 years. Secured dismissal under the Price-Anderson Act.

  • Provided construction counsel in connection with $80 million in delay and overhead claims associated with the allegedly defective design of a nuclear materials storage facility.

  • Represented a nuclear energy company in the formation of a joint venture/development agreement to focus on the joint development and licensing of the company's advanced small modular saline-cooled nuclear reactor.

  • Coal, Mining and Minerals

  • Represented an energy company in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of another business that held a coal lease with the company. Negotiated the sale and assumption of the debtor's coal lease.

  • Advised the operators of a major coal company in the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. Assisted with restructuring $70 million in secured debt and formulating a plan of reorganization. 

  • Served as local counsel for the unsecured creditors' committee in a coal mining company case involving three mines in West Virginia and one in Alabama and more than $175 million in secured debt.

  • Represented a coal mining operation in all aspects of legal compliance including environmental.

  • Defended a global company in a multimillion-dollar suit in federal court brought to enforce coal supply contracts for manufacturing plants located in Alabama and Georgia.

Featured Experience

Defended one of the largest natural gas producers in the United States in a blowout case against claims of gross negligence to preclude enforcement of limitation of liability, indemnity and allocation of risk provisions in a Master Service Agreement, with the court awarding nearly $10 million in damages, including prejudgment interest, to the client.

Represented a provider of infrastructure services in connection with various issues concerning an engineering, procurement and construction contract regarding the Maurepas Pipelines Project, which has three separate pipelines measuring approximately 100 miles in aggregate, and three new pumping stations. The project spans Ascension, St. Charles, St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes in Louisiana and will provide local refineries with pipeline access to domestically produced crude oil. The latest issue has involved contesting $20+ million in liens asserted by the pipeline owner in four parishes.

Featured Media

The Daily Report Highlights the Addition of Shareholders Gray Wilson in Winston-Salem and Robert Baxley in Birmingham
News / May 18, 2026
Baker Donelson Welcomes Litigator Robert Baxley as Shareholder in Birmingham
Press Release / May 13, 2026
Birmingham Business Journal Highlights Addition of Shareholder Robert Baxley
News / May 13, 2026

Email Disclaimer

NOTICE: The mailing of this email is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. Anything that you send to anyone at our Firm will not be confidential or privileged unless we have agreed to represent you. If you send this email, you confirm that you have read and understand this notice.
Cancel Accept