Loeb & Loeb Expands Transactional and Regulatory Platform with Addition of Premier Energy Group

NEW YORK – Loeb & Loeb LLP announced today that Richard Lorenzo and Frank Lee have joined the firm as partners. Theodore Duver will join as Senior Counsel. The new additions complement Loeb & Loeb’s transactional platform in M&A, finance and securities, including the regulatory litigation area, and will add depth to its focus in the energy industry. The new group will also add substantial depth to the firm’s regulatory capabilities, particularly regulatory litigation. Nicole Travers will also join as an associate.

Lorenzo and Travers will assist the firm in opening a Washington, D.C. office which will allow the firm to continue its growth as it seeks to add other lawyers in the regulatory area in Washington to complement and support the firm’s already established practices including Litigation, Securities Regulation, Patent and Trademark, Copyright, White Collar Criminal Defense, Advertising and Consumer Protection, among others.

“We’re delighted to welcome this top notch team of attorneys to Loeb & Loeb,” said firm Co-Chairman Michael Beck.

“The transactional side of the energy group’s practice fits well with Loeb & Loeb’s work for Chinese companies, which includes assisting a number of China-based energy companies in raising capital in the US. These additions further position our firm for opportunities within China’s rapidly evolving and diversifying energy sector,” added John Frankenheimer, Co-Chairman at Loeb & Loeb.

The attorneys practiced together at Day Pitney LLP before joining Loeb & Loeb. The group is recognized for representing energy companies and financial institutions both in transactional and regulatory matters, assisting clients such as Pepco Holdings, Emera Inc., Energy East, Southern California Edison, Citigroup Global Markets and JPMorgan Securities.

“We are excited about joining Loeb & Loeb,” said Richard Lorenzo. “We feel our practice will flourish, particularly as we leverage the firm’s presence in California, utilizing the expert knowledge of Governor Gray Davis’ years of leadership and continued involvement in energy initiatives in the country’s largest energy consuming state.”

Richard M. Lorenzo has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry handling antitrust and other complex litigation matters. Lorenzo has extensive experience in federal and state courts and has been involved in every type of regulatory proceeding; from rate cases, to rulemakings, to prudence investigations involving over $10 billion in assets. Lorenzo has been actively involved in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) enforcement authority, including its antimarket manipulation and reliability rules. He was a key player in FERC's RTO, transmission pricing, and other competitive market initiatives. Lorenzo has worked on projects involving all types of energy transmission and generation, including coal, gas, hydro, wind, and nuclear. In the nuclear area, Lorenzo’s experience includes active involvement in evaluating, planning and contracting for new light water nuclear stations.

Lorenzo earned his B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany, his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University and his LL.M. from Columbia University.

Frank Lee’s practice focuses principally on SEC, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. His practice also includes transactional and regulatory matters in connection with energy mergers and acquisitions and utility finance. Mr. Lee has extensive experience in all aspects of representing publicly held companies in connection with the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. He also provides advice to clients on issues of corporate law and governance.

Lee has worked extensively in representing both regulated and unregulated companies and underwriters in securities issuances and other financing matters, including public offerings, private placements, and Rule 144A distributions of secured and unsecured debt, equity, tax-exempt securities, trust preferred securities, public/private debt exchanges, issuer tender offers, and consent solicitations.

Lee earned his B.A. from Cornell University and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Law.

Theodore F. Duver practices principally in the area of regulatory litigation and has extensive experience in complex commercial and appellate litigation in state and federal courts. He has represented utilities in regulatory proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the New York, Maryland and Washington D.C. Public Service Commissions.

Duver earned a B.A. from Syracuse University, magna cum laude, and his J.D. from Cornell Law School.

Nicole A. Travers focuses on the federal regulation of energy utilities, projects and developers, and represents the interests of such utilities before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Travers earned a B.F.A. from Emerson College, magna cum laude, and her J.D. from William & Mary School of Law.

Loeb & Loeb LLP is a multi-service national law firm with nearly 300 attorneys focusing on select practice areas, rather than endeavoring to be all things to all clients. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009, the firm is recognized as a leading law firm in the areas of advanced media, finance, bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors' rights, entertainment, litigation, intellectual property, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, technology, advertising and promotions and tax and wealth services. Loeb & Loeb has five domestic offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Nashville and Washington, D.C., and the firm has applied to open a representative office in Beijing to serve a rapidly growing number of Asian clients.