Chadbourne & Parke Forms "Next Generation Vehicles" Practice

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NEW YORK - January 21, 2010: The international law firm of Chadbourne & Parke LLP announced today that it has formed a Next Generation Vehicles practice. The multi-disciplinary team will be led by former New York Governor George E. Pataki and partner Chaim Wachsberger, chair of the Firm's highly regarded project finance practice.

"Chadbourne has historically represented start-up clients in new industries and technologies worldwide and has helped them to grow. Our experience in so many aspects of green technology and what we think of as the 'green' in the firm's DNA helped us to see the potential in this transportation initiative," said Chadbourne Managing Partner Charles K. O’Neill. "We will be able to provide comprehensive advice to clients who want to get involved in building, financing or investing in next generation vehicles and their components."

Governor Pataki and Mr. Wachsberger will spearhead a group that is a natural outgrowth of Chadbourne's relevant green expertise in its corporate, venture capital, private equity, capital markets, renewables, project finance, regulatory, climate change, environmental and intellectual property practices.

"We expect that the same entrepreneurial and socially responsible spirit and governmental policies that once created the independent power industry and more recently have been building the renewable power industry where, in both cases, Chadbourne is a market leader will also take root in the next generation vehicle business," said Governor Pataki. "Our status internationally as a leading law firm in renewables coupled with our strengths in infrastructure and infrastructure investment and in private equity make us uniquely suited to play a significant role."

Mr. Wachsberger added that the practice will help find a solution to a number of problems that the world is grappling with -- such as climate change and the need for energy security. "Wind, geothermal and solar energy alone will not solve the world's oil dependency problem," he said. "Almost two-thirds of American oil use is tied directly to transportation as is a large percentage in other countries. To really fix this, the world needs to aggressively embrace the next generation of vehicles."

Chadbourne was a sponsor at a recent conference in Detroit, "The Business of Plugging In," where Governor Pataki moderated a keynote panel. The Governor and other Chadbourne attorneys will speak about clean cars and clean tech topics at three upcoming conferences in Washington DC, Israel and San Francisco. The practice will work with manufacturers, parts suppliers, government agencies, power producers, lenders and other financiers and trade associations on a range of legal needs relating to next generation vehicles.

The firm’s traditional strengths in project finance, energy, venture capital and private equity, and its involvement in the evolution of the U.S. independent power industry, led Chadbourne to become an early entrant and pioneer of the renewables industry. The firm is widely recognized for its role in the wind energy, ethanol, solar and geothermal industries. Chadbourne has been deeply involved with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Programs for innovative and renewable energy projects under the Stimulus Act and represents prospective users of the DOE programs. The firm has had a climate change practice since 2008 and assists corporations, insurers and reinsurers, entrepreneurs, investors, lenders and funds in developing and executing climate change strategies.

About Chadbourne & Parke LLP

Chadbourne & Parke LLP, a global law firm headquartered in New York City, provides a full range of legal services, including mergers and acquisitions, securities, project finance, venture capital, private funds, corporate finance, energy, communications and technology, commercial and products liability litigation, securities litigation and regulatory enforcement, special investigations and litigation, intellectual property, antitrust, domestic and international tax, insurance and reinsurance, environmental, real estate, bankruptcy and financial restructuring, employment law and ERISA, trusts and estates and government contract matters. Major geographical areas of concentration include Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Canada. The Firm has offices in New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Mexico City, London (an affiliated partnership), Moscow, St. Petersburg, Warsaw (a Polish partnership), Kyiv, Almaty, Dubai and Beijing. For additional information, visit www.chadbourne.com.

For more information on the new practice group CLICK HERE