Energy

OVERVIEW

EXPERIENCE

NEWS & INSIGHTS

Empowering our energy clients to face challenges and seize opportunities—because together, we are building the future of energy.

Energy drives global industry, and Seyfarth stands at the forefront, delivering unmatched legal acumen across the oil, gas, and renewable energy markets. By understanding the industry’s evolving dynamics, we provide strategic, tailored solutions to position clients for long-term success in today’s competitive landscape.

HOW WE HELP

We understand the unique legal challenges facing energy companies both domestically and internationally. Supported by the resources of a full-service, global law firm, our practice includes experienced lawyers across corporate, labor & employment, commercial litigation, real estate, and intellectual property.

Corporate & Transactional. Our team leverages its legal acumen and deep industry knowledge to advise clients in strategic transactions across the energy and infrastructure sectors.

We provide comprehensive legal support across the entire oil and gas value chain—from exploration and production (E&P) to refining and petrochemicals. We deliver specialized guidance rooted in extensive experience with upstream, midstream, and downstream entities, oilfield services (OFS) companies, sponsors, family offices, and financial institutions. This depth allows us to tailor solutions that align with each client’s strategic vision and commercial objectives.

We also combine cross-jurisdictional experience in both fossil-based and renewable systems of energy production and consumption, enabling seamless collaboration to support sponsors, developers, and governmental entities. As the industry shifts toward cleaner energy solutions, we provide premier legal counsel on project finance, regulatory compliance, and environmental matters—empowering our clients to lead the energy transition.

Labor & Employment. Our labor and employment attorneys have successfully represented oil and gas operators and services companies throughout the United States, achieving landmark decisions and setting important legal precedent that protects our clients’ business models across the energy industry.

Our attorneys represent operators and oil and gas companies against wage and hour litigation including class and collective actions, discrimination claims, administrative audits including (OSHA, DOL, and OFCCP), labor disputes, union avoidance, non-compete agreements, complex leaves of absence, and other employment disputes.

What sets our team apart is our deep understanding of the role that employees and independent contractors play in the drilling and completions process as well as working on pipelines. This expertise allows our team to successfully defend employers in arbitration and in litigation in state and federal courts across the country.

Our sound advice and counseling is backed by decades-long relationships with key industry players have given us deep insights into operational demands, pay practices, collective bargaining agreements, code of conduct, workplace policies, and supervisory and management structures that is unmatched in the legal market.

THE SEYFARTH EXPERIENCE

Known for delivering outstanding client service, we work in true partnership with clients through our acclaimed service delivery platform. Our client-focused, proprietary approach combines legal acumen, process design, and technology to deliver exceptional results. Clients benefit from actionable, practical solutions crafted by true industry professionals—enabling us to deliver the right solution, at the right moment.

EXPERIENCE

Corporate & Transactional

Represented a private equity-backed portfolio company in the formation of a joint venture focused on the development of a natural gas microgrid.
Represented a private equity-backed portfolio company in the formation of a joint venture involving oil and gas assets in the Gulf of Mexico.
Represented a family office in structuring a joint venture to acquire, develop, and exploit oil and gas assets.
Represented a privately held oil and gas company in its private placement to secure investor capital in connection with the acquisition and development of upstream and midstream oil and gas assets located on federal lands in Wyoming.
Represented a publicly traded energy company in its divestiture of upstream oil and gas assets located in Colorado.
Represented a European-based oil and gas company in the formation of a joint venture to develop onshore oil and gas assets located in California.
Representing general contractor in multiple renewable natural gas transactions. The general contractor is acting as the EPC contractor and negotiating deals with renewable natural gas developers across the US.
Represented the EPC contractor on the development of a $2 billion fertilizer plant in Wever, Iowa, involving state-of-the-art technology.
Negotiated the construction and engineering contracts and provided advice related to an Energy Savings Performance Contract with the US Army.
Represented a lender in a construction loan for a five-site solar farm in Massachusetts.
Drafted and negotiated construction contracts on behalf of maritime company engaged in offshore wind and liquified natural gas sources.
Represented a renewable energy company in connection with a refinancing of its existing credit facility with a new $10 million revolving line of credit and $45 million delayed draw term loan.
Represented an energy transition company in the $30 million acquisition of a former coal storage site that will be redeveloped as an offshore wind turbine marshalling yard.
Represented a global manufacturing company in a $5.5 billion build-to-suit lease and ground lease financing for the development of a 1.4-million-square-foot battery manufacturing complex in Queen Creek, Arizona.
Represented a leading data center provider in connection with a joint venture to bring to market more than 100 MW of power capacity and more than 500,000 square feet of data center space in Tennessee.
Represented an alternative energy technology-developer in a $65 million expansion of the current lease for its headquarters in Illinois.

Labor & Employment

Represented numerous oil and gas companies and services companies in FLSA collective/state-law class action, which alleged that a certain class of workers were misclassified as independent contractors. Obtained over 50 successful verdicts in trial, arbitration, and at summary judgment.
Won landmark case in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that directional drillers were independent contractors.
Obtained a million dollar judgment in Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for attorneys’ fees against the US Department of Labor for bad faith investigation against energy services company where workers were correctly classified as independent contractors.
Represented numerous energy companies in collective action involving oilfield workers who were assigned to the company through third-party suppliers and alleged that they were employees of the energy companies and entitled to overtime compensation. Because the plaintiffs signed arbitration agreement with the third-party suppliers, we successfully compelled arbitration.
Successfully defended an international energy company in multiple arbitrations in California. Claimants alleged various violations of the California Labor Code, including off-the-clock work, unpaid overtime, on-call time, and meal and rest break violations. The Arbitrators dismissed all of Claimants’ claims and awarded our client costs.
Obtained dismissal of sex discrimination and retaliation claims against multinational oil and gas corporation and oilfield services contractor; court also found plaintiff could not establish joint employer relationship.
Represented numerous energy and oil field services companies with respect to layoff/RIF decisions involving tens of thousands of workers, including review of layoffs decisions, preparation of documentation for each decision, and review for potential disparate impact discrimination.
Performed annual pay equity audits, performance rating analyses, DEI reviews, affirmative action plans, federal reporting, and other workforce analytics for an international oil company, encompassing all field, technical, professional, and corporate employees.

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Empowering our energy clients to face challenges and seize opportunities—because together, we are building the future of energy.

HOW WE HELP

Corporate & Transactional. Our team leverages its legal acumen and deep industry knowledge to advise clients in strategic transactions across the energy and infrastructure sectors.

THE SEYFARTH EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE

Corporate & Transactional

Represented a private equity-backed portfolio company in the formation of a joint venture focused on the development of a natural gas microgrid.
Represented a private equity-backed portfolio company in the formation of a joint venture involving oil and gas assets in the Gulf of Mexico.
Represented a family office in structuring a joint venture to acquire, develop, and exploit oil and gas assets.
Represented a privately held oil and gas company in its private placement to secure investor capital in connection with the acquisition and development of upstream and midstream oil and gas assets located on federal lands in Wyoming.
Represented a publicly traded energy company in its divestiture of upstream oil and gas assets located in Colorado.
Represented a European-based oil and gas company in the formation of a joint venture to develop onshore oil and gas assets located in California.
Representing general contractor in multiple renewable natural gas transactions. The general contractor is acting as the EPC contractor and negotiating deals with renewable natural gas developers across the US.
Represented the EPC contractor on the development of a $2 billion fertilizer plant in Wever, Iowa, involving state-of-the-art technology.
Negotiated the construction and engineering contracts and provided advice related to an Energy Savings Performance Contract with the US Army.
Represented a lender in a construction loan for a five-site solar farm in Massachusetts.
Drafted and negotiated construction contracts on behalf of maritime company engaged in offshore wind and liquified natural gas sources.
Represented a renewable energy company in connection with a refinancing of its existing credit facility with a new $10 million revolving line of credit and $45 million delayed draw term loan.
Represented an energy transition company in the $30 million acquisition of a former coal storage site that will be redeveloped as an offshore wind turbine marshalling yard.
Represented a global manufacturing company in a $5.5 billion build-to-suit lease and ground lease financing for the development of a 1.4-million-square-foot battery manufacturing complex in Queen Creek, Arizona.
Represented a leading data center provider in connection with a joint venture to bring to market more than 100 MW of power capacity and more than 500,000 square feet of data center space in Tennessee.
Represented an alternative energy technology-developer in a $65 million expansion of the current lease for its headquarters in Illinois.

Labor & Employment

Represented numerous oil and gas companies and services companies in FLSA collective/state-law class action, which alleged that a certain class of workers were misclassified as independent contractors. Obtained over 50 successful verdicts in trial, arbitration, and at summary judgment.
Won landmark case in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that directional drillers were independent contractors.
Obtained a million dollar judgment in Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for attorneys’ fees against the US Department of Labor for bad faith investigation against energy services company where workers were correctly classified as independent contractors.
Represented numerous energy companies in collective action involving oilfield workers who were assigned to the company through third-party suppliers and alleged that they were employees of the energy companies and entitled to overtime compensation. Because the plaintiffs signed arbitration agreement with the third-party suppliers, we successfully compelled arbitration.
Successfully defended an international energy company in multiple arbitrations in California. Claimants alleged various violations of the California Labor Code, including off-the-clock work, unpaid overtime, on-call time, and meal and rest break violations. The Arbitrators dismissed all of Claimants’ claims and awarded our client costs.
Obtained dismissal of sex discrimination and retaliation claims against multinational oil and gas corporation and oilfield services contractor; court also found plaintiff could not establish joint employer relationship.
Represented numerous energy and oil field services companies with respect to layoff/RIF decisions involving tens of thousands of workers, including review of layoffs decisions, preparation of documentation for each decision, and review for potential disparate impact discrimination.
Performed annual pay equity audits, performance rating analyses, DEI reviews, affirmative action plans, federal reporting, and other workforce analytics for an international oil company, encompassing all field, technical, professional, and corporate employees.

Related News & Insights

View All