Adam O’Brian

Adam’s practice focuses on capital markets transactions with an emphasis on public utilities and energy companies. Adam is a member of the firm’s energy and infrastructure team. He has experience representing issuers and underwriters on a range of securities transactions including debt and equity financings. Adam counsels clients on SEC registered public offerings, Rule 144A/Regulation S offerings and private placements. In addition to his traditional capital markets experience, Adam has represented the underwriters in several dedicated utility rate securitization transactions. Adam also has experience advising clients on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) offerings and establishment of ESG frameworks.

Dedicated Rate Securitization Transactions:

• Company counsel to Duke Energy Florida, LLC, as sponsor, for the offering of nuclear asset-recovery bonds issued in connection with the early retirement of the Crystal River 3 nuclear plant
• Underwriters’ counsel for Consumers Energy Company for the issuance of securitization bonds in connection with the early retirement of several coal generation facilities
• Underwriters’ counsel for the issuance of system restoration bonds by the Louisiana Local Government Environmental Facilities and Community Development Authority (Louisiana Utilities Restoration Corporation)
• Underwriters’ counsel for issuances of rate reduction bonds by subsidiaries of American Electric Power Company, CenterPoint Energy Inc., Public Service Company of New Hampshire, Southern California Edison Company and Entergy Corp.

ESG:

• Underwriters’ counsel for National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation in connection with its inaugural sustainability bond issuance and establishment of its ESG framework

• Initial Purchasers’ counsel for Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC in connection with its inaugural sustainability bond issuance and establishment of its ESG framework

Debt:

• Underwriters’ counsel for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. in connection with the financing of its acquisition of Vectren Corporation
• Underwriters’ counsel for WEC Energy Group, Inc. in connection with the financing of its acquisition of Integrys Energy Group Inc.
• Initial Purchasers’ counsel for AEP Transmission Company, LLC’s inaugural issuance of debt securities
• Underwriters’ counsel for National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation in multiple issuances of collateral trust bonds and subordinated debt securities
• Underwriters’ counsel for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries, American Electric Power Company and its subsidiaries and WEC Energy Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, in multiple secured and unsecured debt securities issuances
• Initial Purchasers’ counsel for several utilities Rule 144A/Regulation S issuances of debt securities
• Lender’s counsel for ÖBB-Infrastruktur Aktiengesellschaft issuance of unsecured debt
• Counsel for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for refinancing of private placement debt
• Counsel for the project company of the I-595 managed lanes project in Florida in the refinancing of its original debt
• Company and purchasers’ counsel for utilities, including Duke Energy Corp., Southern Company and WEC Energy Group, for multiple 4(a)(2) private placements of debt securities
• Dealer manager’s counsel in connection with multiple debt-for-debt exchange offers, including the first-ever corporate Dutch auction debt-for-debt exchange
• Lenders’ counsel for several revolving credit agreements of a borrower

Equity:

• Underwriters’ counsel for American Electric Power Company for its issuance of equity units
• Underwriters’ counsel for Chesapeake Utilities Corp. in a common stock offering
• Underwriters’ counsel for Trade Street Residential, Inc. for its initial public offering of common stock
• Company and underwriters’ counsel for several REITs issuances of common stock and preferred stock

• Recognized as a Leader in Energy: Electricity (Finance), USA-Nationwide, Chambers USA, 2022-2024

• Recognized as a Leader in Energy: Electricity – Finance, USA, Chambers Global, 2023-2025

• Named among Leading Lawyers for Capital Markets: Debt and Equity, USA, IFLR1000, 2019, 2024