Sevren R. Gourley

Sevren assists public and private sector clients with cross-border project finance and development transactions, primarily in the energy and infrastructure space. He frequently advises on sophisticated, market-leading international projects and investment transactions, and acts as counsel in negotiation, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance matters involving the development, privatization, restructuring and financing of diverse projects throughout the world.

Prior to joining the firm, Sevren served in the United States Peace Corps in Zambia, where he coordinated agricultural and energy initiatives. At Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, he is active in the firm’s veterans and immigration pro bono programs.

• Assisting the Government of Uzbekistan and World Bank with developing multiple utility-scale photovoltaic solar power and battery storage projects, with more than 700 MW total capacity, as innovative public-private partnerships.
• Assisting the Government of Kosovo with the structuring and development of a 450 MW power plant project including advice related to issues of European Union state aid law compliance raised by the Energy Community Secretariat with respect to attracting foreign investment in the power plant project.
• Assisting international investors with cross-border investments in the United States, including investments in sensitive technology, U.S. renewable energy projects, critical infrastructure, and real estate subject to review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and obtaining CFIUS clearance for large investments in wind, solar, battery storage, and geothermal projects, as well as other sensitive industries, in the United States.
• Assisting the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) on multiple investments including the provision of political risk insurance for a $500 million sovereign-debt-for-nature swap in Gabon as well as equity investments in West Africa.
• Advising a U.S. foreign aid agency on matters related to financing and managing infrastructure investments in developing countries including representing the agency in dispute resolution, advising on matters related to cyber infrastructure security protocols, and handling various project documentation issues related to management services contracts, cooperative grant agreements, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts and procurement matters.
• Advising parastatal entities in Greece and Thailand, among others, on the development of regional liquified natural gas (LNG) trading hubs, including terminal access code and terminal use agreement development, and associated regulatory reform.
• Advising U.S. and various foreign government agencies and parastatal entities on international best practices and legal frameworks for hydrocarbon field exploration and development; LNG trading and transport; data management; investments in the energy transition; and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).
• Advising both owner and sponsor-side parties on matters related to international project development including the use and negotiation of international documentary letters of credit (UCP 600) and demand guarantees (URDG 758); power purchase agreements, direct agreements, government support agreements, and tax-equity investment documentation; construction, supply, and consultant contracts; and legal due diligence.
• Advising U.S. investors on investment treaty protections and related structuring considerations in cross-border investment transactions and acting as counsel in the negotiation of cross-border outsourcing, supply, and EPC contracts for complex energy, infrastructure, and industrial projects.
• Representing the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) in the negotiation of interconnection agreements and project documentation for numerous large renewable energy projects, including the South Fork and Sunrise Offshore Wind Projects.
• Representing government-side defendants in international dispute resolution under applicable treaties and international agreements, including securing a favorable dismissal and an award of $4.1 million in costs on behalf of the Government of Romania in an intra-EU investment arbitration (ICSID Case No. ARB/18/30) and securing a favorable settlement for a parastatal entity of the Government of Malawi against contractor claims brought in UNCITRAL arbitration and various court proceedings in Denmark related to hydropower investments in Malawi.
• Advising a West African government on the structuring and development of competitive markets to privatize the utilization of public natural gas resources and attract international investment.
• Advising various U.S. and foreign multi-nationals on matters related to cross-border transactions implicating U.S. sanctions administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the global energy sector, including: consideration of various potential transactions under the Ukraine/Russia-related Sanctions regime; the development and implementation of sanctions compliance programs, policy documents, and internal training resources consistent with OFAC’s compliance framework; and the submission of voluntary disclosures to OFAC.
• Representing parties in litigation in the energy sector including representing a multi-billion dollar power company in litigation to settle the interpretation of applicable electricity retail competition law; advising a large international petroleum investor on ICC arbitration matters with respect to a Middle Eastern oil field concession; and representing various utilities in various contentious regulatory proceedings before FERC and state energy regulatory authorities.

• E. Randolph Williams Pro Bono Award (2018 – 2019, 2020 – 2021)

• Member, International Law Section, American Bar Association
• Member, Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, American Bar Association