Blank Rome Strengthens Energy Team in Houston and

Houston/Pittsburgh, July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Ryan T. Purpura, Matthew “Matt” D. Lea and Ryan A. Haddad have joined the firm as partners and members of the Energy Practice Team. All three partners bring significant experience in the energy sector, with a particular focus on oil and gas and energy-related transactions, financings and project development. They join Blank Rome from Reed Smith LLP, where Purpura was co-chair of the firm’s Global Energy and Natural Resources Practice Group. The trio joins Blank Rome in the following practice groups and offices:

“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, Matt and Ryan to our firm,” said Grant S. Palmer, chairman and managing partner of Blank Rome. “They are exceptional lawyers who have built impressive practices in the energy and finance areas, and they will strengthen our capabilities to serve our clients in these key areas. Their addition also demonstrates our strategic commitment to growing our presence and offerings in Houston and Pittsburgh, two important markets for our firm and our clients.”

“Ryan, Matt and Ryan are excellent additions to our Corporate and Finance teams,” said Cassandra G. Mott, Partner and Co-Chair of the Houston office. “They have deep knowledge of the energy sector and the legal and business issues that impact our clients in the energy sector and in the Houston and Pittsburgh markets. Energy finance transactions for 2024 have been dynamic and reflect increased investment in the energy transition, clean technology, innovative financing and mergers and acquisitions. We look forward to working with this group to further help our clients navigate the evolving energy landscape.”

Purpura represents oil and gas companies, private equity and hedge funds, and other financial institutions in mergers and acquisitions, project financings and developments, and other energy sector transactions. For example, he advises clients on joint ventures and other strategic combinations for the development of oil and gas assets, primarily in domestic shale plays. Purpura also advises clients on acquisitions and dispositions of oil and gas assets, midstream assets and master limited partnerships, and oilfield service businesses. He guides clients through financing transactions, including volumetric production payments, net profit interests, and mining royalty funds.

“Blank Rome has a strong reputation for delivering quality legal services to clients across a broad range of industries, practice areas and markets that complement our practices,” Purpura said. “I am excited about the firm’s strategic vision, which includes growth in Houston and Dallas. For example, Cassandra Mott and Sarah Frazier joined the Houston office three years ago to help build the firm’s transactional practice in the region and have enjoyed great success in Texas and beyond. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to grow our energy finance practice and serve our clients with excellence.”

“Ryan, Matt and Ryan bring a wealth of experience in energy financing, transactions, development and operations that will greatly benefit our clients across the energy sector,” said Susan L. Bickley, partner and co-chair of the firm’s Houston office and energy sector team. “As the energy sector undergoes significant transformation, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the ever-changing regulatory, economic and environmental landscape with strategic and innovative solutions. Ryan, Matt and Ryan will be valuable assets to our team and our firm as we continue to grow.”

Lea, together with Purpura, focuses on representing lenders and borrowers in a variety of energy financing transactions, including conventional and mezzanine transactions and related secured transactions, as well as alternative structures such as production payments and prepaid swap agreements. His finance practice extends to a broad range of secured and unsecured trade finance transactions. Matt also advises clients on energy commodities and other hedging transactions, including secured hedging transactions and structured commodity transactions. In addition, he has experience in other types of transactions such as acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and the preparation and negotiation of related agreements.

“There are so many opportunities for growth at Blank Rome,” Lea said. “We look forward to working alongside the firm’s core finance group, our colleagues across the firm, and contributing to Blank Rome’s collaborative culture. All three of us have complementary and supportive practices, so we wanted to join a firm that would allow us to continue to work together while collaborating with teams across firms, industries, and offices, and that’s what we found at Blank Rome.”

Haddad advises established and emerging energy clients on transactional matters, energy innovation and operations, primarily in the oil and gas and related sectors. He is a leading practitioner in the rapidly growing carbon capture and sequestration (“CCS”) sector, representing project developers, CO2 emitters and landowners in joint ventures, project development, interstitial leasing, carbon offtake and related matters. Haddad advises clients on matters involving mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, finance, corporate governance, coordination of estate matters, distressed asset sales, commercial agreements and other documentation associated with natural gas operations, CCS, waste-to-energy projects and other energy developments.

Haddad added, “Ryan, Matt and I are invested in each other and have worked side by side to deliver exceptional, comprehensive customer service. Our collaborative approach fits perfectly with Blank Rome’s team-based culture, which will allow us to serve our customers at the highest level.”

The addition of this team follows an exciting period of growth for Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A and Securities group. Partners Jeffrey A. Fickes and Christoper DePizzo recently joined the firm as partners in the New York office. In May, the firm opened its Boston office, which now has more than 30 lawyers with leading practices in corporate, finance, M&A, tax, litigation, cannabis and maritime law.

Purpura is a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Energy Law and a director of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation Board of Directors. Purpura received his J.D. and MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and his BA from The Pennsylvania State University. He was an adjunct professor of energy law at Duquesne University School of Law.

Lea received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the South Texas Law Reviewand his BA from Vanderbilt University.

Haddad received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and his B.A. honorsfrom the University of Pittsburgh.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 16 offices and 750 attorneys and principals providing comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating throughout the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their industry-leading knowledge and experience across a wide range of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our founding in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing a high level of service to all of our clients and is rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

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• Ryan T. Purpura, Matthew D. Lea and Ryan A. Haddad