April 27, 2020––Barclay Damon announces five of its practice areas are recognized by Chambers USA in its 2020 directory as top-ranked in their geographical areas. They are Corporate/M&A, Environment, Labor & Employment, and Litigation: General Commercial, all in Upstate New York, and Energy: State Regulatory & Wholesale Electric Market, in New York State.
Additionally, Chambers listed the following partners as notable practitioners: Jim Canfield and Chris Greene (Corporate/M&A), Jon Devendorf (Litigation: General Commercial), Maureen Helmer and George Pond (Energy: State Regulatory & Wholesale Electric Market), Yvonne Hennessey (Environment), and Randy Oppenheimer (Labor & Employment).
Chambers ranks “the top lawyers and law firms” across the country based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.”
About the firm’s Corporate/M&A practice, Chambers said the Barclay Damon team is “valued for its strengths across commercial transactions, tax and intercreditor agreements as well as securities concerns and business formation matters” and has extensive knowledge “in the energy and health care spheres, with impressive experience acting for multinational corporations, venture capital funds, and financial institutions.” Chambers also referenced the practice “drawing on the firm’s multidisciplinary cybersecurity team.”
About the Environment practice, which was ranked for the first time this year, Chambers emphasized the team’s reputation for “supporting energy sector clients with permitting for electrical transmission projects and midstream oil and gas assets” as well as handling “compliance work and tackling Superfund issues.” A client described the team as “very experienced, knowledgeable, and efficient."
About the Labor & Employment Chambers praised the “highly rated team” for its strengths in “employment discrimination and retaliation litigation, trade secrets and noncompetition agreements as well as employee discharge cases.” The practice’s “employment litigation and advice for clients in the hospitality, tech, manufacturing, energy, and health care sectors” were also highlighted. A client described the team as “dependable, resourceful, and understanding.”
About the Litigation: General Commercial practice, Chambers described the “strong civil litigation practice” as covering “a range of cases arising from tax, contracts, franchising, and energy disputes” and being “regularly called upon for its strengths in product liability cases and white-collar criminal defense.” Chambers additionally cited the practice for “increasingly handling risk mitigation for large clients.” A client stated, "I feel like my company and I have received excellent representation and counsel … Their professionalism and ability to communicate with not only myself but the parties on the other side of the table is a real strength."
About the Energy: State Regulatory & Wholesale Electric Market practice, Chambers said, “The strong team is equipped to handle the full spectrum of energy cases, from environmental and regulatory matters to M&A, land use, and public policy issues.” Chambers added that the team is “active in the oil and gas industry as well as the renewables space” and “clients benefit from the team's wealth of experience gained during various roles in public bodies.” Multiple clients praised the team, noting, “They are polite, incredibly responsive, and take complex issues and distill them into understandable terms.”
Chambers singled out the following individuals for recognition:
- Jim Canfield, ranked since 2015; Chambers referenced multiple sources describing him as “a very effective lawyer and solid practitioner.”
- Chris Greene, ranked since 2015; Chambers cited market sources who described him as an “excellent lawyer” and also highlighted his “substantial experience advising health care-sector clients on corporate and regulatory issues.”
- Jon Devendorf, ranked since 2015; Chambers noted that clients “applaud his ability to provide advice and guidance leading to reasonable solutions” as well as his “practical approach.”
- Maureen Helmer, ranked since 2013; Chambers highlighted her role as the former chair of the NY Public Service Commission and her experience “dealing with a host of regulatory and compliance matters for energy and telecommunications companies.”
- Yvonne Hennessey, ranked for the first time this year; Chambers noted her role as Barclay Damon’s Environmental Practice area chair as well as her work advising “electric and oil and gas clients on permitting and other administrative proceedings.”
- George Pond, ranked since 2011; Chambers emphasized him being “particularly recommended for his NYISO expertise” and his “strong agency-facing practice, regularly appearing before the PSC and FERC.”
- Randy Oppenheimer, ranked for the first time this year; Chambers described him as “an experienced litigator” and highlighted his counsel on matters “including discrimination and retaliation claims and issues arising from collective bargaining agreements.”
Barclay Damon attorneys team across offices and practices to provide customized, targeted solutions grounded in industry knowledge and a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. With nearly 300 attorneys, Barclay Damon is a leading law firm that operates from a strategic platform of offices located in the Northeastern United States and Toronto. For more information, visit our award-winning website at barclaydamon.com.