Cadwalader Further Strengthens Energy and Commodities Practice

NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, a leading counselor to global financial institutions and corporations, today announced that Jana V. Baldwin, Athena Y. Eastwood, Jason R. Eig, Terence T. Healey, Danielle K. Schonback, Vanessa G. Tanaka and Joseph B. Williams, all formerly with McDermott Will & Emery LLP, have joined the firm's Energy and Commodities Advisory Practice.  These Special Counsel follow their nine colleagues who arrived at Cadwalader last week. They will operate out of Cadwalader's New York and Washington, D.C. offices.

"We are delighted to welcome these high caliber professionals to our growing Energy and Commodities Practice," said W. Christopher White, Chairman of Cadwalader. "Their experience in energy and commodities related regulatory, litigation, finance and other transactional matters will enable us to provide clients with unparalleled legal insight and position us as a leader in legal services to a sector facing heightened governmental scrutiny.  As important, their enthusiasm and desire to build something special here at Cadwalader matches our commitment to their success."

Jana V. Baldwin joins Cadwalader's Washington, D.C. office, where she will advise on commodities, energy and litigation matters.  Ms. Baldwin's expertise has included internal and enforcement investigations by government agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), in addition to litigation, antitrust, and labor and employment issues.  

Athena Y. Eastwood joins Cadwalader's Washington, D.C. office from her previous firm's Commodities Regulatory practice, of which she served as Co-Head.  She has advised on legislation, compliance and regulatory issues within the commodities and derivatives markets.  Further, Ms. Eastwood has worked with a wide selection of hedge funds, energy companies and financial institutions.  Her expertise has included delivering and negotiating commodities agreements, with a focus on renewable energy, coal and natural gas.  Ms. Eastwood sits on the ISDA Coal Trading Working Group committee and ISDA Emissions Trading Working Group committee.

Jason R. Eig joins Cadwalader's Washington, D.C. office from his previous firm's Corporate Department, where he focused on commercial lending transactional work, mergers and acquisitions and real estate matters and for a number of clients in the energy and commodities, healthcare, financial services, hospitality and general industrial sectors..  

Terence T. Healey joins Cadwalader's New York office.  He has advised clients on transactions, government affairs, litigation, negotiations and regulatory issues within the energy sector at the federal and state level.  In addition, Mr. Healey has advised a number of companies in front of the FERC on a range of natural gas and power related matters.

Danielle K. Schonback joins Cadwalader's New York office from her previous firm where she focused on regulation, transactions and risk management issues.  Representing a number of energy and commodity companies, banks and hedge funds, Ms. Schonback's expertise has included dealing with financial and physical agreements and documentation and regulatory matters within the energy field.  In addition she has advised clients on investigations by the CFTC and the FERC into pricing of natural gas transactions.  

Also joining Cadwalader is Vanessa G. Tanaka, who will practice out of the New York office.  She has advised a range of energy and commodity companies and financial institutions on matters surrounding secured transactions within energy.  She has worked on trading agreements for renewable, power, gas and financial products.  In addition, she has provided counsel on a number of issues ranging from renewable energy projects to acquisitive and transactional work.  

Joseph B. Williams joins Cadwalader's Washington, D.C. office from his previous firm's Energy and Derivatives Markets Practice Group.  He has specialized in energy-based trading, litigation and bankruptcy issues.  He also has experience in representing numerous companies in sophisticated energy litigation issues, contract litigation, investigations by the FERC and enforcement proceedings.  

"We are pleased to welcome these seven highly experienced professionals to our growing Energy and Commodities Advisory Practice in what marks an exciting new chapter for Cadwalader," said Paul J. Pantano, Jr., Head of the Energy and Commodities Practice.  "Their extensive expertise in critical regulatory and transactional issues that the energy and commodities industry faces expands our bench strength, furthers our ability to help companies navigate the evolving regulatory environment and accelerates our competitive position."

About Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, established in 1792, is one of the world's leading international law firms, with offices in New York, London, Charlotte, Washington and Beijing.  Cadwalader serves a diverse client base, including many of the world's top financial institutions, undertaking business in more than 50 countries in six continents.  The firm offers legal expertise in antitrust, banking, business fraud, corporate finance, corporate governance, energy and commodities, environmental, financial restructuring and reorganizations, healthcare, intellectual property, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private client, private equity, real estate, regulation, securitization, structured finance, and tax.  More information about Cadwalader can be found at www.cadwalader.com.

SOURCE Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP