Introduction
Dan is chair of Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy Practice Group specializing in renewable energy and is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Securities, and Mergers & Acquisitions Groups.
Dan combines his unique legal and business skills to advise clients on matters relating to the private and public financing of companies and wind, solar and biomass projects, including venture capital and bank financing, mergers, acquisitions, wind, solar and biomass tax credit financing, and compliance with corporate and securities laws. Dan represents public and private companies on general corporate, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and compliance with state and federal securities laws. Dan works with investment banks, venture capitalists and investors in connection with the private placement and public offering of corporate equity and debt securities, and assists investment banks in structuring secured and unsecured loans.
Dan leverages his corporate and finance expertise to advise wind, solar and biomass energy owners, investors and developers in connection with the acquisition, development, and financing of wind, solar and biomass projects. Dan has assisted international, national, regional and local energy companies in the development and financing of wind, solar and biomass projects. His wind energy projects account for more than 1,000 MW of wind energy capacity, and wind projects that are currently in process will account for an additional 6,000 MW. Dan’s projects are located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Texas. Dan also represents leading wind energy supply and service companies.
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., cum laude
- The American University, M.B.A.
- University of Michigan, B.S., Education
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Practice Areas
- Energy, Chair
- Renewable Energy, Chair
- Clean Technology
- Corporate
- Emerging Business
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Securities
- Life Sciences
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- Construction
- Commercial Law
- Tax Credit and Incentive Financing
Representative Experience
Sample Wind Projects
- Antelope Wind, LLC (
- Baileyville Wind, LLC (
- Kimball Wind, LLC (
- Marshall Wind Farm, LLC (
- M-Power, LLC (
- Odin Wind Farm, LLC (
- Shelbyville Wind, LLC (
- Trimont Area Wind Farm, LLC (
- Representative clients include: Geronimo Wind Energy, LLC; Energy Maintenance Service, LLC; Invenergy, LLC; John Deere Renewables, LLC; Iberdrola Renewables, Inc.; Project Resources Corporation; and Broadwind Energy, Inc.
Sample Solar Projects
- Best Power Intl., LLC,
- Best Power Intl., LLC,
Selected Publications & Presentations
- “MISO Queue Reform Update,” co-authored with Todd Guerrero and Lindsey Hemly, FredALERT: Energy, April 20, 2012
- Presenter, “Purchase and Sales of Wind Projects,” 2012 Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit, San Diego, CA, February 8-10, 2012
- Program Co-chair and Co-presenter of the Introduction and Overview, Third Annual Conference on New Developments in Renewable Energy in the Midwest States, August 25-26, 2011
- “New “Met” Tower Requirements in North Dakota,” co-authored with Benjamin Gerber and Mollie Smith, FredALERT: Energy, July 2011
- “Partnership Flip Tax Equity,” Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment
- Program Chair and Presenter, “Community Wind - Partnership and Joint Ventures,” AWEA Small and Community Wind Conference & Exhibition, December 7-9, 2010
- Presenter, “Financing and Policy for Community Wind,” Windustry Community and Small Wind Energy Conference, November 15-16, 2010
- Presenter, “New Developments in Renewable Energy,” Law Seminar International’s Second Annual Conference, August 19-20, 2010
- “2010 Energy Legislative Update,” FredALERT: 2010 Energy Legislative Update, June 2010
- “Wind and Solar Energy Power Purchase Agreements - Key Issues,” RMEL 2010 Spring Electric Energy Conference,
- “Developments in the Market: Grid Integration, Project Development & Financing,” 2nd German American Energy Conference 2010,
- “Wind Market Overview,” “Negotiating a Wind Power Purchase Agreement That Banks Will Finance,” and Moderator for “Developing and Financing Wind Projects: Landowner/ Developer/Utility Perspectives,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Midwest Wind Development Conference, February 22, 2010
- “What are the latest policy and technical developments in wind energy, and is there still enough untapped potential to meet renewable energy goals?” E3 2009: The Midwest’s Premier Energy, Economic and Environmental Conference, November 17, 2009
- Session Chair, Incentives for Community Wind Development Projects, AWEA’s Small and Community Wind Conference & Exhibition, November 5, 2009
- “Developer’s Prospectus on Renewable Energy Projects in the
- “Notice 2009-52: Election of ITC in Lieu of PTC,” co-authored with Alexandra Mertens and Tom Garton, FredALERT: Energy, June 9, 2009
- “Challenges and Opportunities in the U.S. Wind Market – Trends in Business Transactions,” 1st German American Energy Conference 2009, Berlin, March 30-April 2, 2009
- “Wind Overview” and “Wind Power Purchase Agreements: Key Issues,” Fredrikson & Byron’s North Dakota Wind Conference, February 23, 2009
- “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Wind Energy Provisions,” co-authored with Alex Mertens, FredALERT: Renewable Energy, February 23, 2009
- “Wind and Solar Energy Markets Slowed by Financial Crisis,” FredNEWS: Energy, February 2009
- Moderator and presenter, ACG MN Luncheon on Renewable Energy, December 16, 2008
- “The Basics of a Power Purchase Agreement,” Biomass Magazine, November 2008
- “Governors Proactively Encouraging Increased Transmission Capacity Throughout the Upper Midwest,” co-authored with Zachary Olson, FredNEWS: Energy, October 2008
- “Midwest ISO Queue Reforms Take Effect,” co-authored with Zachary Olson, FredNEWS: Energy, October 2008
- “Utility Perspectives on Renewable Energy Development Plans, Programs, and Progress,” Opportunities in Midwestern Renewable Energy, October 6-8, 2008
- “United States Wind Power Market,” German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest’s Renewables & Energy Efficiency Roadshow 2008, June 26, 2008
- “Cleantech: The Convergence of Energy, Agriculture and Renewables,” The Collaborative Convergence Series, May 6, 2008
- Featured in “Renewable-energy industry equals opportunities for law firms,” Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, April 11, 2008
- “Community Wind Projects,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Midwest Community-Wind Conference, January 31, 2008
- “IRS Safe Harbor Provisions for Flip Projects,” co-authored with Christina Brusven, FredNEWS: Energy, January 2008
- “Minnesota Model Encourages Community Wind,” North American Windpower, January 2008
- “Financing Community Wind,” Midwest Ag Energy Network Webinar, December 6, 2007
- “Wind Energy: Green and Growing in Minnesota,” BusinessNorth.com, June 3, 2007
- “The Minnesota Flip Business Model,” co-authored with Christina Brusven, Windustry’s Community Wind Toolbox, August 2006
- “Financing Wind Projects,” co-authored with Carrie Seele, Fredrikson & Byron’s Bank Focus Newsletter, June 2005
Professional Activities
- Minnesota’s Community Based Energy Development (C-BED) Advisory Taskforce
- Minnesota Justice Foundation, Board of Directors
- American Bar Association
- American Wind Energy Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- National Association of Corporate Directors
- United States Senate
Honors & Distinctions
- Named one of the “2011 Minnesotans on the Move” by Finance & Commerce