Overview
Dan is an experienced transaction lawyer who assists clients with complex project finance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other commercial transactions.
Dan’s clients include domestic and international public and private companies in the energy and renewable energy industries. In the renewable energy market, Dan focuses on the wind, solar and biomass energy sectors and energy transmission. Dan’s clients include investment banks, private equity companies, renewable energy developers, independent power producers, utilities, manufacturers, service providers and other business concerns within these markets. Dan represents corporate clients in connection with their sustainability efforts and purchase of renewable energy.
Dan leads and manages complex legal transactions that may include international companies looking to invest in or acquire domestic companies. Dan serves as Division Chair of the Energy, Real Estate, Oil & Gas and Regulatory practice groups. Dan leads teams of development specialists to assist clients in all aspects of renewable energy development, including real estate, permitting, power purchase agreements, EPC contracts, commercial supply and service agreements, and project debt and tax equity financing. He helps structure joint ventures among developers, manufacturers and financial partners. He manages mergers and acquisitions of public and private companies.
Services
Experience
Renewable Energy Development and Finance
- Managed development of over 4,000MW of wind and solar energy generation facilities placed in service throughout the United States.
- Negotiated power purchase agreements for independent power producers for over 3,000MW involving public utilities, cooperatives and municipalities.
- Negotiated turbine supply agreements, balance of plant and related commercial contracts.
- Lead counsel on tax equity financing of wind and solar projects.
- Negotiated large Generator Interconnection Agreements for independent power producers in Mid-Continent Independent Systems Operations, Western Area Power Administration and PJM.
- Serve as local counsel in connection with renewable energy financing for project located in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Illinois.
- Represented renewable energy projects in connection with tax equity financing with JP Morgan, GE Capital and other tax equity interests.
M&A Experience
- Represented renewable energy developers in sale of wind portfolio.
- Advised various purchasers in acquisition of renewable energy operating projects.
- Counsel to sellers in sale of renewable energy projects to strategic buyers.
- Represented seller in sale of medical services company to public company on London Stock Exchange.
- Represented public company in acquisition of four companies in roll-up of manufacturing service companies completed within 18 months.
Corporate Finance Experience
- Represented renewable energy developers to raise working capital from strategic investors.
- Represented renewable energy developers in $50 million debt financing.
- Represented public company in $100 million investment by private equity group.
- Represented renewable energy developers in strategic joint ventures and capital investments with international utility.
- Counsel to investment bank in debt financing of renewable energy company.
Credentials
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., cum laude
- The American University, M.B.A.
- University of Michigan, B.S.
Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Recognition
- Best Lawyers in America, Energy Law, 2021-2024
- Lawyer of the Year in Minneapolis for Energy Law, Best Lawyers, 2023
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2023
- “Minnesotans on the Move”, Finance & Commerce, 2011
- Football Athletic Scholarship, University of Michigan
Civic & Professional
Professional Activities
- American Wind Energy Association
- Minnesota Justice Foundation, Board of Directors
- National Association of Corporate Directors
- American Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
News & Insights
Legal Updates
- Legal Update
- Legal Update
Publications & Presentations
Moderator, “Emerging Commercial Opportunities for Decarbonization,” Wind, Solar & Beyond: The Infocast Webinar Series, April 8, 2021
Moderator, “The Wind Power Supply Chain—Supporting the 2020 Push and Beyond,” 2020 Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit, February 5, 2020
Moderator, “Strategies for Aging Wind Assets,” 2019 Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit, February 6, 2019
Co-Chair, Law Seminar International’s 10th Annual Renewable Energy in the Midwest Conference, October 11-12, 2018
Co-Chair, “Executive Briefing,” 2018 Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit,February 6-8, 2018
Co-Chair, Law Seminar International’s Ninth Annual Renewable Energy in the Midwest Conference, October 3-4, 2017
Moderator, “Project M&A Landscape,” 2017 Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit, February 7-9, 2017
Co-Chair, Law Seminar International’s Eighth Annual Renewable Energy in the Midwest Conference, October 3-4, 2016
Moderator, “The EPA Clean Power Plan – What It Means for Solar Development,” 2016 Infocast Solar Power Finance & Investment Summit, San Diego, California, March 22, 2016
Moderator, “Looking Beyond the U.S. for Project Opportunities,” Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit 2016, San Diego, California, February 9-11, 2016
Co-Chair, Law Seminar International’s Seventh Annual Renewable Energy in the Midwest Conference, October 8-9, 2015
Presenter, “M&A Opportunities and Outlook for 2015,” Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit 2015, San Diego, California, February 10-12, 2015
Moderator, “Profiting from Industry Consolidation,” Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit 2014, San Diego, California, February 4-6, 2014
Program Co-Chair and Co-Presenter of the Introduction and Overview, and “What Do We Need to Do at the State and Federal Level to Make Things Better?,” Fifth Annual Conference on New Developments in Renewable Energy in the Midwest States, Minneapolis, August 15-16, 2013
Program Co-Chair and Co-Presenter of the Introduction and Overview, and “A Look at the Future: Coming Issues and Litigation,” Fourth Annual Conference on New Developments in Renewable Energy in the Midwest States, Minneapolis, August 16-17, 2012
Moderator, “M&A Outlook for 2013,” Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit 2013, San Diego, CA, February 5-7, 2013
Presenter, “New Challenges and Opportunities for the Wind Industry,” China Wind Power, Beijing 2012, November 15-17, 2012
Presenter, “Doing Wind Business in North America Forum,” China Wind Power, Beijing 2012, November 15-17, 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, Minneapolis, August 25-26, 2011
“Partnership Flip Tax Equity,” Infocast Wind Power Finance & Investment Summit, February 2-4, 2011
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
“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, Santa Fe, NM, May 16-18, 2010
“Developments in the Market: Grid Integration, Project Development & Financing,” 2nd German American Energy Conference 2010, Berlin, Germany, March 22-23, 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