Latham & Watkins Hires Five Energy Partners
The firm added five project development lawyers from Baker Botts, Sidley Austin and Orrick to its energy practice.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Oil and Gas
Latham & Watkins announced on Monday that it has hired five energy partners into its project development practice. The hires include Baker Botts global projects leader Jason Bennett along with Matthew Fusina and Thomas Holmberg, plus Jessica Adkins from Sidley Austin and Charles "Chase" Armbrust from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
Why it matters
The lateral hires bring experience in large energy and infrastructure projects, electric power deals and debt financing for solar, wind and thermal power projects. The move supports the firm's building of a Houston base for its worldwide energy projects business.
Latham & Watkins hired five energy partners in a single announcement on Monday, November 2, 2026. The announcement does not specify how many lawyers will be based in the planned Houston office.
The players
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with a large energy projects practice that is building a Houston base for its worldwide energy projects business.
Jason Bennett
Jason Bennett is a project development lawyer who previously served as global projects leader at Baker Botts.
The details
Jason Bennett, Matthew Fusina and Thomas Holmberg are project development lawyers focused on large energy and infrastructure projects, with Fusina and Holmberg longtime colleagues from Baker Botts. Jessica Adkins advises on electric power deals, including power supply for data centers, while Charles "Chase" Armbrust focuses on debt financing for solar, wind and thermal power projects.
Timeline
Monday, November 2, 2026: Latham & Watkins announces the five energy partner hires.
Market Landscape
Houston has long anchored the legal services that support oil and gas and power project development, and Latham's build-out places a major firm's global energy projects business in that market. The hires add electric power and debt financing expertise as the sector's project pipeline increasingly includes data center power supply and renewable generation.
For companies pursuing large energy and power projects in Houston, the addition of these lawyers expands the local pool of project development and financing counsel. The move may shape how quickly developers can secure legal support for data center power and renewable generation deals.
The takeaway
Energy project developers should watch where specialized legal talent is concentrating, since firms building regional bases can speed deal execution. Houston's role in project finance and power supply work is strengthening as this talent gathers there.
Further reading
Explore more Oil and Gas coverage for the energy sector context behind these legal hires.
