Paul J. Hunt

Latham & Watkins represented Divert, Inc. (Divert), a leading impact technology company on a mission to Protect the Value of Food™, in the financing of its new Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility in Longview, Washington. The facility is the first project to be built under the terms of a US$1 billion infrastructure agreement between Divert and Enbridge Inc., announced earlier this year. Latham & Watkins LLP advised Divert in the transaction with a project finance team led by Washington, D.C. partner Paul Hunt, with associates Annelise Karreman and James Lim. Advice was also provided on intellectual property matters by New York partner Steven Betensky; on tax matters by Houston partner Jim Cole, with associate Andrea Herman; on real estate matters by San Diego partner Steven Levine and San Diego counsel Achraf Farraj; on corporate matters by Boston partner Spencer Ricks, with associates Erik Thompson, Claire Bradford Di Caro, and Jake Hummer; and on environmental and permitting matters by Los Angeles partner Joshua Marnitz.~~

Sep 22

1 min

A cross-office team has advised Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund on the US$50 million investment with LanzaJet, a sustainable fuels technology company and renewable fuels producer. The investment will support the construction of LanzaJet's (and the world's) first alcohol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant, Freedom Pines Fuels in Soperton, Georgia. The innovative structure of Microsoft's financing will enable LanzaJet to bring lower-cost sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel to the global market. The investment was made as part of Microsoft's efforts to achieve its 2030 goal of becoming carbon negative and advancing a net-zero economy. It also allows Microsoft to access sustainable, renewable diesel for its data centers to enable Microsoft further to achieve its net-zero goals. The Latham team was led by Washington, D.C. partner Paul Hunt and counsel Eric Merrill and includes Washington, D.C. partner James Barrett, San Diego partner Robert Frances and counsel Aaron Friberg, New York partner J.P. Brisson, Orange County counsel Josh Bledsoe, Washington, D.C. associate James Lim and New York associate Qingyi Pan.~~

Jan 13

1 min

The Rise Fund, TPG’s global impact investing platform, has announced a US$100 million strategic investment in Climavision, a pioneering weather services and intelligence platform powered by a private network of high-resolution radars, GPS-RO data, and proprietary software to vastly improve the timing and accuracy of weather forecasting and to fill low-level gaps in existing weather surveillance. Latham & Watkins LLP represents The Rise Fund in the transaction with a deal team led by New York corporate partner Kate Withers, Boston and Chicago corporate partners Ian Bushner and Neal J. Reenan, Washington, D.C. finance partner Paul Hunt, and Washington, D.C. corporate partner Jeremy Wolsk, with Chicago corporate associate William Nahill.~~

Jun 2

1 min

Advantage Capital — a US-based impact investment firm — and Sumitomo Corporation, through Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, have announced that they have established Perennial Renewables LLC, a joint venture that will develop renewable energy projects with a focus on solar power generation. Perennial Renewables will first focus on completing Advantage Capital's current 2 GW solar portfolio across the Midwest and Northeastern US. Latham & Watkins LLP represents Advantage Capital in the transaction with a deal team led by Washington, D.C. partners Ethan Schultz and Paul Hunt, with associates Cierra Warren, Josh Blankenship, and Matt Piggins. Advice was also provided on tax matters by New York partner Greg Hannibal, with associate Arash Lotfi; on benefits and compensation matters by Houston counsel Krisa Benskin, with associate Christina Schrantz; on real estate matters by San Diego partner Robert Frances and counsel Aaron Friberg; and on environmental matters by Los Angeles partner Joshua Marnitz, with associate Jacqueline Zhang.~~

Sep 14

1 min

Divert Inc., a leading impact technology company on a mission to Protect the Value of Food™, has announced a US$1 billion infrastructure development agreement with Enbridge Inc. (NYSE: ENB) (Enbridge), solidifying the company’s leadership in solving the wasted food crisis and delivering on its mission to decarbonize the food value chain and combat climate change. The transformative $1 billion infrastructure agreement will support the development of wasted food to renewable natural gas (RNG) facilities across North America. In addition, Divert secured US$80 million in growth equity from Enbridge along with US$20 million from current investor Ara Partners. Latham & Watkins LLP advised Divert on both transactions. The deal team was led by Washington, D.C. partner Paul Hunt, Boston partner Spencer Ricks, and Houston partners Justin Stolte and Jim Cole, with San Diego counsel Achraf Farraj, Boston associates Erik Thompson, Claire Bradford Di Caro and Jake Hummer, New York associate Annelise Karreman, Houston associate Andrea Herman, and Washington, D.C. associate James Lim.~~

Mar 3

1 min