As South Florida's legal market continues to expand, the need for attorneys in the renewable energy field is growing as well. That's part of why Andrés Chaves says he joined Troutman Pepper Locke's energy transactional practice group as a partner in the West Palm Beach office. Chaves, who concentrates his practice on renewable energy—including wind, solar, hydro, biomass and more—joins the firm from Hogan Lovells. In an interview Tuesday, a day after the firm announced his arrival, he said Troutman Pepper Locke is an active player in the renewable energy space. "Oil and gas isn't going anywhere. Oil and gas, in fact, along with renewables, is only growing, and there's a demand for energy, both domestically and internationally, [it] continues to grow and outpace supply," Chaves said. "The need for development of these projects—whether they be renewable energy, oil and gas, LNG projects—is going to continue to grow." Chaves worked as a consulting attorney at Hogan Lovells, according to his LinkedIn profile. During his four years at the firm, he spent time advising project sponsors, developers, lenders, and private equity investors on transactions related to renewable energy, oil and gas, and infrastructure. Similarly, a big part of Chaves' practice includes Latin American transactions. There's been a significant push to harness renewable energy in the region, but also transactional activity surrounding the import of liquefied natural gas and the operation of gas power generating facilities, according to Chaves. Hogan Lovells did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sixty five percent of Latin America and Caribbean’s electricity was generated from clean sources last year, above the global average of 41%, according to Ember Energy, which noted fossil fuels provided 35% of the region’s electricity in 2024, down from 47% in 2015. “Andrés’ strong background in the energy sector and his end-to-end deal perspective will further strengthen the firm’s energy capabilities and enhance our South Florida presence,” added Thomas Cunningham, West Palm Beach office managing partner in a statement. Chaves has guided clients across a range of global energy matters. He also advises on private mergers and acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, joint ventures, and cross-border commercial arrangements, according to a news release. "Florida is growing. It's a growing market, including in the energy and infrastructure space, and that's why I'm excited about Troutman in Florida," Chavez said. "Troutman, like those other peer firms, is expanding, and it's it's becoming an increasingly important player in the Florida energy and infrastructure arena."