Patrick Gillard

Patrick R. Gillard

Partner
Philadelphia

Patrick R. Gillard leads Ballard Spahr's Energy Group and co-leads its Project Finance Group. He represents corporate clients, underwriters, and lenders in connection with corporate and project finance, mergers and acquisitions, public utility law, and wholesale energy regulation. Patrick has a sophisticated utility finance practice and experience negotiating public and private debt financings involving both complex capitalization structures and M&A transactions.

Patrick also has extensive experience in transactions involving the development, financing, and acquisition of electric power assets, including solar, wind, and other types of renewable generating facilities. He has provided counsel to a Regional Transmission Organization for many years and has an in-depth understanding of the wholesale energy markets, including derivative products. He regularly advises large industrial and corporate energy retail customers on the negotiation of terms of power purchase agreements, competitive generation supply agreements, and renewable energy credit trading arrangements. In addition, he counsels participants in the energy industry on federal and state energy legislative and regulatory matters, including wholesale energy market regulation, state renewable energy portfolio standards, and public utility financing authorizations.

Experience 

Representative Matters

  • Served as issuer’s counsel for a utility holding company in connection with an underwritten public offering of $575 million of common stock
  • Served as borrower’s counsel in connection with a $75 million project financing of a solar and battery energy storage microgrid system
  • Served as underwriters’ counsel on a $2 billion public issuance of senior notes by a utility holding company
  • Served as issuer’s counsel on a $2 billion public issuance of senior notes by a utility holding company

Professional Highlights

Professional Activities

Pennsylvania Bar Association, Public Utility Section

Energy Bar Association

Recognition & Accomplishments

The Legal 500 US, Industry Focus - Energy: Renewable/Alternative, 2014, 2017-2023; Finance - Project Finance, 2019-2023

Speaking Engagements

Moderator, "Utilities' Perspectives and Plans on Achieving the Region's Renewable Goals," Mountain West Renewables Summit, Scottsdale, AZ, October 23, 2019

"Evolving Views on Asset Valuation," Infocast Solar Power Finance & Investment Summit, San Diego, CA, March 19, 2019

"The M&A Landscape," Infocast Projects & Money, New Orleans, LA, January 16, 2019

Credentials 

Education

Widener University School of Law (J.D., M.B.A. 2000, magna cum laude)
Staff, Delaware Journal of Corporate Law; Member, Phi Kappa Phi

University of Scranton (B.S. 1995)

Admissions

New Jersey

Pennsylvania