Sevren Gourley

Sevren R. Gourley assists clients with domestic and international energy and infrastructure matters, focusing on project finance and aspects of regulatory and international law.

Sevren assists public and private sector clients with project finance and development transactions as well as dispute resolution, compliance, and regulatory matters involving the development, privatization, restructuring and financing of diverse projects throughout the world.

Prior to joining the firm, Sevren served in the United States Peace Corps in Zambia, where he coordinated agricultural and energy initiatives. At Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, he is active in the firm’s veterans and immigration pro bono programs.

Experience:

• Representing the Government of Romania in an intra-EU investment arbitration (ICSID Case No. ARB/18/30).
• Advising a U.S. foreign aid agency on matters related to financing and managing infrastructure investments in developing countries including representing the agency in dispute resolution, providing advice on matters related to cyber infrastructure security protocols, free speech, and internet access, and various contract procurement matters.
• Assisting the Government of Kosovo with the structuring and development of a 450 MW lignite-fired power plant project including advice related to issues of European Union state aid law compliance raised by the Energy Community Secretariat with respect to attracting foreign investment in the power plant project.
• Securing a favorable settlement for a parastatal entity of the Government of Malawi against contractor claims brought in UNCITRAL arbitration and various court proceedings in Denmark related to hydropower investments in Malawi.
• Advising a West African government on the structuring and development of competitive markets to privatize the utilization of public natural gas resources and attracting international investment.
• Advising various multi-national investors on matters related to cross-border transactions implicating U.S. sanctions administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), including consideration of various potential transactions under the Ukraine-/Russia-related Sanctions regime, and investment regulations administered by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
• Assisting the Government of Uzbekistan and World Bank with developing a 100 MW photovoltaic solar power project as a public-private partnership.
• Assisting a foreign electricity transmission utility with developing enhanced stakeholder processes and the introduction of demand-curve pricing for regional capacity markets.
• Representing a regulated utility with a market cap in excess of $40 billion in litigation to settle the interpretation of applicable electricity retail competition law.
• Advising a large international petroleum investor on possible ICC arbitration outcomes with respect to controversial renewal provisions in a Middle Eastern oil field concession.

EDUCATION:

• JD, University of Virginia School of Law, Editor-in-Chief, Virginia Environmental Law Journal, 2017
• BA, History, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2008

BAR ADMISSIONS:

• Virginia

Memberships:

• Vice Chair, Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, Young Lawyers Division, American Bar Association
• Member, Administrative Law Section, Virginia Bar Association
• Board member, Tredegar Society, American Civil War Museum