Clifford Chance
David Brinton engages in a corporate and securities law practice, focusing on mergers and acquisitions. He regularly represents sellers, purchasers and other parties in negotiated cross-border and domestic mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, joint ventures and investment transactions.
He is experienced in public and private debt and equity offerings and has advised on a variety of financing transactions. Among the sectors he focuses on are energy and infrastructure.
- Colony Capital, a leading global investment management firm, on its acquisition of Digital Bridge
- Actis
- on the establishment of a Pan-Latin American renewable energy platform, Atlas Renewable Energy, and the acquisition of over 1,500 MW of solar PV assets from SunEdison in Latin America
- on the sale of a 92% stake in Energuate, Guatemala’s largest electricity network, to IC Power, a wholly-owned subsidiary of New York Stock Exchange-listed Kenon Holdings
- on the sale of Actis and Mesoamerica’s combined 100% stake in Globeleq Mesoamerica Energy
- CITIC Agri Fund on the acquisition by an affiliate of CITIC Agri Fund of a select portion of Dow AgroSciences' (a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company) corn hybrid seed business in Brazil for approximately US$1.1 billion
- Royal Dutch Shell in its acquisition from Repsol S.A. of a portfolio of LNG assets
- Samchully Asset Management Co., Ltd. in its acquisition of
- a 34% stake in Cardinal Gas Service LLC from Total E&P USA, Inc., a midstream company operating in the Utica formation, and EV Energy Partners, L.P.
- a 33 1/3% interest in the Luna Energy Facility, a net nominal 570 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle electric generation facility located in Luna County, New Mexico, from Freeport-McMoRan Inc
- Mitsubishi on the sale its stake in the Cochrane coal-fired power project located in Chile
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, New York
- +12128788276
- Email me
- Follow me on LinkedIn
- Practice area M&A corporate
- Sector Energy & resources, Private equity, Sovereign wealth
Career and qualifications
- Springfield College (BS, Political Science) 1982
- The University of California, Hastings College of Law (JD) 1985
- Joined Clifford Chance 1985
- Admitted as an Attorney-at-Law in New York 1986
- Partner since 1994
Awards and citations
- David Brinton heads the Americas M&A group and has a fine record in energy transactions across Latin America, including private equity-led deals.
Legal 500 2022 – Latin America: International firms: Corporate and M&A – Tier 1 - David Brinton remains a respected figure in the Latin American corporate domain, benefiting from considerable activity in this space. He regularly counsels on M&A transactions arising from the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Chambers USA 2022: Corporate/M&A (International Counsel) – Band 3 - Ranked as a Leading Individual
Legal 500 Latin America 2022, Corporate and M&A – International Firms - "David has a lot of experience and not only helps with the legal aspects, but also gives a lot of insight on the commercial side."
Chambers Latin America 2021: Corporate/M&A (Latin America-wide) - “David Brinton has an excellent record in energy and infrastructure transactions in Latin America, including private equity deals.”
Legal 500 Latin America 2020, Corporate and M&A – International Firms - "David Brinton 'creates very strong bonds with clients', is 'a great strategic thinker' who 'provides clear and creative solutions to complex issues', and is 'commercial and business-oriented' with 'an easy-going and approachable style'."
Legal 500 Latin America 2019: International Firms: Corporate and M&A – Leading Lawyer - "David Brinton is highlighted by commentators as 'a competent leader, as well as a charismatic, efficient and hands-on lawyer.'"
Chambers Latin America 2020: Corporate/M&A – Latin America-wide - "David Brinton shows ‘great leadership and charisma’, is ‘always on top of all aspects of all the deals his team is involved in’ and is ‘a commercial and business-oriented lawyer’; noted for energy sector transactions"
Legal 500 Latin America 2018: International Firms: Corporate and M&A – Leading Lawyer - "New York’s David Brinton is head of the firm’s US and Americas corporate practice and is ‘excellent’, ‘extremely responsive’ and has ‘in-depth M&A experience and extensive knowledge about the energy sector’; he is a ‘commercial and business-oriented lawyer’ who ‘focuses on identifying the issues that matter’ and has an ‘easy-going and approachable style’."
Chambers Latin America 2017: International Firms – Corporate/M&A