Blank Rome Bolsters Energy Industry Team in Houston and Pittsburgh with Leading Transactional Group

Houston/Pittsburgh – Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Ryan T. Purpura, Matthew “Matt” D. Lea, and Ryan A. Haddad have joined the firm as partners and members of the Energy industry team. All three partners bring significant experience in the energy sector, with a focus on oil and gas and related energy transactions, financings, and project development. They join Blank Rome from Reed Smith LLP, where Purpura served as co-chair of the firm's global energy and natural resources industry group. The trio joins Blank Rome in the following practice groups and offices:

• Ryan Purpura joins the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group based in Houston and Pittsburgh, 
• Matt Lea joins the Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy group based in Houston, and
• Ryan Haddad joins the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group based in Pittsburgh.

"We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, Matt, and Ryan to our firm," said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome's Chair and Managing Partner. "They are outstanding lawyers who have built impressive practices in the energy and finance fields, and they will enhance our capabilities to serve our clients in these key areas. Their arrival also demonstrates our strategic commitment to grow our presence and offerings in Houston and Pittsburgh, two important markets for our firm and our clients."

"Ryan, Matt, and Ryan are great additions to our corporate and finance teams," said Cassandra G. Mott, partner and co-chair of the Houston office. "They have deep knowledge of the energy industry and the legal and business issues that affect our clients in this sector and in the Houston and Pittsburgh markets. Energy finance transactions for 2024 have been dynamic and reflect an increase in investment in energy transition, clean technologies, innovative financing, and mergers and acquisitions. We look forward to working with this group to further help our clients navigate the evolving energy industry landscape."

Purpura represents oil and gas companies, private equity and hedge funds, and other financial institutions in mergers and acquisitions, project finance and development, and other transactions related to the energy industry. For example, he advises clients on joint ventures and other strategic combinations regarding the development of oil and gas assets, primarily in domestic shale areas. Purpura also counsels clients on acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas assets, midstream and master limited partnership assets, and oilfield service businesses. He guides clients through financing transactions, including volumetric production payments, net profits interests, and mineral royalty funds.

"Blank Rome has a stellar reputation for providing high-quality legal services to its clients across a wide range of industries, practice areas, and markets that complement our practices,” said Purpura. “I am excited by the firm’s strategic vision, which includes growing in Houston and Dallas. For example, Cassandra Mott and Sarah Frazier joined the Houston office three years ago to help expand the firm’s transactional practice in the region and have had great success in Texas and beyond. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to grow our energy finance practices and to serve our clients with excellence.”

“Ryan, Matt, and Ryan bring a wealth of experience in energy finance, transactions, development, and operations that will greatly benefit our clients across the energy sector,” said Susan L. Bickley, partner and co-chair of the firm's Houston office and Energy industry team. “As the energy industry undergoes a significant transformation, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the changing regulatory, economic, and environmental landscape with strategic and innovative solutions. Ryan, Matt, and Ryan will be valuable assets to our team and our firm as we continue to grow.”

Lea, in collaboration with Purpura, focuses on representing both lenders and borrowers in various energy financing transactions, including conventional and mezzanine and related secured transactions, and alternative structures like production payments and prepaid swap agreements. His finance practice extends to a broad range of secured and unsecured commercial finance transactions. Matt also advises clients on energy commodities and other hedging transactions, including secured hedging transactions and structured commodity transactions. Additionally, he has experience with other types of transactions such as acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and the preparation and negotiation of related agreements.

“There are so many opportunities for growth at Blank Rome,” said Lea. “We look forward to working alongside the firm’s leading finance group, our colleagues throughout the firm, and contributing to Blank Rome’s collaborative culture. The three of us have complementary, supportive practices, so we wanted to join a firm that would allow us to continue to work together while also collaborating with teams across practices, industries, and offices, and we have found that at Blank Rome.” 

Haddad counsels established and emerging energy clients on transactional matters, energy innovation and operations, primarily in oil and gas and associated sectors. He is a leading practitioner in the burgeoning carbon capture and sequestration (“CCS”) industry, representing project developers, CO₂ emitters, and landowners in connection with joint ventures, project development, pore space leasing, carbon offtake, and related matters. Haddad counsels clients on matters involving mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, finance, corporate governance, coordination of estates matters, distressed asset sales, commercial agreements and other documents associated with natural gas operations, CCS, waste-to-energy projects, and other energy development.

Haddad added, “Ryan, Matt, and I are invested in each other and we have worked side by side to deliver exceptional, comprehensive client service. Our collaborative approach fits seamlessly with the culture of teamwork at Blank Rome, which will enable to us serve our clients at the highest levels.”

The team’s arrival follows a period of exciting growth for Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A, and Securities group. Partners Jeffrey A. Fickes and Christoper DePizzo recently joined the practice as partners in the New York office. In May, the firm opened its Boston office, which has grown to over 30 attorneys with leading corporate, finance, M&A, tax, litigation, cannabis, and maritime practices. 

Purpura is an advisory board member for the Institute for Energy Law and a trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation. Purpura received his J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh and his B.S. from Pennsylvania State University. He has served as an adjunct professor teaching Energy Law at Duquesne University’s School of Law.

Lea earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law where he was the editor-in-chief of the South Texas Law Review, and his B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

Haddad received his J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 16 offices and 750 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Rome’s culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.