Akin Expands Core and Digital Infrastructure Capabilities with Addition of Mitch Holzrichter and Nick Vallorano in Chicago

(Chicago) – Akin announced today that Mitch Holzrichter and Nick Vallorano have joined the firm as partners in its energy & infrastructure practice in Chicago, adding significant capabilities in transportation, social and digital infrastructure across project development and finance, public-private partnerships and M&A. Their arrival strengthens Akin’s ability to advise owners, sponsors, developers, investors and lenders on complex infrastructure assets across their full lifecycle, from development and financing through acquisition and operation.

Mitch and Nick further expand Akin’s ability to advise public and private sector clients on complex infrastructure opportunities. Together, they advise on some of the market’s most innovative public-private partnerships and infrastructure finance projects, including the first long-term lease of a major U.S. commercial airport, the largest issuance of surface transportation private activity bonds in the U.S., the first use of tax-exempt private activity bonds to finance highway service areas and the development of a $2 billion data center in Fort Worth, Texas.

• Mitch Holzrichter represents infrastructure owners, developers, investors and lenders in the development, acquisition, financing and sale of complex infrastructure assets. Recognized by Chambers USA for his work in Public-Private Partnerships, his practice focuses on transportation, social and digital infrastructure projects, including airports, roads, data centers and fiber networks. He advises clients across the full lifecycle of project development and also counsels on emerging technologies and next-generation infrastructure, including autonomous vehicle lanes and vertiport projects.
• Nick Vallorano advises government owners, sponsors, investors, lenders and contractors on public infrastructure and related financing transactions, with particular strength in public-private partnerships. His work includes revenue-risk concessions, availability payment structures and design build or design-build-finance projects involving development, financing and procurement of airports, roads, bridges and social infrastructure, as well as secondary market transactions involving infrastructure assets.

“Akin has built one of the market’s premier energy and infrastructure platforms, and Mitch and Nick add highly complementary capabilities that position us for continued growth,” said Akin co-chair Abid Qureshi. “Mitch strengthens our ability to serve clients in the rapidly expanding infrastructure and data center sector, while Nick broadens our public-private partnerships and project finance capabilities. Together, they enhance our ability to advise on increasingly sophisticated infrastructure developments across the market.”

“We are seeing strong demand from clients pursuing complex infrastructure investments, including in the transportation and data center spaces,” said corporate practice co-head Zachary Wittenberg. “Mitch brings exceptional experience across project development, financing and M&A transactions involving core and digital infrastructure assets, while Nick’s deep public-private partnerships experience expands our capabilities in transportation and social infrastructure. Their arrival allows us to support clients across a broader range of opportunities and increasingly complex projects.”

“Akin has assembled an impressive team advising on energy, infrastructure, digital infrastructure and construction matters across the globe,” said Mitch. “Nick and I are excited to build on that foundation and help clients navigate the development, financing and acquisition of critical infrastructure assets, from data centers and digital infrastructure projects to transportation and public-private partnership initiatives.”

Mitch and Nick are the latest additions to the firm’s comprehensive energy & infrastructure platform, which continues to expand across key markets. Recent additions include energy tax partner Richard Wright; projects & energy transition partners Ron Erlichman, Nick Atwood and Chadron Edwards in New York; energy transactions partner Charlie Ofner, private equity partner Andrew Lehman, capital markets partner Bryan Flannery and projects & energy transition partner April Kim in Houston; and energy transactions partner Rob Butler in London.

Their arrival also continues the rapid growth of Akin’s Chicago office, following the arrivals of investment management partner and Chicago office leader Wendy Dodson Gallegos; infrastructure M&A partners Jason Wagenmaker and Joshua La Vigne; investment management partner Jessica Pan; tax partner Christopher Odell; Rory Wellever, head of the firm’s music practice; and, most recently, real estate senior counsel Daniel Pieringer.

About Akin’s Energy & Infrastructure Practice

Akin is a leading advisor to companies and capital providers across the full spectrum of energy & infrastructure investments and transactions. Spanning upstream, midstream, downstream, commodities trading and energy services, our practice encompasses the oil & gas industry’s entire value chain. Our global, interdisciplinary team also has market-leading experience advising on conventional power generation, mining & critical minerals, and the full range of renewable & energy transition technologies, from solar, wind and energy storage to carbon capture, hydrogen and sustainable fuels.

We also advise on transportation infrastructure such as roads, ports, airports and rail; social infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and government facilities; and digital infrastructure, including data centers, fiber networks and telecommunications towers. Our lawyers serve as trusted counsel to public & private companies, private equity, credit and infrastructure investors, and management teams—helping them develop, finance, construct, operate, buy and sell energy & infrastructure projects and companies throughout the world.

Akin is a leading international law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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