Clyde Rankin

Clyde (Skip) E. Rankin, III

Senior Counsel
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Clyde E. Rankin, III is a member of the Firm's North America Transactional Practice Group based in the New York office and is Immediate Past Chair of the North America Projects Practice. Mr. Rankin is fluent in French. He has been named one of the Best Lawyers in America from 2006 - 2023 and is highlighted in Legal 500 US 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2017-2022 for his work as an advisor to sponsors in project finance and renewable energy. He has also been named a New York Metro Super Lawyer from 2014-2021.

Prior to joining Baker McKenzie in 2005, Mr. Rankin served as the ninth chairman of Coudert Brothers LLP.

Practice Focus

Mr. Rankin advises clients on project finance and infrastructure transactions, mergers and acquisitions, privatizations, licensing and distribution agreements and joint venture agreements. Mr. Rankin has extensive experience in advising clients on significant renewable energy projects in the US and abroad, including the project financing of such projects, and he has been active in the wind energy sector for over 30 years. In addition, Mr. Rankin advises on the financing of infrastructure projects in the US, including toll roads, highway maintenance projects, tunnel maintenance and monitoring, and the refurbishment of refineries.

Mr. Rankin also represents foreign companies investing in the US and assists US clients with their investments in Eastern and Central Europe as well as the Russian Federation.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advising a large international airline, along with its airline partners, in the redevelopment and financing of a major terminal at a major international airport.

  • Advised an international renewable energy development company on the sale of a 50% ownership interest in four renewable energy projects, with a total capacity of 558 MW.

  • Advised a large international energy and engineering company in its investment in a first of its kind joint venture to build and operate a 349 mile-long HVDC transmission line to carry electricity generated by wind energy projects in the Midwest to connect to PJM, the regional transmission organization.

  • Advised an international renewable energy development company in the sale of a 50% ownership interest in six renewable projects with a total capacity of 1.3 GW.

  • Advised a large renewable energy and engineering company in connection with the development of an energy services agreement for its new business unit whereby the client advises corporate customers in the oversight and delivery of their energy needs to be more efficient in the use of energy and, in some cases, to replace conventional sources of energy with renewable sources.

  • Advised a large international financing company with the refinancing of the international airport in Bogota, Colombia.

  • Advised a large, international luxury cosmetics company in its investment in a virtual power purchase agreement to meet its renewable energy goals by June 2020 in a first of its kind transaction.

  • Advised a large diesel engine manufacturer with its renewable energy transactions.

  • Advised a foreign oil and gas company in the acquisition of a large solar energy facility in Chile.

  • Advising an international financing company in the financing of a joint venture involved in the development of solar energy generation facilities for the delivery of renewable energy to corporate customers in the United States to achieve sustainability goals.


Professional Honors

  • Selected, Legal Power List, 2022
  • Recipient, Harlan Fiske Stone Society Award, Columbia Law School, May 2022
  • New York Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Individual Awards, 2014-2020

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Columbia Law School - Member, Dean's Council
  • French-American Chamber of Commerce - Member, Board of Directors and Executive Committee (New York Chapter)   
  • French American Foundation, Inc. - Member, Board of Directors and Executive Committee
  • Council on Foreign Relations - Member

Corporate Responsibility

  • Bryant Park Management Corporation - Co-chair, Board of Directors
  • The Rensselaerville Institute - Member and past -Chair, Board of Trustees
  • CEC ArtsLink - Chair, Board of Trustees

Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court~United States
  • New York~United States
  • New Jersey~United States
  • District of Columbia~United States

Education

  • Columbia Law School (J.D.) (1975)
  • Princeton University (A.B.) (1972)

Languages

  • English
  • French

Speaker, Wind Power Finance and Investment Summit