Jeffrey E. Joseph, an associate in the firm’s Charlotte office, works on a range of domestic and international business and financial transactions in the Energy and Infrastructure space, including project finance, mergers and acquisitions, development, construction, regulatory matters, and general corporate matters.  He represents developers, lenders and investors in utility-scale renewable energy projects and infrastructure projects.

Why did you select your practice area?

Essentially, I fell into the practice area. After interviewing with the firm as a law student, I was told that the Energy practice (now the Projects, Development & Finance Group) was a dynamic area with a high potential for growth over the next decade. I took classes such as Secured Transactions and Energy Finance and participated in an externship with a local renewable development company, and I recognized the unique opportunity in front of me. With landmark legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act driving investments and financing to clean energy projects, in hindsight, I made the right choice.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to individuals who want to get into this industry?

Don’t be afraid of the learning curve.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

Kobe Bryant. Kobe’s dedication to his craft and work ethic is a model for any professional. While his statistical accolades are impressive, what moves me is the impact he had on his contemporaries through mentorship and his advocacy for the advancement of women’s basketball.

What are the biggest foreseeable challenges in your field?

Over the next year, supply chain constraints, rising costs and extreme weather will likely continue to burden the energy sector. However, promising trends in innovation and investment in clean alternatives, sustained by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, can help bridge the gap. A perfect example is the electric vehicle charging infrastructure buildout planned over the next decade. While the market share of electric vehicles in trending upward, a significant challenge to EV adoption is the lack of charging infrastructure. It will take significant coordination between utilities, developers, and state governments to upgrade infrastructure to meet future demand.

What inspired you to become an attorney?

I have always been inspired by attorneys behind the scenes that make larger-than-life figures move. To me, that is where the real action is. Essentially, this is why I enjoy the corporate practice. Whether that be the financing of multi-million dollar stadiums or skyscrapers, each of them has an origin story filled with its own set of unique issues. An attorney’s role is to maximize a client’s business objectives within the confines of the law. The best attorneys I have observed are those that can play the roles of entrepreneur and attorney interchangeably.