Our team

A growing group to support our growing group of clients

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connor McNellis

founding partner

Connor is a real estate, renewable energy and finance attorney with extensive experience representing owners, developers, lenders, investors, borrowers and tenants in complex real estate transactions including commercial leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, debt and equity finance transactions, project financing, real estate M&A, construction and construction financing, and work-outs. He has particular expertise advising clients in the tech, life sciences, medical device, pharmaceutical, data center, cannabis, hospitality, multifamily, retail and energy industries. Email: [email protected]  

Connor’s renewable energy practice focuses on representing developers and financiers in connection with the development of utility-scale and commercial and industrial solar projects, and electric vehicle charging stations. Connor is adept at running and successfully closing complex debt transactions and frequently counsels clients in connection with power purchase agreements, engineering, procurement and construction agreements and site leases for renewable energy projects.

Education:

University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • JD
  • Honors: magna cum laude
  • Honors: Order of the Coif

Boston College

  • BA

Bar Admissions:

  • California
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Sascha Yim

Founding partner

Sascha is an experienced, commercial attorney providing a comprehensive range of legal services to clients in the renewable energy field. She represents utility-scale and commercial and industrial developers in connection with the development, construction, sale and purchase of solar, battery, wind and pumped storage hydro projects across the United States. Email: [email protected]

Sascha has worked in-house at renewable energy project developers in the Bay Area and at AmLaw100 law firms in New York City representing tax equity investors and lenders in renewable energy projects. Sascha has drafted and negotiated all manner of documents covering the complete life cycle of a project – from site control documentation, surface waivers, PPAs, equipment procurement agreements, MIPAs, financing documents, EPCs to O&M and asset management agreements. With her background as both internal and external counsel on all aspects of renewable energy transactions, as well as representing both borrowers and lenders in connection with construction loans, debt and tax equity transactions, Sascha brings extensive skill and expertise to projects she is passionate about. On weekends, you’ll find Sascha hiking, biking or paddleboarding in the Bay Area with her family.

Education:

New York University, School of Law, New York, NY

  • LLM

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

  • BA/LLB
  • Honors: Dean’s Order of Merit in Law

Bar Admissions:

  • California
  • New York
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Samantha LaPine

ATTORNEY

Samantha is a real estate, finance and renewable energy attorney specializing in representing clients in real estate transactions including acquisitions and dispositions, debt and equity finance transactions, real estate mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, leasing, management agreements, franchise agreements and work-outs and restructurings. She has particular expertise advising clients in the hospitality, data center, tech, life sciences, multifamily, retail and energy industries.


Email: [email protected] 

Samantha has represented borrowers and lenders in billions of dollars of financings, including mezzanine, conduit, construction, revolving, syndicated, participated, acquisition and development, portfolio loans, CMBS and pooled and targeted note acquisitions and sales.

Samantha’s renewable energy practice focuses on representing developers and investors in connection with the development of wind, solar and alternative fuel projects. 

Prior to joining Sunridge, Samantha was a partner at Cooley LLP and Chair of its Real Estate Finance Practice.

Samantha has been recognized for her work in Real Estate and Construction by the Legal 500. She was named as a Southern California Super Lawyer, a San Diego Super Lawyer and a Top Women Attorney in Southern California.

Education:

University of San Diego School of Law School, J.D., cum laude

Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah, B.A., Economics, cum laude

Bar Admissions:

  • California

 

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Dru Roscoe

ATTORNEY

Dru is a savvy real estate attorney with over a decade of experience in the renewable energy and public utility infrastructure industries. She is commercially driven and committed to facilitating successful deals for her clients.

Email: [email protected] 

Prior to joining Sunridge Legal, Dru was senior in-house real estate counsel at NextEra Energy Resources, a Fortune 200 company, where she advised on the development, construction, and financing of over 6.5 GW of renewable energy projects across the country. Dru managed the real estate transactions of each project from soup to nuts – from acquisitions and dispositions to development, construction, financing, and operations.   Dru has a deep understanding of the industry and the needs of its developers, and routinely advises clients with respect to options, leases, easements, purchase agreements, SNDAs, crossing agreements, title and survey and title insurance matters, and financing agreements. 

During her free time, Dru enjoys spending time with her bass-playing husband and two rambunctious little boys.

Education:

University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Gainesville, FL

  • JD

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

  • BA

Bar Admissions:

  • Florida
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Caryn Lai

Attorney

Caryn is a transactional attorney with nearly 15 years of experience in the renewable energy industry, with an emphasis on solar energy and energy storage project development.  Caryn’s experience extends into the acquisition and disposition of renewable project assets and other corporate transactions involving renewable technologies.  Caryn advises clients in negotiating power purchase agreements, mergers and acquisitions, project development, and general commercial transactions. 

Prior to joining Sunridge Legal, Caryn was an in-house commercial attorney in the renewable energy sector for over a decade.  She provided commercial legal support for utility-scale and distributed generation solar and battery storage projects, including negotiating power purchase agreements with corporate, industrial, and utility customers, mergers and acquisitions, and advising on all aspects of renewable energy project development, including financing, permitting, and real estate matters.  More recently, she worked at an energy boutique law firm and represented California Community Choice Aggregators in negotiating power purchase agreements and renewable energy credit agreements, as well as advising renewable energy developers on commercial transactions.

Education:

U.C. Berkeley School of Law, Berkeley, CA

  • JD

Rice University, Houston, TX

  • BA
  • Honors: magna cum laude

 

Bar Admissions:

  • California
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Lisa Tilley

Attorney

Lisa is a transactional attorney with experience in many facets of commercial real estate, including the acquisition, development, leasing and disposition of commercial, multifamily, hospitality and mixed-use properties. Her practice also includes the representation of financial institutions and borrowers in various types of real estate loan transactions, including workout and forbearance arrangements. In addition, she has counseled clients in the sale and acquisition of privately held businesses in the commercial, industrial, manufacturing and healthcare sectors. 

Before joining Sunridge Legal, Lisa worked at Akerman LLP and Winstead PC in their real estate groups and spent a decade at a boutique firm focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

Education

The University of Texas at Austin School of Law

  • JD
  • Dean’s Achievement Award

The University of Texas at Austin

  • BBA, Finance
  • Summa cum laude

Bar Admissions:

  • Texas
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Samantha Klein

ATTORNEY

Samantha is a real estate and finance attorney, focusing her practice on the financing and development of a wide range of traditional and innovative commercial real estate projects and renewable energy projects. These include the acquisition, disposition and financing of mixed-use, multifamily, hospitality, medical and office assets, and any onsite solar equipment and leasing utilized in connection therewith. Sam also represents renewable energy project developers in connection with site control, PPA and EPCA drafting and negotiations.

Samantha is a real estate and finance attorney, focusing her practice on the financing and development of a wide range of traditional and innovative commercial real estate projects and renewable energy projects. These include the acquisition, disposition and financing of mixed-use, multifamily, hospitality, medical and office assets, and any onsite solar equipment and leasing utilized in connection therewith. Sam also represents renewable energy project developers in connection with site control, PPA and EPCA drafting and negotiations.

Previously, Sam practiced at the law firms of Polsinelli PC and Quarles & Brady LLP. During law school, Sam clerked for a real estate litigation boutique firm representing institutional lenders in creditors’ rights litigation.

Education:

Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology

  • JD
  • Cum laude

University of South Florida

  • BA


Bar Admissions
:

  • Colorado
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Nicholas Prey

Attorney

Nick is a transactional attorney, with a wide array of finance-related experience.  This includes the representation of corporate and private equity borrowers in acquisition and non-acquisition contexts, as well as the representation of debtors, creditors and shareholders in complex Chapter 11 reorganizations.

Prior to joining Sunridge Legal, Nick practiced at Sidley Austin LLP in their Global Finance group, as well as having previously practiced at Milbank LLP in their Financial Restructuring group.  He has also previously worked in the renewable energy sector in a non-legal capacity.  At New York University School of Law, he was the treasurer of the Environmental Law Society, and additionally worked for multiple environmental not-for-profit organizations.

Education:

New York University, School of Law, New York, NY

  • JD
  • Wilf Scholar

Duke University, Durham, NC

  • BA
  • Summa Cum Laude
  • High Distinction in English
  • Member of Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society

Bar Admissions:

  • New York 
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Elisabeth McMorris

Attorney

Elisabeth is a transactional attorney, focusing her practice on renewable energy and real estate projects. Elisabeth assists renewable energy project developers and financiers on asset purchase and sale transactions and mergers and acquisitions, performing project diligence, drafting Membership Interest Purchase Agreements and ancillary closing documents. She drafts and negotiates lease and easement agreements, performs title clearance and assists with title insurance matters.
 

Prior to joining Sunridge Legal, Elisabeth practiced at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in their M&A and public company groups. She received an LLM in Environmental and Energy Law from New York University, School of Law.

Education:

New York University, School of Law, New York

  • LLM

Fordham University, School of Law, New York

  • JD
  • Honors: Cum laude

Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

  • BA
  • Honors: Magna cum laude

Bar Admission:

  • New York
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Catherine Bazile

Attorney

Catherine provides a comprehensive range of legal services to clients in renewable energy, and real estate matters.  She assists renewable energy project developers in connection with site control – drafting and negotiating option to lease agreements, transmission and access agreements, leases and performing title review. 

Additionally, she assists companies with the negotiation of commercial leases, subleases, and other real estate transactions.  She has extensive experience negotiating and drafting purchase and sale agreements, joint operating agreements, surface use agreements, mineral conveyances, financing agreements, and conducting due diligence in the energy space.  In addition, Catherine examines title to fee, state, federal, and Indian lands throughout the Rocky Mountain region, and counsels clients on all aspects of title curative work.  She was named a Rising Star in Energy and Natural Resources by Colorado Super Lawyers in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2019.

Education:

Georgetown University Law Center

  • JD
  • Cum laude

 University of Colorado at Boulder

  • B.A.
  • Summa Cum laude

 Bar Admissions:

  • Colorado
  • Wyoming 

Demetri Lametti

Attorney

Demetri has both transactional and litigation experience, with primary areas of expertise in real estate, business law and renewables. He assists clients in connection with corporate formation, M&A, asset purchase transactions, financings and general corporate matters. 

Demetri also represents landlords in the drafting and negotiation of commercial leases and other related real estate transactions, as well as representing investment funds in connection with debt transactions with renewable energy borrowers.

Education:

University of St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • JD

 University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • BBA 

 Bar Admissions:

  • Minnesota
  • Hawaii
  • U.S. District Court of Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court of Hawaii
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Jessica Ahrens

Paralegal

Jessica is a paralegal skilled in legal research at the federal, state, and local levels. As an in-house corporate paralegal at U.S. Bank, Jessica advised business units on risk-based approaches to compliance. Jessica’s experience also includes reviewing due diligence materials related to renewable energy projects, document preparation for regulatory investigations, legal forms processing and management, and leveraging various technologies to build efficiencies in workflows.   

 

Jessica is involved in volunteerism in the Twin Cities area for several community organizations and pro bono clinics.

Education:

Inver Hills Community College, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota

ABA Certified Paralegal

  • Honors Graduate