John J. Beardsworth, Jr.

John focused his practice on energy, extractive industries and infrastructure transactions and international project finance. John served multiple terms as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and Partnership Admission Committee. Prior to becoming Senior Counsel, John served for ten years as Global Head of Hunton’s Business Practice Group (which includes its Capital Finance and Real Estate, Corporate, Energy and Infrastructure and Tax and ERISA Teams ). He served as Chair of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section and is a current member of the ABA House of Delegates. John is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Dundee’s Center for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP). With over 40 years of experience, he focused his practice on energy, extractive industries and infrastructure transactions and finance, particularly in the oil, gas, electricity, mining and infrastructure sectors. In Chambers rankings, John is one of two lawyers worldwide ranked with the highest “Senior Statespeople” designation for Africa Infrastructure Projects and Energy.

• Advised on the development and financing of a $650 million fiber optic cable system connecting South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, India and Marseilles, France. The SEACOM deal involved eight jurisdictions, including Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, India, Djibouti, Egypt and South Africa. The deal was named “African Telecoms Deal of the Year” by Project Finance Magazine.
• Represented a major solar developer who is developing the largest solar facility in  Virginia.
• Represented the Government of Kosovo in relation to the renovation and development of approximately 1,200 MW of lignite-fired combined heat and power plants in Pristina and related mining facilities and in relation to the privatization of PTK, the Government’s Post and Telecommunications company.
• Represented the Government of Uganda on the development and financing of the Bujagali hydroelectric facility on the River Nile, including structuring and negotiating all bidding documentation and project documentation, including requests for proposals, power purchase agreement, implementation agreement, financing and other documents. The deal constitutes the largest-ever private sector investment in the region and was named “African Power Deal of the Year” by Project Finance magazine.
• Represented the Government of Tanzania in the development of its natural gas fields, including Tanzania’s first LNG facility; the Government of Nigeria in its independent power program and in the restructuring of its electric utility; and the Government of Ukraine in connection with the restructuring of its energy sector.
• Advised the Egyptian Electricity Holdings Company on the development of a 2,250 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant.
• Advised the Government of Egypt in connection with the development of a comprehensive regulatory framework for the Egyptian power sector and the commercialization of the Egyptian Electricity Authority.
• Served as lead issuers’ counsel for large investor-owned utilities in hundreds of capital markets transactions, in the following areas: first and refunding mortgage bonds, aggregating over $4 billion; preferred stock (fixed- and variable-rate); public offerings of common stock; unsecured notes, aggregating over $2 billion; tax-exempt financings of utility assets, aggregating over $800 million; and miscellaneous nuclear fuel financings, sales of accounts receivables, and debt/equity swaps.
• Represented investor-owned utilities in connection with the acquisition and sale of significant utility assets, including the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, the Clover Thermal Generating Plant, the North Anna Nuclear Power Station, the Bath County Pump Storage Project and the North Branch IPP.
• Advised a major investor-owned utility in the review and restructuring of its IPP portfolio.
• Represented a major investor-owned utility in connection with the sale of its natural gas subsidiary.
• Represented the governments of the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and the United Kingdom on the privatization of utility assets.

• Recognized in the International category of Latin Lawyer 250, 2021, 2023-2025
• Named among Leading Lawyers for Project Development, Banking and Project Finance, IFLR1000, 2019, 2024
• Recognized as a Leader in Projects & Energy, Africa-wide (2007-2024) and Projects, USA (2020-2024), Chambers Global
• Leading Lawyer, IFLR1000 Energy and Infrastructure: Sub-Saharan Africa, since 2013
• Listed in Corporate Law (since 1995), Public Utilities/Energy Law (since 1995), International Trade & Finance Law (since 2003) and Project Finance Law (since 2006), The Best Lawyers in America

• Listed for Africa Regional Summary, Legal 500 EMEA, 2016-2018

• Listed for Central and Eastern Europe Regional Summary, Legal 500 EMEA, 2017-2018

• Identified as lead lawyer for previous awards “African Power Deal of the Year” and “African Telecoms Deal of the Year,” Project Finance magazine
• Latin Lawyer Magazine, listed in the Latin Lawyer 250, International category, 2014
• Listed for Energy: Renewable/Alternative, Legal 500 United States, 2016
• Listed for Project Finance, Legal 500 United States, 2013

• Chair (2016–2017), Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, American Bar Association
• Past Chairman, International Law Committee, American Bar Association