Culwell, who joins from Andrews Kurth, has a multifaceted practice focused on global energy transactions relating to oil and gas assets, energy infrastructure, and project financings. His experience includes work in Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, the Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela.
"Todd's cross-border work in major energy infrastructure deals is a natural fit with our multi-jurisdictional platform and industry focus,” said ENR chair Prajakt Samant. “Todd’s addition in our Houston office demonstrates our commitment to our clients in the region, many of which are among the world’s largest energy companies, and their energy transactional needs.”
Culwell has worked in every energy sector, including the development and financing of coal, wind, solar, biomass, waste-to-energy, nuclear power generation, petrochemical, and Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) projects. His oil and gas work is similarly broad, including acquisitions, participations, divestitures, financing, equity investments, joint ventures, licenses, and every conceivable agreement. Culwell also represents financial institutions and borrowers in a variety of corporate financing activities.
"I'm very excited to join Reed Smith during this time of rapid expansion in its energy and infrastructure services,” said Culwell. “The firm’s reputation in the industry for progress, innovation, and inclusion, and its global, multicultural network, is sterling.”
Culwell is the fourth recent addition to the energy and natural resources team in Houston, following the arrivals of Daniella D. Landers, Bart W. Huffman, and William W. Russell; and his arrival also follows those of energy partners Andrei Baev in London and Peter Rosher in Paris. In addition, last week, Reed Smith announced a three-person energy regulatory team has joined its Washington, D.C., office, including Colette Honorable, the former commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); and Regina Speed-Bost, former chair of Schiff Hardin’s Energy Group.
Previously, Culwell was also a partner with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from the South Texas College of Law, as well as an undergraduate degree in Economics from The University of Texas at Austin.
Over his career, Culwell has been consistently top-ranked in energy and/or projects law by Best Lawyers Euromoney, Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and Chambers & Partners, in the United States and worldwide; one of the leading projects lawyers in the world; and among the leading projects lawyers in Texas.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,700 lawyers in 27 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, entertainment and media, shipping and transport, energy and natural resources, real estate, manufacturing and technology, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com.
U.S.: Century City, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Richmond, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Tysons, Washington, D.C., Wilmington
Europe: Athens, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Paris
Middle East: Abu Dhabi, Dubai
Asia: Beijing, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Shanghai, Singapore