Adam Smith Email & Phone Number

Traverse City, Michigan, United States

Jackson, Michigan, United States

- Served as a primary in-house attorney for renewable energy projects and other major transactions;- Drafted and negotiated complex commercial contracts, including EPC agreements, build transfer agreements, power purchase agreements, and purchase and sale agreements;- Supported all facets of development projects and operating generating facilities.

Jackson, Michigan

- Led the team that provides legal support for commercial transactions, contracting, employee benefits, human resources, property, compliance, marketing and communications;- Served as a primary in-house attorney for renewable energy projects and transactions;- Supported unregulated business operations involving business development, project development and acquisitions, energy marketing and various electric generating facilities (wind, solar, biomass and natural gas); and- Was the lead transactional attorney for the acquisition of a large, combined-cycle generating facility.

One Energy Plaza, Jackson, Michigan 49201

- Served as the primary in-house counsel for CMS Enterprises (now NorthStar Clean Energy), including generating facilities and energy-marketing operations;- Supported development of renewable-energy projects focusing on wind, solar and battery storage assets;- Successfully closed the Summer 2018 acquisition of a wind project in Ohio and the Fall 2017 acquisition of a two-part solar project near Lansing, Michigan;- Advised on all aspects of the company's unregulated operations, including existing biomass, solar, natural-gas and coal generating facilities in Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina;- Provided ongoing legal support for the development, operation and expansion of Consumers Energy's two company-owned wind projects in Michigan;- Extensive experience with planning and zoning matters for major utility projects;- Expertise in condemnation and eminent domain issues, including on electric and gas projects in both state and federal court;- Counseled clients on antitrust compliance and competition matters; - Successfully resolved various litigation matters on behalf of and against the company.

Detroit, Mi

- Prepared and negotiated detailed commercial contracts involving real property leasing, acquisition of gas rights, easements and related issues for alternative-energy projects;- Served as the primary attorney representing an oil-change business in a dispute with its former franchisor regarding the parties’ franchise agreement;- Prepared for and conducted portions of arbitration hearings involving our client (an automotive manufacturer) in a dispute with a dealership terminated during bankruptcy;- Litigated complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate levels, with a focus on commercial contracts and non-competition agreements.

Detroit, Mi

- Litigated all phases of employment-related cases in numerous federal and state courts at the trial and appellate levels; resolved cases on summary judgment;- Drafted briefs for appeals before the Michigan Court of Appeals and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit;- Assisted in resolving a transportation-related case during discovery that involved over 20 of a client’s former independent contractors for less than 1% of their initial multi-million-dollar demand;- Obtained summary judgment for a client in defense of a former employee’s novel wrongful-discharge claim pending before the Middle District of Florida.

Detroit, Mi

- Researched and wrote substantive bench memoranda and proposed orders for the judge;- Collaborated with the parties’ counsel to draft civil and criminal jury instructions;- Prepared for and attended oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, including issues on non-competition law and diversity jurisdiction.

Southeast Michigan

- Managed a loan portfolio of $40 million to $100 million in corporate borrowings;- Recommended proposals and action plans directly to senior management;- Negotiated various commercial lending documents with bank customers as well as in-house and outside counsel;- Participated in Comerica’s Commercial Lending Training Program, June 1999 to September 2000 (rotations in large-corporate, asset-based and commercial-leasing areas).

Jd

Activities and Societies: - Student Funded Fellowships - Research Assistant to Prof. James J. White

Bba, Finance, Accounting

Activities and Societies: - The Michigan Daily - Alpha Phi Omega