Clifford Chance
Catherine McCarthy is a counsel in the Americas Energy & Infrastructure Group. She has extensive experience in power, mining, energy, telecoms, transportation and other infrastructure projects acting for clients including IFC, IDB, Citibank, Natixis, HSBC SMBC, Credit Agricole, CAF, FMO, Proparco, DEG, BNP Paribas.
Kate is one of the firm's main relationship partners in the US for both agency lenders such as IFC, IDB and IIC and commercial banks such as Citibank, HSBC and SMBC. She has significant expertise in ECA financing, having acted for lenders in deals backed by COFACE, SACE, Hermes, US Exim, K-Sure, EKF, EKN, GIEK and CESCE. She also has expertise in multilateral guarantee and insurance products including the World Bank partial risk guarantee and the MIGA sovereign non-honoring and PRI policies.
- Clifford Chance recognized as Latin Lawyer International Elite 2024 firm
Clifford Chance has been recognized by legal industry publication Latin Lawyer as one of eight International Elite 2024 firms.
29 August 2023 - the lenders in the financing of the Tucuman and Loma Compana power projects, the first project financing to close in Argentina in many years
- Natixis as lead arranger and a commercial bank syndicate in a USD$350 million COFACE-backed financing for a US-to-Brazil undersea cable system
- IFC and other lenders in relation to the financing of a container terminal in the port of Manzanillo, Mexico
- HSBC, CACIB, BBVA, Santander, Banorte, Banobras, NAFIN, IDB and EKF on the 396MW Mareña Renovables wind farm in Mexico and the financing of the successor EES wind farm
- IPP, Kenya: IFC, DEG, FMO and other participants in the Kipevu Power Project in Kenya, the first IPP to be financed in Kenya
- commercial banks in respect of the political risk insurance and back-to-back OPIC reinsurance issued in relation to the financing of the Amandi power project in Ghana
- IDB in its first ever direct Reais financing for water and waste concessions being developed by the Aegea group in Brazil
- IFC, various European DFIs and various parallel commercial bank lenders in connection with the 2014 financing of the construction and operation of the 215MW Penonome II wind farm located in Panama
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, Washington D.C.
- +12029125057
- Email me
- Practice area Global Financial Markets
- Sector Banks, Energy & resources, Telecommunications, media & technology
Career and qualifications
- Oxford University (BA Jurisprudence, JD equivalent) 1992
- Admitted as an Attorney in New York 1994
- Joined Clifford Chance 1996
- Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 1997
- Admitted as an Attorney in the District of Columbia 2001
- Partner 2004-2022
Awards and citations
- Catherine McCarthy is adept at representing development agencies and concessionaires in the financing of transport infrastructure. One client highlights: "She is very knowledgeable about the development bank space," adding: "Catherine McCarthy has a dedicated approach to getting the deal done."
Chambers USA 2022: Project Finance (International Counsel) – Band 1 - Catherine McCarthy is a strong player in the international project finance space. She has a wealth of experience advising multilaterals and export credit agencies, particularly on renewable energy infrastructure projects.
Chambers USA 2022: Projects: Agency Financing (Nationwide) – Band 1 - Catherine McCarthy is respected for her ability to advise on a range of infrastructure and energy projects. Her expertise is focused on representing investment banks and multilateral agencies as lenders as well as commercial banks on significant project financings throughout Latin America.
- Chambers Latin America 2020, Projects – Latin America-wide
- Catherine McCarthy continues to be at the forefront of MLA and DFI financings in Latin America.
Legal 500 Latin America 2019, Projects and Energy – International Firms
- Catherine McCarty has been ranked in Chambers USA - Projects. She is noted for her energy and infrastructure projects practice. She is particularly expert in the representation of agency lenders.
Chambers USA 2019 - Projects (Nationwide) - Catherine McCarthy has been ranked in Chambers USA - Projects (Nationwide). Catherine McCarthy is well known in the market for her focus on agency work in the projects sector. She also has experience representing large commercial banks in international project financings.
Chambers USA 2017 - Projects - Catherine McCarthy is ranked as a Top 100 female lawyer for Latin America in Latinvex