People

Dino Barajas
Dino E. Barajas
Partner | Practice Group Chair - Project Finance (Firmwide)

Overview

Dino E. Barajas is a partner and the firmwide Practice Group Chair of Project Finance. Mr. Barajas focuses his practice on domestic and international project development and finance, with particular emphasis on Latin American infrastructure projects, debt financings and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Barajas regularly represents lenders, investors and developers in a wide range of domestic and international project financings in the energy, power, infrastructure and commercial sectors, as well as in traditional banking, structured finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, asset finance, joint ventures and venture capital transactions.

His clients include commercial lenders, institutional investors, investment funds, project sponsors, and public and private companies. Mr. Barajas has worked on transactions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Yemen and elsewhere.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • State Bar of California
  • Los Angeles Bar Association
  • J.D., Harvard Law School 1993
  • B.A., University of California, Los Angeles 1990

Experience

United States

  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in sale of $240 million in equity interests in Nexamp to Generate Capital.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in the development of offshore wind assets.
  • Representation of AES Clean Energy in the debt and tax equity financings of various solar and wind power projects.
  • Representation of Wells Fargo Bank in the recovery of assets relating to a $180 million nonperforming loan.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its acquisition of Boston Energy Trading and Marketing, an energy management and trading subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its acquisition and financing of equity interest in the 925 MW Westmoreland Power Project in Pennsylvania.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its acquisition and financing of equity interest in the 720 MW Valley Power Project in New York.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in connection with the sale of its equity interests in the 885 MW Alabama II Project in Alabama to affiliates of Tenaska Inc.
  • Representation of JPMorgan in its acquisition of the 318 MW Pio Pico natural gas fired power project in California.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its proposed acquisition from Beowulf Energy of equity interest in a 134 MW power plant in California.
  • Representation of OCI Solar in its development of 360 MW of solar facilities within the San Antonio area. The phased build-out is one of the largest solar developments undertaken in the United States.
  • Representation of Guggenheim in its acquisition of a 25% ownership interest in the 800 MW Sentinel gas-fired power generation facility. With overall project costs of approximately US$900 million, the project is one of the largest peaker power plants developed on the US.
  • Representation of DZ Bank in its participation in the US$650 million portfolio project financing which included the Alta Wind VII project.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its acquisition of a 25% ownership interest in the Sentinel 800 MW gas-fired power generation facility.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its acquisition of an additional 25% ownership interest in the Sentinel 800 MW gas-fired power generation facility (distinct from transaction listed above).
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its acquisition of an ownership interest in a gas-fired power generation facility.
  • Representation of DZ Bank in its participation in the US$630 million project financings of the Alta Wind VI and Alta Wind VIII projects.
  • Representation of Helaba Bank in its participation in the US$1 billion project financing of the Astoria II 500 MW power plant in Queens, New York.
  • Representation of Ram Power Corp. and its worldwide subsidiaries in a US$50 million corporate lending facility secured by its domestic and international assets.
  • Representation of Ram Power Corp. and its worldwide subsidiaries in a US$12 million corporate lending facility secured by its domestic and international assets.
  • Representation of First Wind Energy in the US$376 million financing of the Milford I wind farm power project. The Milford financing is the largest construction financing of an individual wind farm power project in the United States to date.
  • Representation of Diamond Generating Corporation in its proposed acquisition of an ownership interest in a gas-fired power generation facility.
  • Representation of ConEdison in its sale of various power generation assets valued at US$1.5 billion.
  • Representation of WestLB AG and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in the US$98.6 million financing of the 120 MW Midway power project developed by Starwood Energy Group Global, LLC near Fresno, California.
  • Representation of Arroyo Energy in its proposed bid for gas-fired power generation and transmission assets in California.
  • Representation of a prospective lender in a proposed “debtor-in-possession” US$2.2 billion credit facility for Calpine Corporation.
  • Representation of a syndicate of commercial banks and institutional investors led by Bank of America, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America and CoBank in the financing (US$475,000,000) of the 781 MW Channelview power project developed by Reliant Energy, Inc.
  • Representation of Maslonka & Associates in connection with the development and construction of the Path-15 500-kV transmission line project in California.
  • Representation of lenders in connection with the restructuring and refinancing of the 600 MW combined-cycle NRG Brazos Valley Project in Texas.
  • Representation of Northwest Power in the proposed sale of various generation assets in the Northwest region of the United States.
  • Representation of Enron North America in the proposed purchase of an asset portfolio consisting of various generation assets in the United States.
  • Representation of Credit Suisse in providing the Potlatch Corporation various letters of credit to support bond issuances for its various projects in Arkansas (US$51,000,000) and Minnesota (US$35,000,000).
  • Representation of ClipperWind Power in the proposed development of a 21 MW wind farm in Wyoming.
  • Representation of ClipperWind Power in the proposed development of a 50 MW wind farm in Kiowa County,Kansas.
  • Representation of the Industrial Bank of Japan, Limited, in providing a $29,300,000 letter of credit facility to America West Airlines.

Argentina

  • Representation of Canadian Solar International in the development and financing of the Cafayate solar project. The Cafayate project represents one of Argentina’s largest solar project developments to date.

Brazil

  • Representation of Canadian Solar International in the development of the Pirapora solar projects with an aggregate installed capacity of 191 MW. The Pirapora projects represent one of Brazil’s largest solar project developments to date.
  • Representation of DZ Bank in its involvement in a US$810,000,000 financing of two semi-submersible oil drilling rigs sponsored by Queiroz Galvão Óleo e Gás S.A.
  • Representation of a consortium of bidders led by CSW International, including Empresa de Electric Vale Paranapanema and Safra Bank, in connection with their bid to acquire an interest (valued at US$1 billion) in Companhia de Electricidade do Estado da Bahia (COELBA).
  • Representation of Sithe Energies, Inc. in a bid to acquire an interest (valued at US$1.2 billion) in Centrais Geradoras do Sul do Brazil (Gerasul), a Brazilian electric generation company which was privatized.
  • Representation of Sithe Energies, Inc. in a bid to acquire a controlling interest in CESP -- Paranapanema, a Brazilian electric generation company which was privatized.
  • Representation of Sithe Energies, Inc. in a bid to acquire an interest in Centrais Elétricas de Santa Catarina S.A. -- CELESC, an electric distribution company in the southern region of Brazil.
  • Representation of Texaco, Petrobras and CSN in the development of a 240 MW gas- fired power plant in the State of Ceara, Brazil.
  • Representation of Enron Wind Corporation in the proposed development of a wind farm power project.
  • Representation of Sithe Energies, Inc. in a bid in the privatization of the Cachoeira Dourada hydroelectric plant.

Caribbean

  • Representation of Ocean Networks Inc. in the development and financing of a subsea fiber optic cable to be located in the Caribbean.
  • Representation of BMR Energy LLC in the proposed acquisition of development rights in a power plant in the Dominican Republic.
  • Representation of Mitsubishi Corporation in the disposition of Curacao’s largest power plant.
  • Representation of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) in the issuance of US$400,000,000 of 144A/Reg. S project bonds to finance the development and construction of the Government Campus Plaza project (a complex totaling 1.154 million square feet). The UDeCOTT bond financing represents the largest financing made by the government of Trinidad and Tobago to date.
  • Representation of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) in the issuance of US$73,100,000 of Reg. D project bonds to finance the development and construction of the Ministry of Education office project (a 16-story office tower).
  • Representation of the Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Merchant Bank Limited (RBTT) in the proposed Reg. D US$122,750,000 financing of a calcium chloride and caustic soda processing facility in Trinidad.

Central America

  • Representation of BMR Energy LLC in acquisition of a solar project in Guatemala.
  • Representation of Polaris Geothermal in the development and financing of the 72 MW San Jacinto-Tizate Geothermal Power Project located in Nicaragua. The combined financing of Phase I and Phase is in excess of $230,000,000 and represents the largest project financing ever closed in Nicaragua and the largest geothermal project financing closed in Central America to date.
  • Representation of Mesoamerica Energy in the development of a 100 MW wind farm in Honduras.
  • Representation of EMCE in the development and financing of the Xacbal Power Project, a 94-MW hydroelectric power project located in Guatemala. The development of Xacbal Power Project is currently the largest privately developed and financed greenfield hydroelectric power project in Central America.
  • Representation of Grupo Saret in the financing of the Rio General Power Project located in Costa Rica.
  • Representation of EMCE in the development and financing of the Choloma III Power Project, a 246-MW generation project located in Honduras. The financing of Choloma III is the largest single asset project financing of an energy asset in Honduras. The Choloma III financing also holds the record for one of the fastest project financings of any type in Central America (3 months).
  • Representation of Tampa Electric Company and Coastal Power in connection with the development and financing of a 120 MW thermal power project (the San Jose project) in Guatemala.
  • Representation of ClipperWind Power in the proposed development of a wind farm in Honduras.
  • Representation of Enron Wind Corporation in the proposed development of a wind farm in Honduras.
  • Representation of Enron Wind Corporation in the proposed development of a wind farm in Costa Rica.
  • Representation of Enron Wind Corporation in the proposed development of a wind farm in Nicaragua.

Chile

  • Representation of DZ Bank in its involvement in a $1,000,000,000 financing of the Angamos coal fired power project sponsored by AES Corporation.
  • Representation of Enron Wind Corporation in the proposed development of a wind farm in Chile.
  • Representation of ULLICO in connection with its proposed investment portfolio with the Inter-American Development Bank in Chile.

Colombia

  • Representation of The Trust Company of the West (TCW) in the acquisition and financing by InterOil Exploration AS of various oil and gas assets.
  • Representation of The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. (as financial advisor and lender) in the development and financing of a 199 MW thermal power project (the Termovalle project).
  • Representation of Sithe Energies, Inc. in the development and financing of a 352 MW thermal power project (the TermoRio project).
  • Representation of institutional lenders in connection with the development and financing of fuel bullets in Ecopetrol’s Barrancabermeja fuel complex.

Mexico

  • Representation of Canadian Solar International in the development, financing and sale of the Aguascalientes solar project. The Aguascalientes project represents one of Mexico’s largest solar project developments to date.
  • Representation of Oak Creek Energy in the acquisition and development of the 400 MW Tres Mesas wind energy project.
  • Representation of Oak Creek Energy in the negotiation of numerous private offtake “self supply” power purchase agreements.
  • Representation of Vista Gold Corp. in its development of the Los Cardones (formerly named Concordia) gold project near La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Current gold reserves at the Los Cardones project are 1.3 million ounces.
  • Representation of Baja Mining Corp. with respect to the Boleo mine located near Santa Rosalia in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The Boleo mine is a copper-cobalt-zinc- manganese mining project.
  • Representation of Union Bank of California, as trustee, in the US$681 million financing of the Manzanillo LNG storage and regasification terminal. The project costs involved in this project were approximately US$875 million.
  • Representation of Union Fenosa in the proposed development of a 500 MW wind farm in Baja California.
  • Representation of the Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Merchant Bank Limited (RBTT) in the US$52,500,000 financing of the Atexcaco Hydroelectric Power Project.
  • Representation of Constructora Andrade Gutierrez SA de CV in the US$90,000,000 financing of the Government Plaza in Nuevo Leon, Mexico (a project developed under a Public/Private Partnership structure).
  • Representation of Mitsubishi Corporation in the sale of its interests in the 495 MW Altamira II project. The sale is part of a larger dispossession of Mexican power generation and pipeline assets by EDF International valued at US$1.5 billion. The transaction represents Latin America’s largest energy M&A deal in 2007.
  • Representation of Mitsubishi Corporation and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. in the development and financing of the 495 MW Tuxpan V project. The project costs involved in this project were approximately US$300 million. The financing of the project involved a complicated array of credit facilities from JBIC, Mizuho Corporate Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi. The Tuxpan V financing holds the record for the fastest project financing of any Mexican IPP (3 ½ months) and the quickest project financing closed by Japan Bank for International Cooperation anywhere in the world.
  • Representation of Mitsubishi Corporation and EDFI in the development and financing of the 495 MW Altamira II project. The project costs involved in this project are approximately US$300 million.The financing of the project involved a complicated array of credit facilities from JBIC, Citibank, N.A., Mizuho Corporate Bank, ING and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi.
  • Representation of Mitsubishi Corporation and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. in the development and financing of the 495 MW Tuxpan II project. The project costs involved in this project were approximately US$325 million. The financing of the project involved a complicated array of credit facilities from JBIC and commercial banks providing both senior and subordinated facilities.
  • Representation of Union Bank of California, as trustee, in the financing of the 700 MW Pacifico coal-fired power project developed by Mitsubishi Corporation located in Lazaro Cardenas. The project costs involved in this project were approximately US$611 million.
  • Representation of Steadfast Properties in the acquisition and financing of numerous resort hotels located throughout Mexico. The acquisition represents the largest resort hotel portfolio acquisition ever closed in Mexico.
  • Representation of a lender participating in a proposed US$400 million senior debt refinancing for power generation assets exceeding 1,000 MW in generating capacity.
  • Representation of General Power in the proposed development of a US$1 billion aqueduct and power project in Baja California.
  • Representation of ClipperWind Power in the proposed development of a wind farm in Oaxaca, Mexico.
  • Representation of CSW International, Inc. and Grupo Alfa, S.A. in the development of the Altamira Project, a 106-MW cogeneration project located in Altamira, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The Altamira Project is Mexico’s first “inside-the-fence” power project with a long-term transmission agreement with CFE under Mexico’s new energy laws.
  • Representation of CSW International, Inc. in the proposed development of the Ennerey Project, a 110-MW cogeneration project to be located in Monterrey, Mexico.
  • Representation of Tampa Electric Company in its bid for the development of the Rio Bravo and Hermosillo combined cycle power plants in northern Mexico.
  • Representation of AES Corporation, Nichimen Corporation and Grupo Hermes in the negotiation with CFE of the power purchase agreement and the fuel agreement relating to the Mérida III Project, a 484-MW combined cycle power project located in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. The Mérida III Project was Mexico’s first independent power project under Mexico’s new energy laws.
  • Representation of Tampa Electric Company in the proposed development of a hydroelectric power plant with various government municipalities as energy off-takers.
  • Representation of Japan Export Import Bank in the financing of a submarine transmission line pursuant to a BLT arrangement with CFE.
  • Representation of Central and South West Corporation in the development with CFE of a proposed transmission line from the United States into Mexico.

Peru

  • Representation of The Trust Company of the West (TCW) in the acquisition and financing by InterOil Exploration AS of various oil and gas assets in Peru.

Middle East

  • Representation of Delma Power Company in the development of a 400 MW power plant in the Republic of Yemen.


Awards and Community

Recognized by Lawdragon as one of the "500 Leading U.S. Lawyers" in Energy, 2023

Recognized by Who's Who Legal (WWL) as one of the "highest-ranking lawyers" in the field of Project Finance, 2023

Recognized by LatinVex as one of Latin America's "Top 100 Lawyers" in Energy and Project Finance, 2022 & 2023

Recognition as a "Leader in the Field of Project Finance" by Chambers & Partners Latin America, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015-2022

Recognized in The International Who's Who of Project Finance Lawyers, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014-2021

Recognized as a "Top Latino Lawyer" by Latino Leaders Magazine, 2022

Recognition as one of the “Top Latinos in Energy, Oil and Gas” by Latino Leaders Magazine, 2021

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Project Finance (Latin America)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2010, 2011, 2013-2024

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Project Finance (USA)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2010, 2011, 2019-2020

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Energy & Natural Resources (Latin America)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2020

Recognition as one of the Top 100 “Latin American Lawyers” by Latinvex, 2014-2020 (seven consecutive years). Only attorney listed in three different categories simultaneously (Corporate/M&A, Energy and Project Finance)

Recognition for "Latin America-Projects and Energy” by The Legal 500, 2014-2019, 2021 (six consecutive years)

Recognition on the "U.S.-Mexico Power List” by The Legal 500, 2019

Recognition for “U.S.-Finance: Project Finance” by The Legal 500, 2019

Recognition for "U.S.-Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power” by The Legal 500, 2019

Recognition as a “California Trailblazer” by The Recorder, 2019

Recognition as a “Foreign Expert in the Field of Project Finance (Latin America Focus)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2013-2019, 2022, 2023

Recognition as one of the “Top Latino Lawyers” by Latino Leaders Magazine, 2016, 2018-2019

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Energy and Natural Resources” by Chambers & Partners Latin America, 2015-2018

Recognition in the “Top 100 Legal Power List” by A Word About Wind, 2017 & 2018

Recognition as one of Sixteen “National Law Firm Rainmakers” by MCCA's Diversity and the Bar, 2011

Recognition as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” by Hispanic Business Magazine, 2008, 2012

Recognition as one of Ten “Innovative Lawyers in the U.S.” by Financial Times, 2010

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Mergers and Acquisitions (Latin America)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2009, 2010, 2011

Recognition as a “Regional Expert in the Field of Mergers and Acquisitions (Latin America Focus)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2011

Recognition as a “Regional Expert in the Field of Project Finance (Latin America Focus)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2011

Recognition as a “Regional Expert in the Field of Banking and Finance (Latin America Focus)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2011

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Mergers and Acquisitions” by Chambers & Partners Latin America, 2009, 2010, 2011

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Banking and Finance (Latin America)” by Chambers & Partners Global, 2009, 2010

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Banking and Finance” by Chambers & Partners Latin America, 2010

Recognition as a “Leader in the Field of Project Finance (Nationwide)” by Chambers & Partners USA, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Recognized by Expert Guides: The Legal Media Group Guide to the World’s Leading Project Finance Lawyers, 2007

Recognized in The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and Who’s Who Legal: California (Project Finance), 2007, 2009

Recognized as a "Super Lawyer" (Top 5% of lawyers) for lending, energy and natural resources work in Southern California by Law & Politics, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Recipient of Union Bank of California’s and KCET’s “Local Hero of the Year - Business” Award recognizing achievements in project finance and Latin American transactions, 2005

Recognition by California Lawyer Magazine as “Attorney of the Year (Energy)" - recipient of the CLAY award, 2004

Recognition by MillerCoors Corporation as 1 of 12 National Leaders in the Hispanic community through its “Lideres 2008” program for professional achievements and community involvement