NEW YORK, October 5, 2020: Morgan Lewis partners Richard “Rick” Filosa and Grace Speights have each been named by Law360 as 2020 MVPs in their respective practice areas. Rick was chosen for Project Finance, and Grace was selected in the Trials category.
The MVP distinction is given annually to elite lawyers in 38 practice areas who have “distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters, and record-breaking deals.”
Rick, leader of the firm’s project finance, infrastructure & natural resources practice, advises clients in the financing and development of power plants across the United States and internationally. In the last year, Rick led the firm’s representation of Caithness Energy and Apex Power in the $1.8 billion financing of a power plant project in southeast Ohio. He also led the firm’s representation of Ares EIF Management in the financing of Pennsylvania’s Hill Top Energy Center.
Grace, leader of the firm’s global labor and employment practice, was selected for her work leading the team who won the jury verdict in the landmark case for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) against former host Tavis Smiley. When Smiley brought claims against PBS for breach of contract, Grace and the team argued that Smiley violated the “morals clause” in his contract, and the jury awarded PBS approximately $1.5 million in damages.