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Eleanor

Eleanor "Cacki" Chote Jewart

Partner
Overview

Cacki is a skilled and trusted advocate, partnering with clients to achieve their goals. She creatively solves problems as they arise, anticipates issues and prepares well to avoid last-minute surprises.

Cacki concentrates her practice on the renewable energy industry and has practiced real estate law for more than 20 years. She leads multidisciplinary teams in project development and investment for wind, solar and storage projects in Texas and throughout the US. Cacki has closed more than 15,000 MW worth of projects for sponsor/developers and more than 4,000 MW worth of projects for tax equity investors and lenders.

Cacki handles early, mid-stage and late-stage projects, including construction and post-construction asset management, with a particular focus on real estate, environmental, regulatory, general development, preparation for financing, and state and local tax matters. She advises on financing for developers and investors, and negotiates real estate leases, easements, acquisitions and dispositions of property. She and her team regularly advise clients regarding minerals and title issues for development as well as on all other development and financing matters. Cacki brings her extensive business knowledge of the industry to bear in each situation with a goal to make her clients’ lives easier and advance each transaction.

Cacki is a former member of the firm’s Executive Board, and a former leader of the Renewable Energy sector.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • Austin Monthly magazine, Top Austin Attorney, Energy, Oil and Gas, 2023 and 2024
  • BL Rankings’ The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Real Estate Law, 2018-2025
  • Texas Lawyer, Women in Energy, 2016

Education

  • J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
    • CALI Award for Excellence, 1997
  • B.A., College of William and Mary

Admissions

  • Texas
  • New York

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Austin Bar Association
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) — Board of Directors, 2011-2017; Austin Chapter, President 2016
  • Gulf Coast Power Association
  • Real Estate Council of Austin, Board of Directors, 2013
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Texas Renewable Energy Industries Alliance
Experience

Renewable Energy

  • Led project development work for Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners for 18 months on Fighting Jays 476 MWdc solar project, originally developed by AP Solar Holdings, and assisted in CIP's tax equity financing of the project.
  • Represented stand-alone storage developer as project counsel for more than 25 projects in the U.S. (between 10 and 300 MWs each) for real estate, regulatory, permitting and other development issues.
  • Advised U.S. renewable energy developer in developing Texas' largest solar project, 379 MW in Andrews County, and in completing funding of the tax equity investment by Facebook, a construction loan by a consortium of lenders, plus energy hedge negotiation.
  • Advised European developer in mid-stage development of a 240-MW solar energy project in Childress County, Texas, and financing the project with an inverted lease structure.
  • Advised renewables development company on development and financing of what was the largest solar project in Texas at the time – 315 MWdc in Winkler County.
  • Counseled renewable energy development company on development and financing of wind energy project near Texas/Mexico border – 237 MW.
  • Advised California-based solar energy developer in acquisition of late-stage development solar project in Cameron County, Texas, for real estate, regulatory, tax and environmental matters.
  • Advised national utility on purchase and development of 267-MW wind energy project.
  • Advised European infrastructure fund on development and construction of first and second phases of wind energy project in Glasscock County, Texas.
  • Represented European infrastructure fund in development of wind energy project in Southwest Power Pool (SPP) – Bailey and Lamb counties.
  • Represented international developer on development and financing of 198-MWac solar energy project in Texas.
  • Advised renewable energy operator on real estate, regulatory and environmental matters in connection with repower of three phases of wind projects near Sweetwater, Texas.
  • Represented renewable energy developer in lease and easement negotiation, real estate due diligence, project development and construction issues involved with 150-MW wind project as Phase I and 200-MW wind energy project as Phase II – Floyd County, Texas.
  • Represented Chinese-owned renewable energy developer in early-stage land control, surface use negotiations, title and survey matters for solar project in Pecos County, Texas.
  • Represented distributed generation solar developer on development issues in Texas.
  • Counseled two national investors on Texas real estate issues for $225 million wind energy tax equity investment.
  • Represented multiple tax equity investors in real estate and local issues involving investment in solar and wind projects throughout United States.
  • Represented European infrastructure fund as developer's counsel for the purchase, development, hedge equity investment and tax equity financing of 848 GW of wind and solar projects in Texas.
  • Represent European investment and asset manager in the development, construction lender financing, tax equity financing and hedge financing of a 336 MW TG East wind project in Texas.
  • Represented developer of 440 MW of solar projects. Provided development, real estate, environmental, electric regulatory and state tax expertise on all matters.
  • Represented leading solar and energy storage project development company as project counsel in the sale, construction and tax equity financing of 200 MW solar project in Texas.
  • Represented solar energy company in the acquisition of a 180 MW solar project in Texas.
  • Advised battery storage developer in acquisition, leasing and related development work for multiple storage projects in Texas and elsewhere throughout the U.S.
  • Represented developer in development, construction lender financing, tax equity financing and hedge financing of 872 MW of solar projects in Texas, with projects totaling more than $1.1 billion.

Real Estate

  • Advised local real estate developers on purchase and sale of multifamily, industrial, office, retail and raw land properties in the $5 million to $80 million range.
  • Represented national bank in purchase, sale and leasing of bank branch and ATM locations.
  • Counseled residential condominium developer on all aspects of condominium sales and ownership.
  • Represented residential subdivision developers in all matters, including creation of homeowners associations (HOAs), sales to builders, sales of pad sites, and drafting and enforcing restrictive covenants.
  • Advised physicians, physicians groups, physical therapists and home health agencies on purchase and development of medical office buildings, leases, subleases, construction contracts and related real estate transactions.
  • Represented Texas-based energy corporation in contract negotiation issues.
  • Advised subsidiary of $2 billion private equity capital group on providing predevelopment loans and related equity investments for developed and undeveloped real estate projects in multiple states.
  • Guided national real estate firm in acquisition, leasing, sale and development of commercial real estate properties, including multifamily and office projects in the $10 million to $20 million range.
  • Represented closely held business that was expanding into real estate development with its purchase of raw land, financing and condominium sales issues.
  • Counseled international semiconductor company on negotiation, preparation and advice regarding leases and other domestic real estate matters.
Outside the Office

Cacki enjoys spending time with her wife, Shelley, and two daughters, Ames and Helen.

During COVID-19 the family enjoyed bonus time with Ames home from college. Cacki and Shelley look forward to doing whatever they want when both daughters are out of the nest. Check back for actual adventures.

Community Leadership
  • SafePlace, Legal Advocacy Program, Volunteer, 2012-2014
  • Kealing Middle School Advisory Board, Co-chair of magnet school choice fair, 2011-2012
  • Gullett Elementary, PTA Volunteer, 2005-2008