Hunter Johnston has over 30 years of experience working with government and industry with a focus on renewable energy, carbon capture and decarbonization policy. Hunter's legal expertise includes legislative, regulatory and transactional representation of clients engaged in public policy and project finance in energy, tax, and decarbonization practice areas.    

Hunter has extensive experience developing and financing greenfield energy projects, both domestically and internationally. A recognized leader in carbon capture policy, he is a member of the carbon capture coalition that was responsible for passage of the rewrite of the 45Q tax credit and implementing regulations. He also counsels clients regarding the wind production tax credit and other matters in the wind industry. 

Hunter has more than a decade of experience developing carbon capture projects and has negotiated tax equity arrangements focused on the Section 45Q tax credit, and he provided public comments and advice regarding implementing regulations and legislative changes to improve the tax credit. He is focused on opportunities for the transition to a blue and green economy through policies to support decarbonization.

Hunter was the lead attorney on securing the first conditional commitment of $2 billion with the Title 17 Advanced Fossil Energy Department of Energy Loan Guarantee Program and also led successful efforts to secure Industrial Carbon Capture Funds under the energy provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as well as other energy tax credits and programs.

His deep experience working with the Congress, the Department of Energy, the Department of Treasury, and other agencies provides expertise to guide his clients through a wide range of regulatory and legislative matters. Hunter also retains substantive experience representing clients in his native state of Louisiana, and he has a broad knowledge of Louisiana business and politics. 

John Cobb advises domestic and international clients on federal and state income tax aspects of corporate and partnership transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, joint ventures, and energy tax credit structures. John also counsels nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations on tax and governance matters and high net-worth individuals on federal income, estate, and gift tax issues. In addition to providing tax planning and governance advice, John has experience assisting clients in the Internal Revenue Service administrative process and in matters before the US Tax Court and state courts.

Before joining the Tax Group, John worked in Steptoe’s Corporate, Securities & Finance Group where his experience included advising clients on finance and loan arrangements, mergers and acquisitions for public and private corporations, cross-border supply and distribution agreements, oil and gas pipeline agreements, commercial real estate, and corporate governance issues. 

As a member of Steptoe's blockchain practice, John advises clients on tax and commercial considerations of holding and issuing blockchain-based digital assets. Prior to law school, John consulted for the Department of Defense's Cryptographic Modernization Project, where he provided technical advice concerning the cryptographic techniques that underlie blockchain technology.