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Mary Sennes is an experienced M&A and project finance attorney, practicing in the corporate group at Stoel Rives. Mary regularly advises renewable energy clients in acquiring and selling renewable energy projects as well as on development and financing matters. Mary also counsels clients in a variety of industries on commercial transactions, corporate reorganizations, joint ventures, and M&A transactions.

Mary provides practical business advice, offering her clients experience gained at a global law firm and other U.S. law firms and as in-house counsel at a Fortune 10 company.

Mary’s pro bono activities include providing business advice to clients through LegalCORPS.

Click here for Mary Sennes' full bio.

On September 28, 2010, the House of Representatives passed the Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act of 2010 (H.R. 4168). The Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to (1) expand the definition of "cellulosic biofuel" to include algae-based biofuel for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel producer tax credit; and (2)  provide for accelerated depreciation of property used

Governor Tim Pawlenty signed into law the Small Business Investment Tax Credit, also known as the “Angel Tax Credit,” on April 1, 2010.   The Angel Tax Credit is expected to stimulate investment in Minnesota businesses utilizing or developing new technologies, including those related to renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation. Qualified investors are

President Obama met today with a bipartisan group of governors from around the country and announced a series of steps the administration is taking to boost biofuels production in the United States.  The President’s Biofuels Interagency Working Group released a report spelling out ways to promote the development of the biofuels industry in the United States

During yesterday’s webinar entitled “The Stimulus Bill: Structured Tax Incentives” Greg Jenner (Stoel Rives LLP attorney), Victoria McDowell (Chief Administrator of the Treasury ITC Grant Program), and Kevin Pearson (Stoel Rives LLP attorney) walked webinar participants through the background of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant program and the application process.

Ms. McDowell provided

The Chairman’s Mark of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act contains proposed language that would clarify that algae-based and other advanced fuels are included in the definition of biofuels for purposes of the Renewable Fuel Standard.  The Environment and Public Works Committee started legislative hearings today on the Clean Energy Jobs and American

We are pleased to announce that the first edition of THE LAW OF ALGAE is available now. The LAW OF ALGAE is a guide to the business and legal issues in developing a commercial scale algae biofuels facility. We are introducing THE LAW OF ALGAE in an on-line “wiki” format where the contents can be accessed at

Minnesota politicians held a news conference yesterday on the state capitol mall to provide an overview of recent legislation relating to solar energy projects. Minnesota has allocated $14.5 million in stimulus money for renewable energy projects, with a portion flagged for solar projects to encourage the installation and use of solar-powered systems. Another piece of legislation gives

As part of the DOE’s announcement last week to provide $786.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate advanced biofuels research and development, the DOE allocated $50 million to create an algae biofuels consortium to accelerate demonstration of algae biofuels. As many companies are working toward the commercialization of algae biofuels, this infusion