Smith Anderson Obtains Complete Dismissal of Litigation Against Leyline Renewable Capital

Smith Anderson recently secured a complete dismissal of litigation brought against its client Leyline Renewable Capital—a result that drew coverage in Law360. Leyline is a leader in preconstruction lending for renewable energy projects and was named the 2020 Clean Energy Innovator of the Year by the NC Sustainable Energy Association. Leyline’s CEO, Erik Lensch, has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, for his contributions to the renewable energy industry.

The case arose when a borrower sued Leyline in connection with renewable energy projects that Leyline assumed following the borrower’s default. The borrower sought approximately $10 million in damages, supported by an economist whose testimony was later excluded at the request of Smith Anderson. The Court held that the economist’s opinions were “speculative” and based on “a standard that is not relevant to the claims and defenses in this litigation.” Following that ruling, the borrower voluntarily dismissed its claims in full.

The Smith Anderson team representing Leyline included Cliff Brinson, Isaac Linnartz and Justin Lockett. The case is BioGas Corp., et al. v. NC Biogas Development, LLC, et al., 23CV004552-910 (Wake County, NC).

Smith Anderson’s litigation team is regularly recognized for its work in complex, high-stakes matters. Most recently, the firm was named North Carolina Firm of the Year for Litigation by Benchmark Litigation® for the sixth consecutive year and is also ranked by Chambers USA. The same team that handled this matter for Leyline is part of the firm’s broader group of trial-tested attorneys trusted by clients across industries.