McGuireWoods partner Brian Kelly was named to The Daily Record‘s inaugural “MD500” list, which recognizes Maryland’s most powerful and impactful leaders in business, nonprofits, law, higher education and more. The business and legal news publication recognized Kelly as an energy industry leader in its special edition published July 31, 2026.
Based in Baltimore, Kelly is co-leader of McGuireWoods’ Energy Industry Team. He advises energy and financial clients on mergers and acquisitions, energy project and infrastructure development, project finance, and structured commodity and hedging transactions. His practice spans solar, wind, biomass, natural gas, geothermal and battery projects, power projects related to data center development, and non-energy infrastructure and commodity financings. He structures and negotiates power purchase agreements, tolling and joint development agreements, engineering, procurement and construction contracts, and fuel supply and transportation agreements.
In his “MD500” profile, Kelly discussed the evolving energy landscape, noting that “grid demand is no longer just a commercial issue; it’s become a national security concern.”
“Clients aren’t just asking how to get power; they’re asking how to secure it reliably at scale, often in markets where the answer looks very different depending on geography,” he said. “What makes it challenging is the need to align commercial structures, regulatory requirements and financing in a market that’s changing quickly and, at times, unpredictably.”
Asked how he defines success, Kelly pointed to three principles: becoming truly skilled in an area where a lawyer can add real value, building a team that shares a common vision and takes pride in its work, and investing in the team’s growth and development.
“When those pieces are in place, the business results tend to take care of themselves,” he said.