Womble Bond Dickinson is opening in Denver with the arrival of an energy and natural resources partner duo from Hogan Lovells as it seeks to build its presence in the Mountain West region.

The incoming partners are Scot Anderson and Ana Maria Gutiérrez, who bring with them extensive regulatory and transactional experience across the energy and natural resources industry. Anderson will take on the role of office managing partner.

Betty Temple, Womble’s US CEO and chair, said: “For the last several years, Womble has been executing a strategic plan to build offices and teams in markets powering the future of key industries like energy, financial services, technology, and life sciences. As a leading innovation centre and fast-growing legal market, Denver has long been at the top of that consideration set.”

Anderson joins after more than a decade at Hogan Lovells, where he was the former head of its global energy and natural resources industry sector. He was previously a partner at Davis Graham & Stubbs, as well as a senior attorney at legacy US oil and gas company Atlantic Richfield. He started his career in private practice at Arnold & Porter. His expertise spans commercial deals, financing, project development, regulatory compliance, permits, ESG and litigation.

Gutièrrez, meantime, joins after 12 years at Hogan Lovells, where she started her career. She became a partner in 2020. Her experience covers environmental, regulatory and permitting matters across a range of industries, with a particular focus on environmental issues such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

Gutièrrez said: “Colorado is ground zero for some of the most progressive environmental regulations in the country. As energy transition and regulatory frameworks continue to be key issues for years to come, Womble’s presence in Denver and subsequent practice expansions will position us to provide the support clients need in the present and into the future.”

The Denver office is the firm’s fifth office opening in the US over the past 18 months, bringing its global tally up to 32. Those have included launches in San Francisco, New York, Nashville and Hunstville.

The firm has also been making a series of lateral hires as part of its ongoing US expansion. In July it absorbed two California boutiques that added five partners to its ranks in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Irvine. It also hired a team of IP lawyers from Connecticut boutique Moyles IP in April.