Melissa Raciti-Knapp to Strengthen Vinson & Elkins’ Latin America Project Finance practice  

Vinson & Elkins has appointed Melissa Raciti-Knapp as a New York-based partner in its Finance practice, reinforcing the firm’s cross-border project finance capabilities with a particular emphasis on Latin America. A deeply experienced project finance lawyer, Raciti-Knapp has led numerous complex infrastructure and energy transactions, advising sponsors, developers, commercial banks, export credit agencies, multilaterals and other financial institutions.

Her sector focus spans conventional and renewable power, mining, oil and gas, water treatment, telecom and other infrastructure projects. Fluent in Spanish, she brings significant experience handling transactions across Latin America, aligning with the firm’s strategic positioning in regional energy and infrastructure financing. "Melissa will help us meet the fast-rising demand for financing work on power, data center, and other infrastructure projects in the U.S. and abroad and will expand our relationships with key sources of capital for these sectors," said Vinson & Elkins Chair Keith Fullenweider.

Her arrival underscores the firm’s commitment to integrated cross-border advisory work across the Americas. "Melissa is a dynamic, well-respected leader in project finance with diverse experience advising both on the borrower and lender side, including leading on the development of first-of-their-kind and utility-scale facilities throughout North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean," said Vinson & Elkins Partner Eamon Nolan, co-office managing partner of the firm’s New York office. "She will be a tremendous asset to the firm’s energy and infrastructure clients." Raciti-Knapp joins from Freshfields, where she served as head of the U.S. Energy and Infrastructure group and co-head of the firm’s Latin America practice, further consolidating her leadership profile in regional mandates. "As one of the most respected firms in the infrastructure and energy sector, Vinson & Elkins is the ideal platform to expand my team’s project finance practice, both in the U.S. and Latin America," she said. "As I have gotten to know lawyers at the firm, it’s become even more clear that Vinson & Elkins will be a perfect match."

She earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Columbia University and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. She has been recognized by Latinvex as one of Latin America’s Top 100 Lawyers for 2025, ranking among the top practitioners in Energy and Project Finance, and is also recognized by Chambers Latin America (Project Finance; 2009–2026) and Chambers USA (Projects; 2004–2025).

The Vinson & Elkins Project & Infrastructure Finance team advises on the development and financing of projects worldwide, including data centers, conventional and renewable power generation, LNG liquefaction and regasification facilities, hydroelectric projects, power transmission lines, natural gas storage facilities and petrochemical plants. For more than a century, Vinson & Elkins has advised clients across industries that drive the global economy, operating from 13 offices worldwide and focusing on complex transactions, investments, projects and disputes.

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