The team at McGuireWoods LLP is noted for its ‘strong Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) enforcement skills’, and stands out for its work for major utilities and energy companies in landmark cases in the energy sector. A recent highlight saw the team advising on the creation of the first regional energy market construct in the south-east. The team is also well equipped to handle tariff disputes, rate cases and issues with regional transmission organizations (RTOs). Todd Mullins and Noel Symons co-chair the group; Mullins has extensive experience representing energy traders in Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and FERC trading investigations, while Symons has a broad practice and is noted for his RTO expertise. Julia English focuses on project development and finance and has experience assisting clients with Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantee applications. All named individuals are based in Washington DC.

Bracewell LLP is highlighted for its ‘excellent guidance’, and is active in high-profile and complex matters in the power industry. The team represents energy companies as both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation and arbitration throughout the US and before state and federal regulatory bodies. It has extensive experience in multi-party contested proceedings, including disputes related to compensation for energy infrastructure investment. Houston-based partner Stephen Crain is the firm-wide chair of the litigation group, and Deanna King in Austin co-chairs the energy litigation practice with Andrew Zeve in Houston; Zeve is noted for his expertise in oil and gas disputes. Other key practitioners include bankruptcy expert Bradley Benoit in Houston, and Washington DC-based duo Catherine McCarthy, who chairs the firm’s energy regulatory group, and Michael Brooks, who focuses on commodities and derivatives law.

The ‘very experienced team’ at Baker Botts L.L.P. handles the gamut of issues faced by conventional electricity and gas power industry clients. It works closely with other departments at the firm such as global projects, environment, labor and employment to provide a broad range of advice. The group has been particularly active in litigation arising from Winter Storm Uri, with John Anaipakos and Meghan McElvy handling a number of these disputes. The team is also skilled in advising on various issues related to business interruption, including emergency response, bankruptcy and restructuring, force majeure and environmental class actions, among others. George Fibbe previously served as deputy general counsel for litigation, regulation and enforcement for the US Department of Energy and focuses on high-stakes renewables and nuclear matters. All named lawyers are based in Houston, where practice head William Kroger is also based.

Dentons has extensive experience representing government bodies and electric and gas utility entities on energy compliance and advocacy. The group also advises a wide range of clients before FERC, including in matters related to operations, rates, project development, enforcement and compliance, and agency rulemaking. Practice head Clinton Vince was named general counsel of the GridWise Alliance Grid Infrastructure Advisory Council’s (GIAC) board of directors in July 2021 and has experience advising on major project developments as well as representing clients in appellate cases, including at the US Supreme Court. Emma Hand is another key practitioner, handling demand-side management programs and smart cities initiatives. All named lawyers are based in Washington DC.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles high-profile FERC enforcement and litigation cases for major clients such as Marathon Petroleum Corporation. It also regularly represents utilities and private equity companies in the acquisition of other utilities and large generating facilities, including large wind and solar power projects in the US. The group has acted for clients in rate proceedings as well as class actions. In Washington DC, William Hollaway and Jeffrey Jakubiak are key contacts.

The power litigation group at Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. has a strong presence in the Texas power industry, representing a diverse client base that includes renewable and thermal power generators, investors and lenders, municipal utilities and retail electric providers, among others. The group has an extensive history working on matters connected to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and has been particularly active in Winter Storm Uri-related litigation. Practice co-head Leslie Thorne splits her time between New York and Austin; Ben Mesches co-leads the team in Dallas.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP maintains a strong focus on the electric power sector; the firm regularly acts for electric and gas utilities in defense actions brought under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as well as handling environmental litigation related to energy storage and waste disposal. Other areas of expertise include representation in rate cases, corporate change-in-control proceedings and tariff disputes. Based in Washington DC, practice head Eric Murdock draws on 30 years of litigation experience.

K&L Gates represents a diverse range of clients in the electric power industry, from traditional electric utilities to grid-edge developers in renewable generation, transmission and storage technologies. It also regularly advises on the interconnection of utility-scale generation facilities and compliance with FERC and state regulations, as well as assisting on market tariffs and rules in high-profile FERC litigation. Based in San Francisco, Buck Endemann co-chairs the practice with Elizabeth Crouse and Teresa Hill in Seattle. Washington DC-based partner Donald Kaplan is another key practitioner, focusing on representation before courts and administrative agencies. Elizabeth Thomas in Seattle is noted for her renewables expertise.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP advises a diverse range of clients, from nuclear start-ups and offshore wind developers to transmission development groups and energy storage companies. The group is particularly active in the nuclear energy space, representing clients on second-license renewals, advanced reactor licensing and with decommissioning and efforts toward the management of spent nuclear fuel. Washington DC-based partner Brad Fagg and Michelle Pector in Houston co-chair the energy litigation department, while James Dragna and John McGahren co-lead the environmental practice from Los Angeles and Princeton, respectively.