Damien Lyster > Vinson & Elkins LLP > Houston, United States > Lawyer Profile

Noted for its expertise in representing companies across the natural and LNG industry sectors, Vinson & Elkins LLP’s team is regularly placed at the forefront of large-scale infrastructure projects, handling all regulatory aspects and related appellate work, as well as critical pipeline rate cases before the FERC. The practice handles a variety of other regulatory mandates, including compliance issues, gas quality proceedings and presidential permit applications. Jay Seegers leads the Houston-based team, advising natural gas pipeline clients on regulatory issues with a focus on administrative litigation. Other key contacts in the team include Washington DC’s John Decker, who has experience in the natural gas and power sectors, having worked on numerous domestic and international matters involving the transportation of natural gas and LNG, Suzanne Clevenger and Damien Lyster, who operate from the firm’s Houston office. Jason Fleischer joined the practice from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in February 2023. Anita Wilson  has retired.

The team at Vinson & Elkins LLP has an active practice before FERC, with work ranging from representing sponsors of merchant transmission projects seeking favorable rate treatment, approval of purchases and sales of power generation facilities and transmission assets; and representing parties under non-public investigation by FERC’s Office of Enforcement. The firm, known for its ‘experience with electrical interconnections in Texas,’ also has an active practice before NERC and PUCT, focused on advising clients concerning compliance with NERC’s Reliability Standards and representing utilities and sponsors of merchant transmission projects with regard to regulatory approvals and sitting for new transmission lines before PUCT. John Decker , who is based in Washington DC, represents companies on regulatory matters for electric power marketers and on the sale or acquisition of electric power assets, while John Decker , working from the Austin Texas office, navigates clients through the rulemaking and regulatory compliance matters before the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and other state and federal regulatory agencies. Damien Lyster , working in both the Houston and Washington offices, is noted for his work advising clients on federal regulatory issues related to the production, gathering and sale of electric power commodities.