Van Ness Feldman LLP has a strong emphasis on electric power matters, covering regulatory, policy, and litigation matters pertaining to electricity and hydroelectric operations. It is well versed in cases before FERC, the DOE, and Department of the Interior. Clients include a broad range of investor-owned and municipal utilities, renewable and conventional power owners, power marketers, manufacturers, and tech providers. Joseph Nelson and Suzanne Keppeler McBride co-lead the practice. Nelson draws on 30 years of energy sector experience, acting for clients before FERC, and Keppeler McBride is building a similarly strong practice in such matters, along with other regulatory issues. Gary Bachman and Malcolm McLellan are additional partners to note. Named lawyers are based in Washington DC, aside from McLellan, who is at the Seattle office.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Top value for excellent lawyering. Top tier legal minds.’
‘Joseph Nelson is a fantastic lawyer. A great strategist and keen insights.’
Key clients
- Idaho Power Company
- New York Power Authority (NYPA)
- Grid United
- Avangrid Renewables
- EDP Renewables NA, LLC & EDP Renewables NA Distributed Generation, LLC
- Repsol Renewables North America (fka: ConnectGen LLC)
- Puget Sound Energy (PSE)
- ISO New England
- Viridon
- Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes and Energy Keepers, Inc
Work highlights
Representing the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in electric regulatory matters before FERC and in federal court litigation.
Representing Puget Sound Energy (PSE) in electric, environmental, natural resources, and land use permitting and litigation on transmission, electric generation, and natural gas generation infrastructure projects.
Advising EDP Renewables and EDP Renewables DG on FERC compliance and wholesale market and transmission rules.
Practice head
Joseph Nelson; Suzanne Keppeler McBride
Other key lawyers
Douglas Smith; Gary Bachman; Malcolm McLellan