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Our Energy attorneys serve as advisors, counselors, and advocates for local, state, and national energy industry clients, including major intrastate and interstate natural gas pipelines, investor-owned and cooperative electric companies, telecommunications firms, water districts, and other utility industry participants. We regularly assist our energy clients by providing aggressive, cost-effective representation on regulatory, corporate, litigation, appellate, environmental, and legislative issues that are critical to their business development, strategies, and operations.
The firm's well-regarded Energy practice dates back to the 1930s, the early years of regulation of Texas' electric and natural gas utility companies. Since that time, our practice has evolved to anticipate and embrace the rapidly changing regulatory and legal landscape that our utility industry clients must navigate to maintain their positions in a competitive industry.
For additional information, please contact James Mann or Casey Wren.
SERVICES
AdministrativeThe firm has a large and widely respected Administrative Law practice, particularly with regard to energy law. Our Energy attorneys represent clients in administrative proceedings before a number of agencies, including the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the State Board of Insurance, the General Land Office, the Texas Office of the Attorney General, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
RegulatoryOur Energy attorneys work closely with our clients to recognize and address a broad range of state and federal regulatory issues that are integral to their provision of services, operations management, and business transactions. We keep our energy clients informed of developments in their areas of significant interest and assist with regulatory reporting matters, statute and code compliance, administrative violations, agency rulemaking proceedings, and development of proposed legislation.
AppellateThe firm has a long and storied history in the development of Texas legal precedent in the area of energy law through its trial and appellate representation of utilities in Texas. Our firm's lawyers continue this proud tradition by routinely representing our utility clients in state and federal administrative appeals.
BankruptcyIn response to its clients’ needs nationwide, the firm is active in representing creditors and parties-in-interest in bankruptcy matters in Texas and elsewhere. Because of the firm’s strength in the areas of public utility, telecommunications, and environmental law, the firm has developed a particular expertise in utility and energy-related bankruptcy representation. The firm is also active in bankruptcy-related transactional matters and client counseling.
Business MattersThe firm's energy attorneys assist clients with utility-related transactional and contracting matters, including negotiating and drafting natural gas, coal, gas storage, purchased power, renewable energy, and energy efficiency contracts; negotiating business entity mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; representing asset purchases and sales; and handling of general corporate and operational issues.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Texas regulatory and appellate representation of major investor-owned utilities in "traditional" electric and gas rate cases, including nuclear prudence review issues.
Regulatory and corporate attorneys to investor-owned electric companies in "unbundling" rate cases.
Regulatory counsel to cooperative and investor-owned electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications companies in licensing and certification proceedings, wholesale and retail tariff matters, and customer service issues.
Counsel for the successful mergers of large multi-state utility holding companies and in utility sales and acquisitions of generation and retail business assets.
Advise and represent electric utilities in transactions and regulatory compliance involving renewable energy and energy efficiency matters.
Representation of utility industry participants in regulatory matters at the state and federal level concerning rates, licensing, transaction review, market participation, facilities construction, fuel and purchased power costs, corporate organization, and litigation of disputes.
Project counsel for a 680 MW cogeneration development project.
Regulatory counsel on environmental matters involving water, air and waste-water permitting, the Endangered Species Act, and management and disposal of hazardous materials.
Texas regulatory and state tax counsel to a major investor-owned utility that successfully sought Chapter 11 reorganization.
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