Areas of Practice
Energy transactional and regulatory law, project finance and commercial transactions.

Representative Experience
Represents clients in commercial transactions in the areas of energy and high technology and the development of energy projects.

Represents clients in divestitures and acquisitions of major corporate assets and in restructuring transactions.

Represents clients providing services or purchasing power in deregulated power markets in the United States, particularly in California.

Represents clients in energy regulatory matters before various administrative agencies, including the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the U.S. Department of Energy, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Examples of power project representations

Represented an engineering and development company in the development of a portfolio of 10 gas-fired cogeneration plants in California.

Negotiated lease financing terms on behalf of a subsidiary of a major oil company for the construction of a gas-fired cogeneration facility at a California refinery.

Represented a lender in connection with the financing of wind power projects in the Midwest.

Represented a subsidiary of a major oil company in the development of a geothermal power plant in California.

Represented a regulated utility in preparation for the sale of its fossil fuel-fired power plants in connection with California restructuring of electric generation and transmission.

Represented a generator’s agricultural waste-burning power plants in negotiating electricity sales to utilities and fuel purchase agreements.

Represented the purchaser of a limited partnership interest in a wind power project.

Represented a developer in the development of a coal- and gas-fired power plant in the Czech Republic.

Assisted in negotiating the acquisition of an interest by the unregulated subsidiary of a U.S. utility in a coal-fired power plant in Mexico.

Assisted the subsidiary of a major engineering and construction company in preparing a bid on a gas-fired power plant project in the Yucatan, Mexico.

Advised an investor with regard to the acquisition of an interest in a liquefied natural gas-fired power project in Puerto Rico.

Examples of other representations

Represented a baseball club and a public agency in the purchase of electricity for stadium lighting and railroad operations respectively.

Represented a chemical company in the sale of fertilizer manufacturing units in Utah, Wyoming and Washington, including a 200 mile-long coal slurry pipeline.

Negotiated a tax free exchange of a general partnership interest in a Nevada partnership for the distribution of propane for units in a master limited partnership.

Represented a closely owned corporation in the buyout of the minority ownership interests.

Represented a vineyard owner in Napa County in connection with water rights, land use and leasing issues.

Represented a chemical company in the sale of one of its divisions to another chemical company.

Represented a real estate investment company in negotiating easements for natural gas pipelines across its properties.

Represented a computer manufacturer in preparing a bid to supply a California state agency with a state-wide word processing system.

Negotiated a joint venture for an Internet company with a major communications company to develop a business-to-business marketplace on the web.

Represented the manufacturer of voice messaging equipment in the development of form distributor agreements for use with its various distribution channels.

Represented the subsidiary of a major oil company in the sale of substantial portions of its microwave communications system.

Represented a major oil company in the development of a request for proposals for a private long distance telephone system, the evaluation of responses and the negotiation of the implementing agreement.

Represented the subsidiary of a major oil company in the development of a satellite communications system for point of sale credit card purchases and corporate television communications.

Represented a major pharmaceutical company in the negotiation of collaborative genomic research agreements with universities.

Represented a software and hardware manufacturer in the negotiation of agreements for the development of cellular radio networks for electric meter reading and other applications and the licensing of its proprietary technology.

Represented an Internet company in the negotiation of various agreements and licenses connected with its business as a web-based seller of electricity to retail customers.

Represented a software company in the negotiation of development agreements for meter reading applications using power line technology.

Represented a software company in the negotiation of licenses of its technology for appliance and utility control in residences and commercial structures using the Internet.

Department of Energy (DOE)

Represented a major refiner in the negotiation of the first global settlement agreement with DOE under the mandatory petroleum price regulations, including as a remedy the delivery of crude oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Represented a major refiner in obtaining the largest settlement awarded a refiner in the DOE Stripper Well Litigation.

Represented a major refiner in the successful defense of an administrative complaint before the Office of Hearings and Appeals involving the termination of the refiner’s tertiary enhanced recovery program.

Prior Experience
Partner, Skjerven Morrill LLP

Partner, Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP

Memberships and Activities
State Bar of California

American Bar Association

San Francisco Bar Association

Energy Bar Association

Power Association of Northern California

Education
J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law

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