Gray Styers
USA Guide 2024
Band 2 : Energy & Natural Resources
Band 2
About
Provided by Gray Styers
Practice Areas
Wherever business strategy intersects with government regulation and public policy issues, Gray assists clients in navigating the political and legal environments to achieve their objectives.
He serves as Co-Chair of Fox Rothschild’s Energy & Natural Resources Practice Group.
Gray practices in the areas of regulatory and administrative law, energy/utilities law, zoning/land use, government relations and large infrastructure matters. He represents numerous energy, telecommunications and project development clients before state government agencies, permitting officials and local zoning boards as well as in appeals to both state and federal courts. He has served as regulatory counsel for renewable energy facilities, two natural gas distribution companies as well as municipal natural gas systems, advises independent power producers and major wireless telecommunications service providers and handles zoning and permitting for large commercial and residential developments and infrastructure projects. In addition, Gray has negotiated and drafted power purchase agreements, full requirements contracts and energy supply agreements for wholesale and large retail energy customers. Gray is a "Utilities Law Specialist" as recognized by, and meeting the criteria of, the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.
Career
Gray was a partner and Infrastructure and Development Practice Area Leader at Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, which combined with Fox Rothschild in 2018. Gray began his legal career as a judicial clerk for Chief Judge Sam J. Ervin III on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Professional Memberships
| Wake County Bar Association and Tenth Judicial District Bar: President (2014); Board of Directors (2006-2008); President’s Award of Excellence (2007, 2011) | North Carolina Bar Association: Board of Governors (2006-2010); Administrative Law Section Council (2000-2003; Chair, 2002-2003); Litigation Section Council (1995-1998); CLE Committee (1997-06; Chair, 2004-2006) | North Carolina State Bar: Ethics Committee (Advisory Member, 2000-2002); Authorized Practice Committee (Advisory Member, 2002-03) | UNC School of Law: Law Alumni Association Board of Directors (2007-2013); UNC Law Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors (1995-2007); Adjunct Professor (2003-2005) | Inns of Court, Chief Justice Susie Sharpe Chapter
Personal
University of North Carolina School of Law (J.D., with honors) | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (M.B.A.) | Wake Forest University (B.A., magna cum laude), Political Science
Expert in these Jurisdictions
Bar Admission: North Carolina
Chambers Review
USA
Gray Styers frequently represents clients before state agencies in an array of regulatory proceedings. In addition, he handles PPAs and other sector-specific documents.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Gray Styers is exceptionally smart."
"Gray's ability to think outside the box and learn and understand client needs outside of his field of expertise is impressive."
"Gray Styers is very savvy and he thinks well on his feet."
"Gray is an excellent attorney who also understands the value of providing sound business counsel to his in-house clients."
"Gray Styers is exceptionally smart."
"Gray's ability to think outside the box and learn and understand client needs outside of his field of expertise is impressive."
"Gray Styers is very savvy and he thinks well on his feet."
"Gray is an excellent attorney who also understands the value of providing sound business counsel to his in-house clients."