Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation) | USA

Bracewell LLP is a leading firm with highly impressive expertise across the energy arena, particularly esteemed for its ability within the oil and gas regulatory space.It offers excellent capability in FERC and CFTC investigations, as well as representation of pipeline clients in FERC rate, tariff and jurisdictional matters. The firm is also able to assist large utility clients, transmission owners and private equity investors on regulatory power matters, along with electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. It is frequently seen on big-ticket transactions in both the power and the oil and gas space, handling matters for clients ranging from electric utilities and merchant transmission owners to upstream exploration companies and refineries.

Steptoe LLP is a superb group, offering clients top-level regulatory advice on both oil and gas and power issues. It excels in FERC proceedings and appellate litigation, as well as enforcement, settlement negotiation and power market advice. The firm continues to assist clients with important government and internal investigations. It is particularly highly esteemed for its representation of oil pipeline and power utility clients, offering market-leading representation on regulatory matters connected with sophisticated transactions and disputes. The firm possesses significant energy-related antitrust and environmental capabilities, bolstering its comprehensive offering to clients.

Vinson & Elkins LLP is a Houston-based powerhouse in the energy space, particularly excelling in oil and gas transactions and regulatory work. It continues to have a fantastic reputation for its work in upstream transactions and represents a fine choice of counsel for LNG matters. The firm offers leading representation in the midstream space, with expertise in matters including presidential permit applications and rate cases. With its strong international presence, clients are offered exceptional expertise in various energy-producing regions around the world. The firm draws on additional competencies in tax, environmental compliance and project finance, to assist players in the oil and gas sector.

Latham & Watkins LLP is a distinguished international firm, renowned for the leading role it plays in both oil and gas and power transactional matters. It regularly acts on sophisticated deals for corporate, financial and sovereign industry participants. The firm also provides both electricity and oil and gas clients with a committed regulatory offering. It represents clients adeptly at FERC and before other energy regulatory bodies too.

Van Ness Feldman LLP is an impressive group that specializes in assisting energy clients with the full range of power and oil and gas regulatory matters. It is well-regarded for work on gas pipeline siting, FERC litigation and LNG work, and offering strong capability in pipeline rate cases. The firm possesses a considerable pipeline safety practice focusing on regulatory compliance and enforcement. It is frequently retained on transmission rate, reliability and efficiency matters. The firm is also active on hydroelectric power matters, with particular expertise in relicensing. It is further noted for extensive capabilities in energy-related environmental and PHMSA issues.

Blank Rome LLP is a highly regarded oil and gas regulatory practice able to draw on the expertise of attorneys with long-standing industry experience capable of handling a variety of regulatory work. It offers particularly strong representation in FERC and CFTC investigations and enforcement proceedings. The firm is further noted for assisting clients in obtaining oil and gas export authorization.

Hogan Lovells offers a highly capable nuclear practice that is adept at handling export control, fuel cycle and nuclear operating licensing issues at the NRC. It is also home to a well-regarded oil and gas regulatory team, with strength in the representation of gas pipelines, LNG matters and FERC litigation. The firm is also active on compliance and project development issues. Its litigation capabilities are bolstered by expertise in complementary areas, such as intellectual property and environmental law.

Venable LLP is a focused team with an impressive practice representing oil and petroleum product shippers against pipeline owners. It is particularly well-regarded for work representing the airline industry and airport facilities as well as significant clients in the propane and refining industries. The firm is frequently seen in technical and complex rate cases and rulemakings at FERC and in federal court. It is able to advise clients on a range of issues, such as income tax allowances, rate indexation and market manipulation.

Baker Botts L.L.P. is a very well-regarded energy firm with strength across transactional, regulatory and litigation settings. It is frequently retained by oil and gas, power and investor clients who are active in energy matters. The firm is strong in oil and gas acquisitions and sales, with particular expertise in the MLP market. It provides regulatory advice and FERC representation on pipeline and rate issues. The firm is noted for particular abilities in FERC rulemakings. It is also active in the power space, assisting traditional power, renewable energy and utility clients on a range of transactions.

Greenberg Traurig, LLP is a robust team well-respected for its work in the oil and gas pipeline rate space. It is frequently called upon to litigate, negotiate and settle matters at FERC for major pipeline clients with specific knowledge of market power and manipulation issues. The firm also provides regulatory support and compliance advice to clients seeking to develop oil, gas and LNG facilities in the US.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is a market-leading and impressively broad-based group with recognized ability across the full range of energy sectors. It is best known as one of the strongest and deepest nuclear regulatory teams in the country, frequently handling the largest and most complex of matters for utilities. The firm also offers clients a strong regulatory power practice with extensive capabilities in compliance and enforcement matters before FERC. It is noted for expertise in regulatory matters for oil and gas clients and extensive administrative and appellate litigation capabilities too. The firm supplements its sector-spanning regulatory expertise with broad capabilities in the acquisition, sale and financing of conventional and renewable power assets.

Sidley Austin LLP offers clients broad expertise in the energy space covering transactional, regulatory and litigation work. It is particularly well thought of in the oil and gas space with capability across upstream, midstream and downstream matters. The firm represents clients before FERC on regulatory approvals, enforcement and rate issues. It offers additional strength in power regulation and litigation, assisting clients participating in the generation, transmission and distribution and trading of electricity. The firm also offers capabilities in transactional matters for electricity clients.

Wright & Talisman PC is a highly esteemed practice providing counsel for both oil and gas and power participants. The firm is particularly strong in its representation of RTOs at FERC and in federal appeals court. It possesses capability to act on power transmission issues. The firm is frequently called upon for advice concerning interstate oil and gas pipelines on tariff disputes and rate regulation cases. It is noted for its strength on matters related to the regulation of and investment in electric transmission companies.

Day Pitney LLP is well-regarded in the power space, with particular expertise in regulatory and FERC matters, frequently representing clients at both state and federal level. The firm offers significant knowledge of market rules, transmission and interconnection issues. It also demonstrates growing capability in FERC natural gas matters where its practitioners represent shippers such as large industrials and municipalities in contested rate proceedings.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has a robust oil and gas regulatory and litigation team providing clients with high-quality representation before FERC and the DOE. The firm enjoys a fine track record for its work in midstream and upstream oil and gas transactions, acting for private equity firms and energy companies. It is also further noted for expertise in electricity financings.

King & Spalding LLP is recognized for advising oil and gas industry clients and public authorities on regulatory matters in connection with the development of production, storage and transportation infrastructure, with a growing presence in LNG. It frequently represents a range of clients in applications to FERC and DOE. The firm is further noted for expertise in commercial transactions and contracts across the oil and gas sector, frequently handling acquisitions, fuel supply agreements and engineering, procurement and construction contracts.

Kirkland & Ellis is a rapidly developing team highlighted for its ability to handle complex transactions and capital markets matters across both the power and oil and gas sectors. It is able to offer support in M&A, joint ventures, PPAs and structured financings. Its clients include private equity funds, utilities, pipelines and power marketers. The firm is adept at assisting with all regulatory aspects of transactions in addition to broader FERC administrative litigation matters.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP adeptly handles a variety of transactions for clients in the power industry, including the purchase and sale of assets as well as joint ventures and other agreements. It is noted for developing transactional capabilities in the natural gas and LNG space. The firm offers further expertise in regulatory authorization and other proceedings before FERC and the DOE in regulatory proceedings connected with the siting and construction of LNG production, liquefaction and export facilities.

Pierce Atwood LLP draws on its federal regulatory expertise to skillfully represent oil and gas and electric utility clients before FERC. The team has extensive knowledge of the Natural Gas Act and regularly handles rate case proceedings. It has additional strength in compliance matters.

Troutman Pepper has an impressively broad practice that is well-regarded for expertise on electricity and natural gas regulatory matters. Its partners possess a deep understanding of FERC, in addition to state regulators. The firm is frequently seen advising IPPs, utilities and renewable operators. It also offers expertise in transmission and power market and rate design issues. The firm's natural gas partners often feature at FERC both on behalf of utility shippers and pipeline owners in respect of rate cases and permit filings. It is further noted for electricity finance expertise.