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Adrienne Clair

Adrienne Clair

Partner

Washington, D.C.
202 585 6919 202 585 6919 direct


  • OVERVIEW
  • EXPERIENCE
  • INSIGHTS
  • NEWS & EVENTS

INDUSTRIES

PRACTICES

  • Education

    • The George Washington University,

      J.D., 1996

    • Hampton University,

      B.A., Mass Media Arts, cum laude, 1992

  • Admissions

    • District of Columbia

    • Maryland

    • US Ct Appeals, DC Circuit

    • US Ct Appeals, 3rd Circuit (Covers DE, NJ, PA, Virgin Islands)

  • Affiliations

    • American Association of Blacks in Energy

      Secretary, D.C. Chapter, 2017

    • American Bar Association

      American Bar Foundation Life Fellow

    • Electric Cooperative Bar Association

      Board member, 2016-Present

    • Energy Bar Association

      Past President, 2013-2014

      Board Member, 2007-2016

    • Women's Bar Association of D.C.

      Energy Forum Founding Co-Chair

  • Recognitions

    • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings) for Energy Law and Energy Regulatory Law, 2012-2015; 2017-2023

      Named Lawyer of the Year for Energy Regulatory Law by The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings), 2021

    • Ranked in Chambers USA (by Chambers and Partners) for Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation) 2010-2022

    • Listed in Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers (by Thomson Reuters) for Energy and Natural Resources, 2012-2020

  • Employment

    • Thompson Coburn LLP

      Partner, 2016-Present

    • Stinson Leonard Street LLP

      Partner, 2001-2016

    • Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand

      Associate, 1998-2001

    • Van Ness Feldman

      Associate, 1997-1998

    • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

      Energy Attorney Advisor/Law Clerk to Administrative Law Judges, 1996-1997

  • Community

    • Office of Disability Adjudication and Review

      Pro bono counsel to litigants before the Social Security Administration

    • Captain, Komen Race for the Cure team, 2001-Present

Adrienne represents clients in electric and natural gas pipeline matters, and counsels on compliance and enforcement. She serves on the Firm's Management Committee.

Adrienne represents primarily cooperative and municipal utilities in applications, litigation and rulemaking proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding regional transmission organizations (RTO) markets for energy and capacity, transmission planning and cost allocation, related transactions and proceedings involving natural gas pipeline rates and services. She counsels clients in compliance matters, including FERC enforcement actions and audit of existing compliance programs.

Adrienne has litigated numerous proceedings before FERC, including electric cooperative wholesale power contract and rate design issues, reactive power revenue requirements, mergers, transmission formula rate and cost recovery matters. She assists clients in obtaining market-based rate authority and complying with related reporting requirements.

As part of her FERC practice, Adrienne also represents clients in appellate proceedings. She also practices before the D.C. Public Service Commission in certain electric utility and natural gas local distribution company matters.

Representative Matters

Represents generation and transmission cooperative utilities in the PJM Interconnection, LLC, Midcontinent Independent System Operator, and Southwest Power Pool regions on issues including capacity market design and accommodation of load-serving entities, litigation regarding formula rates, transmission planning and cost allocation, general electric and natural gas rate proceedings, and general rulemaking proceedings before the FERC.

Successfully litigated proceedings regarding corporate reorganization under Federal Power Act Section 203.

Represents a municipal utility and a group of local distribution companies in natural gas pipeline rate and tariff proceedings before the FERC.

Represents trade associations for municipal and cooperative utilities in select rulemaking and market design proceedings.

Represented the Office of the People's Counsel of the District of Columbia in the merger of Washington Gas and Altagas, as well as Washington Gas' Accelerated pipeline replacement and Pepco rate matters.

TCLEs

Federal Energy Policy: Impact of the 2020 Election

Publications

“Prepared the 2021 update to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) Title II Compliance Manual, for the American Public Power Association, Edison Electric Institute and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association”; 2021

Presentations

"Transmission Planning at FERC: Toward a Customers' Bill of Rights";
APPA Legal and Regulatory Conference, October 2017

“Trends in Transmission Policies and Rates: Up, Up and Away?”
NRECA G&T Legal Seminar, November 2016

"Getting to Point B: Trends in Federal Transmission Policy and Rates, and Drivers of the Transmission Boom";
G&T Accounting and Finance Association Annual Conference, June 2016

Panelist, "Keeping the Lights On: Challenges Facing the Energy Industry";
International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation Fall Conference, September 2015

"The Impact of EPSA v. FERC on Demand Response and FERC-State Jurisdiction";
APPA Legal Seminar, October 2014

"How Changes to Minimum Office Price Rules Can Cripple Co-ops";
NRECA G&T Legal Seminar, November 2012