Bracewell LLP is pleased to announce that Paul F. Wight has joined the firm's Washington, DC office as a partner in the energy regulatory group. Wight joins Bracewell from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he was a partner for many years.
Ranked as one of the nation's leading energy regulatory and litigation lawyers by Chambers and Partners, Wight has more than 20 years of experience advising utilities and other energy companies on electric power regulatory related litigation, enforcement, compliance, rate and transactional matters. He has litigated high-profile disputes over organized market design and operation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and in the U.S. Courts of Appeal and has a significant technical understanding of organized energy markets. In addition, Wight has defended companies in FERC enforcement actions, including allegations of market manipulation, and helped companies develop programs to ensure continued compliance. On the transactional side, he has represented companies in utility mergers, asset acquisitions and FERC-jurisdictional matters.
"Paul is a highly regarded FERC lawyer, whose decades of experience will help Bracewell's clients effectively address the regulatory and enforcement challenges facing the electric power industry," said Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp. "We are pleased to welcome him to the firm."
Wight is the eighth in a series of strategic hires in Bracewell's DC office in the last eight months. Angela B. Styles joined earlier this week as a partner in the firm's government contracts practice. In April, Hans P. Dyke joined as a partner in Bracewell's energy projects practice, following the arrival in March of government contracts partner Robert J. Wagman. David A. Super joined the firm in July to lead the civil litigation practice in Washington, DC. In addition, Bracewell's Policy Resolution Group recently added principals Liam P. Donovan and Anna Burhop and welcomed back Christine G. Wyman as senior counsel.
"Bracewell is a destination firm for talent, and the firm's DC office is no exception," said Mark K. Lewis, managing partner of the Bracewell's Washington, DC office. "Bracewell is committed to attracting leading lawyers such as Paul to strengthen our ability to meet the expanding regulatory and legal needs of our clients."
Wight has spent a significant part of his career representing infrastructure owners, including coalitions of generators, on market design issues in regional transmission organization (RTO) markets. For his work, Public Utilities Fortnightly named Wight a "Groundbreaking Lawyer." Chambers USA describes Wight as a lawyer "who can command a room" and "understands the economic and strategic aspects of RTO rules."
"Paul is a tremendous addition to Bracewell's energy regulatory team," said Catherine P. McCarthy, chair of Bracewell's energy regulatory department. "Over the coming years, the regional power markets will continue to evolve to respond to fuel diversity changes and to improve price formation. In addition, infrastructure investments are needed to support the transition to renewable power generation. These and other factors will result in regulatory challenges and possible litigation for our clients as well as continued power industry consolidation and reorganization. Paul strengthens our capabilities to respond to these needs. Clients operating, financing and investing in the energy industry will benefit from Paul's wealth of experience handling complex litigation, enforcement investigations and transactions."
"Bracewell is universally recognized as a premier energy law firm because of its deep understanding of the legal and business issues impacting the energy industry and the firm's high standard of client service," said Wight. "I look forward to working with my new colleagues in continuing to provide value to our clients."
Wight graduated cum laude with a B.A. from Brigham Young University in 1994 and received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1997.
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