Eckert Seamans’ Energy Group provides clients with a broad array of legal skills and government/business experience to help them successfully achieve their project objectives and business goals from inception to operation and all steps in between. The Energy Group represents every segment of the natural resources industry, including renewable energy companies, traditional utilities, domestic energy companies, foreign energy companies, mineral companies, exploration and extraction companies, financial institutions, private equity firms, government entities, and other companies associated with the natural resource industry. We counsel our clients on local, state, federal and international regulatory matters, as well as commercial and transactional, antitrust, intellectual property, labor and employment, environmental and complex litigation matters. We practice before state public utility commissions and other federal and state agencies.
As the domestic and international market for energy becomes more diverse and globally connected, it is important to select counsel that has the depth of knowledge, understanding and multidisciplinary experience to provide efficient and cost-effective representation. Eckert Seamans is a comprehensive law firm of more than 360 attorneys with a national practice. Eckert Seamans has a number of practice areas that serve its corporate, institutional, governmental and industrial clients.
Eckert Seamans’ Energy Group includes experienced attorneys who understand the complex issues that confront today’s energy companies, including:
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Business strategy
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Representation regarding Intellectual Property
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Energy markets
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Permitting
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Construction challenges
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Land use
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Environmental requirements
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Board governance
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Regulatory requirements
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Project-related policies and procedures
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Financing needs and financing resources
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Energy conservation
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Generating technologies
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Renewable resources
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Transmission and distribution issues
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Renewable Energy Credits
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Fuel choices
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Electric & Natural Gas Utility Tariffs
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Energy efficient buildings and factories
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Restructuring
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Fuel transportation
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Rate counseling
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Government representation and government relations
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Mergers and Acquisitions
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Regulatory/Administrative hearings
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Contract Negotiations
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Counsel regarding tax credits
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Emission, Carbon and Green House Gas credits creation, trading and advice
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Representative clients and related services which the Energy Group includes:
Conventional Energy
· Coal. Counsel and representation in mergers and acquisitions, financing matters, supply contracts, transportation agreements, contract mining agreements, equipment purchase agreements, construction contracts, labor matters, environmental matters and insurance claim and commercial litigation.
· Electric energy providers. Counsel regarding federal and state regulation, including market-based and cost-based ratemaking, tariff design and implementation, regulatory compliance audits and investigations, power purchase and marketing agreements, regional transmission structures, transmission access and pricing, regulatory aspects of power plant interconnection agreements, facilities and asset leases, right-of-way and line extension agreements and energy sales or purchase contracts, corporate restructuring alternatives, litigation, acquisition of power generating facilities and environmental compliance. We actively participated in the development of electric utility restructuring legislation and electric utility restructuring proceedings in Pennsylvania as well as other mid-Atlantic states.
· Oil and natural gas providers. Counsel regarding federal and state regulatory issues, mergers and acquisitions, private placements for syndicated ventures, contracts and lease negotiations (including storage), intellectual property licensing, exports and imports, ratemaking, tariff design, investigations, environmental requirements and trial and appellate litigation. We represent the largest municipal gas company in the United States in rate proceedings and other matters before the state regulatory commission.
· Water utility providers. Counsel regarding rate application, complaint, rulemaking and certificate proceedings before state public service commissions, related litigation before state courts, as well as mergers and acquisitions.
Alternative Energy
· Ethanol. Counsel regarding underwriting for new facility siting, land acquisition, land use and zoning, state and federal grant and credit procurement.
· Renewable and sustainable energy providers. Counsel these providers (including wind and solar energy providers and ethanol and land fill gas facilities) regarding development and procurement, intellectual property protection, project finance, tax strategies and environmental and land use issues. We also provide strategic counseling regarding finance, regulatory issues, mergers and acquisitions and various contractual matters, including power purchase, marketing, construction, equipment purchase and sale, licensing, and maintenance agreements.
· Assistance on the federal tax treatment of solar and renewable investments and identifying clean energy opportunities.
· Serve as Pennsylvania counsel for the construction of wind power facilities.
· Advise alternative energy companies in connection with regulatory matters before state PUCs, including rules for Alternative Energy Credits.
· Provide assistance to a company in establishing a biomass facility in New Jersey.
· Provide legal advice and assistance to an industry leader in the field of alternative energy resources concerning regulatory issues raised by a potential landfill gas project in Pennsylvania.
· Advise a solar leasing company that is seeking to offer solar installations on a net-metered basis to residential homeowners in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
· Draft and negotiate carbon credit trading agreements which served as the basis for trading carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange.
