Snell & Wilmer Adds Four Utility and Energy Attorneys

PHOENIX - Feb. 9, 2015 - PRLog -- Snell & Wilmer is pleased to announce the ongoing growth of its natural resources, energy and environmental practice group with the addition of four attorneys in the Phoenix office. The attorneys join the firm from Roshka DeWulf & Patten, where they were the core regulatory practitioners. They bring substantial experience in electric, water, wastewater and gas utility regulation and litigation, energy infrastructure siting, and telecommunications regulation and litigation. These additions will further strengthen Snell & Wilmer’s regulatory, utilities, energy, mining, telecommunications and water practice areas.

This move follows the firm’s recent addition of seven experienced and professionally recognized environmental and natural resources attorneys, as well as a policy advisor, who joined the firm in July. It also follows the addition of Raymond S. Heyman, Chair of the firm’s Natural Resources Task Force, who joined Snell & Wilmer in August. Combined, these additions bring the practice group to more than 45 attorneys across multiple offices throughout the western United States.

“We are pleased that these exceptional attorneys chose to join Snell & Wilmer,” said the firm’s incoming Chairman, Matthew Feeney. “They share our vision of making Snell & Wilmer the preeminent natural resources, energy and environmental law firm in the western United States and contribute to what we believe is the premier utility and energy practice in Arizona, if not the Southwest,” he added.

Snell & Wilmer welcomes the following individuals to the firm:

·        Michael Patten practices in the areas of public utilities, energy and telecommunications, and has extensive litigation experience. He appears regularly before the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) on matters involving public utilities, electricity, water and wastewater, renewable energy, energy efficiency, gas and telecommunications matters including rate cases, mergers and acquisitions, rulemakings, financings, line sitings, service area extensions, formal complaints and various ACC proceedings addressing policy issues. Patten earned his J.D. from Harvard University School of Law.  Patten also has been recognized by Best Lawyers^© for Energy Law, Administrative/Regulatory Law and Communications Law, including being named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers^© in 2015 (Energy Law-Phoenix), 2014 (Communications Law-Phoenix) and 2012 (Energy Law-Phoenix).

·        Matthew Derstine practices commercial litigation and bankruptcy with an emphasis on energy and utility matters. Derstine has extensive experience siting transmission facilities and representing parties in acquiring or developing renewable energy projects. He also has experience handling disputes over energy trading and supply contracts, project development agreements, warranty issues relating to AMI technology, as well as other disputes and claims that arise from the operation of power plants and transmission facilities. In his bankruptcy practice, Derstine has extensive experience representing counterparties to wholesale energy contracts, secured lenders, trade creditors, equipment lessors, commercial landlords and tenants, and parties in preference and avoidance proceedings. Derstine has been recognized by Best Lawyers^© for Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law - Litigation and Super Lawyers^© for Commercial Litigation.

·        Jason Gellman concentrates his practice on public utilities, energy, telecommunications, water and administrative law. He regularly appears before the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) on matters involving public utilities including rate cases, financings, service-area extensions and rulemakings. Additionally, he works with utilities developing renewable energy and energy efficiency implementation plans and programs. He has also appeared before the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee regarding the locating and permitting of power lines and power generation plants. Gellman has served as local counsel on transactions involving the development and sale of renewable energy projects – including reviewing and advising clients on power purchase agreements and renewable energy credit contracts, and analyzing the impacts of recent developments in state energy policy. Prior to joining Roshka, DeWulf & Patten, Gellman served as an attorney and senior staff counsel with the ACC from 2001 to 2006. Before that, he was a deputy county attorney with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2001, where he regularly appeared before several courts in Maricopa County. Gellman earned his J.D. from Arizona State University College of Law.

·        Tim Sabo focuses his practice on public utilities, energy, water/wastewater and telecommunications. He regularly appears before the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) in utility rate cases, rulemakings, certificate applications, enforcement proceedings and other regulatory matters. Sabo has appeared in more than 70 ACC hearings and has served as “first chair” for several large water rate cases. He also has substantial experience in appeals of ACC orders. Sabo has assisted clients with many complex ACC jurisdictional issues, including cases concerning whether entities were public service corporations subject to the jurisdiction of the ACC. Sabo also practices securities litigation, including defending enforcement actions brought by the Securities Division of the ACC. Prior to joining Roshka DeWulf & Patten in 2005, Sabo served as an attorney with the ACC (Legal Division, 2001 – 2005) and as law clerk with the ACC (Legal Division, 2000 – 2001). Sabo is the co-founder and editor of Arizona Regulatory Reports, an e-newsletter covering water, wastewater and reclaimed water issues at the ACC. Sabo earned his J.D. from Arizona State University College of Law.

About Snell & Wilmer

Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 400 attorneys practicing in nine locations throughout the western United States and in Mexico, including Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles and Orange County, California; Denver, Colorado; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Los Cabos, Mexico. The firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded corporations to small businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.swlaw.com.