Meghan O’Brien is Of Counsel in the firm’s Energy Regulatory practice, where she brings in-depth experience representing clients on a broad range of federal regulatory matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Before joining Van Ness Feldman, Meghan was an associate attorney in a law firm’s Energy Development practice, where she counseled clients on FERC and state public utility regulatory processes during energy project development. Her work included advising clients on federal and state interconnection matters for utility scale, distributed, and behind-the-meter energy projects, as well as drafting agreements, FERC filings, and California Public Utilities Commission motions and comments across a variety of proceedings. She also advised oil and gas companies on rates and associated pipeline transportation issues in California.
Earlier in her career, Meghan served as an Attorney-Advisor in FERC’s Office of the General Counsel, Energy Markets Section, where she advised the Commission on complex issues related to FERC’s regulation of public utilities under the Federal Power Act. She served as the lead attorney for technological advancement reforms and contributed to Order No. 2023 Standard Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements Final Rule and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Meghan earned her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law, where she was a member of the Student Bar Association, Energy Law Clinic, the Environmental Law Society, and received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award.