Van Ness Feldman LLP is pleased to announce that Meghan O’Brien, former Attorney-Advisor in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Office of the General Counsel, Energy Markets Section, has joined the firm as Of Counsel where she will support the firm’s Electric & Energy Regulatory Practice Groups.
Ms. O’Brien brings nearly ten years of comprehensive energy regulation and policy experience to the firm. She previously served at FERC, where she advised the Commission on complex issues related to FERC’s regulation of public utilities under the Federal Power Act. While with FERC, Ms. O’Brien worked on significant rulemakings reshaping the electric regulatory regimes for generator interconnection in Order No. 2023, advanced energy storage in Order No. 845, and addressed transmission incentives and hybrid resource integration. Prior to joining Van Ness Feldman, Ms. O’Brien gained additional experience as an attorney in an Energy Development practice at a large law firm. Her work included counseling clients on FERC and state public utility regulatory processes during energy project development; advising clients on federal and state interconnection matters for utility-scale, distributed, and behind-the-meter energy projects, as well as for data centers and other large loads. She also drafted agreements, FERC filings, and California Public Utilities Commission motions and comments across a broad range of proceedings. In addition, she advised oil and gas companies on rates and associated pipeline transportation issues in California.
Announcing Meghan’s arrival, the firm’s Energy Regulatory practice Co-Chairs Joe Nelson and Suzanne Keppeler McBride, said, “We are delighted to have Meghan on our Energy Regulatory team. Her focus on federal energy regulation, along with her extensive experience with energy project development, will strengthen the firm’s ability to guide clients through complex regulatory matters. We look forward to Meghan’s contributions as we continue to expand our electric and oil and gas capabilities.”
Ms. O’Brien is a board member of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable San Diego; a Technical Advisory Committee member of the Southern California Energy Innovation Network; and an Electricity Steering Committee member of the Energy Bar Association (EBA), as well as an EBA mentor.
Ms. O’Brien holds a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego. She can be reached at 925-282-8019 or via email at mobrien@vnf.com.