Gregory K. Lawrence is a partner in the Energy and Derivatives Markets Group, resident in McDermott Will & Emery’s Boston office. Mr. Lawrence focuses his practice on regulatory proceedings, negotiations, governmental affairs and agency litigation. He also advises regarding energy and energy-related transactions.
Mr. Lawrence’s practice involves a wide array of regulatory, legislative, and transactional issues relating to the restructuring of the wholesale and retail electricity and natural gas industries, renewable energy, emissions regulation, and energy efficiency. He represents financial institutions, marketers, aggregators, traders, municipal departments and industrial and large commercial customers as counterparties to energy-related transactions with regards to wholesale and retail energy markets, and before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and numerous utility commissions in states such as Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois, Michigan, California, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Nevada, Montana, Maine, Massachusetts and Maryland. He represents hedge funds, lenders and arbitrageurs regarding a variety of energy matters. He also assists renewable and other power project developers.
Key Accomplishments
- participated in numerous FERC, state utility commission and court proceedings and negotiations concerning energy restructuring initiatives, rates, open access, standard offer/default service procurements, renewable credits, energy efficiency, emissions, local distribution and unbundling of rates and services, generation plant siting and need determination, and financing matters
- formerly a Counsel and Hearing Officer for the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, dealing with all aspects of electricity, gas and water rate and service regulatory matters
Key Cases/Matters
- electricity and natural gas governmental aggregation programs
- default, basic and supplier of last resort “all requirements” procurements (e.g., auctions) and supply contracts in 10 states
- develop renewable energy credit documentation responsive to multiple state renewable portfolio standards and regional transmission organization tracking and settlement standards
- Advise regarding integrated, international compliance and business strategies regarding emissions compliance, energy efficiency and renewable energy purchases to address greenhouse gas issues
- FERC and state authorization and transaction documentation for energy asset/contract sale and transfer
- defense of FERC complaint cases regarding unjust and unreasonable electric wholesale rates
- file comments with FERC regarding MISO demand response program
- represent financial institution before FERC regarding ancillary services markets and procurement
- PJM, ISO-NE, CAISO, MISO and NYISO market design review and analysis of transmission rights and related contract issues under industry master agreements and structured transactions
- defense of technology company and marketer regarding market manipulation claims at FERC and before state and federal legislative bodies
- negotiate and develop generation operation and maintenance, lease, and development agreements for power plant projects
- analyze the restructuring and acquisition of debt and equity in 10 distressed generation companies throughout the United States
- provide arbitrage advice regarding energy and water mergers
- secure FERC and multiple state power marketer authorizations
- litigate key aspects of natural gas transportation and storage capacity allocation and assignment
- develop regulatory strategy for cross-border Canadian LNG project
- provide regulatory advice and in-house training regarding energy trading, scheduling and compliance
- negotiate and develop retail and wholesale energy supply and management contracts in several states
Mr. Lawrence is a frequent lecturer on matters of wholesale and retail energy unbundling, retail access, renewable, energy efficiency, emissions trading and transactional issues. He has made presentations at conferences sponsored by the American Bar Association, Syracuse University School of Management, Power Industry Forum, the Department of Transportation, the University of Missouri-Columbia, and INSight. He also has contributed to publications such as the American Bar Association and Corporate Counsel. Mr. Lawrence also has taught a seminar regarding wholesale power market manipulation standards and trading practices for the Syracuse University MBA program. He made a presentation in Washington, D.C. entitled “Implications of Enron on the Interplay Between the Jurisdictions of FERC and CFTC” as part of the American Bar Association annual meetings.
Mr. Lawrence is a member of the Energy Bar Association and admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Cir.) and U.S. Supreme Court.
Education
- New England School of Law, J.D., 1991
- Trinity College, B.A., 1988
