USA – CALIFORNIA Trends and Developments
Trends and Developments Contributed by: Nora Sheriff, Gwenneth O’Hara and Samir Hafez Buchalter LLP
Buchalter LLP has established itself as a full-service law firm that provides counsel to clients at all stages, and helps them navigate any legal challenges and decisions they may face. Buchalter boasts a team of over 600 lawyers across 15 offices, with expertise spanning approximately 35 distinct practice areas and industry groups, allowing development of a compre- hensive understanding of key business matters and market standards. Most notably, Buchalter’s energy and natural resources team provides expert guidance on regulatory, advisory and transactional matters
across energy sectors, from emerging technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration to estab- lished sources such as solar, natural gas and nuclear. The team represents clients before regulatory bodies and the legislature and facilitates key business trans- actions, helping shape California’s evolving energy landscape. By ensuring compliance with changing laws and fostering new business opportunities, Bu- chalter delivers tailored legal strategies that mitigate risk, support innovation, and drive long-term success in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Authors
Nora Sheriff is a Buchalter partner with decades of experience in the energy industry, specifically focusing on electric and natural gas regulatory and administrative litigation, and California energy legislation. Nora
standards and regulatory changes, including independent system operator market updates. Gwenneth negotiates and drafts interconnection, transmission, energy, and gas contracts, including industry standard forms and bilateral agreements. She also represents clients before the CPUC, CAISO, FERC, CARB, and CEC, ensuring compliance and strategic regulatory navigation.
works to ensure clean energy tools are available for heavy industries to help mitigate the effects of the high cost of California power on manufacturing, and avoid carbon emissions leakage by keeping manufacturing within the state. She is a member of the Conference of California Public Utility Counsel; Women in Energy; the Power Association of Northern California; the Association of Women in Water, Energy and the Environment; and Women in Public Utilities.
Samir Hafez is an attorney in Buchalter’s San Francisco office, and part of its energy and natural resources practice group. He focuses on electric and natural gas regulatory and administrative litigation before the
CPUC and FERC. He represents large power customers, demand response participants, and clean power stakeholders on ratemaking matters, helping to secure more just and reasonable outcomes for clients. He employs data-informed advocacy in energy policy debates and secure decisions that represent and serve client interests. He is on the board of the Conference of California Public Utility Counsel, and is a member of the Power Association of Northern California.
Gwenneth O’Hara chairs the energy and natural resources practice group at Buchalter. With over 25 years’ experience in the energy industry, she advises public and private entities on large infrastructure projects and
traditional and renewable energy portfolios. She counsels clients on renewable contracting and power purchases incorporating evolving utility
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