Steptoe & Johnson LLP has expanded its Energy practice with the addition of Chris Zentz. Chris joins the firm as a partner in Washington, DC, and will focus on electricity sector clients involved in energy transactions and renewables and appearing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other regulators. Zentz arrives at the firm from Van Ness Feldman P.C.
“Steptoe has one of the most prominent energy practices in the nation and Chris’ strong practice aligns extremely well with the strategic counsel and advice we provide clients,” said Co-chair of Steptoe’s Energy practice, Dan Mullen. “The experience Chris has gained from working in-house and in private practice enables him to understand and work well with clients and I am pleased to welcome him to Steptoe and our energy team. His arrival is part of a longer-term program of investing in ‘next generation’ regulatory talent at the firm whether through lateral hires or internal promotion.”
Over the past two years, Steptoe’s Energy practice has handled a number of significant matters in the electricity, energy transition, and renewables spaces. This includes involvement in more than a dozen significant FERC enforcement proceedings, representing clients in important federal court proceedings including a major victory on summary judgement in a case for Duke Energy, providing regulatory and transactional representation of the developers of several extremely large transmission projects, and Litigating rates and terms for transmission and wholesale services before the FERC, as well as commercial disputes in state and federal courts.
Chris has a wide-ranging electric practice that includes regular involvement in both energy transactions and regulatory proceedings before FERC, State utility commissions, and Bonneville Power Administration. He applies his business background to counsel clients on transactions, in due diligence, and to successfully obtain any necessary authorizations under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act.
His experience includes renewable resource development along with the negotiation of transactions involving power, transmission, and storage resources. Chris’ transactional experience also extends to obtaining market-based rate authorizations from FERC and in counseling clients on compliance with the Federal statutes such as the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act and Public Utility Holding Company Act. Chris’ regulatory practice focuses on transmission and ancillary service rate cases, Open Access Transmission Tariff compliance, generator interconnection issues, FERC Standards of Conduct, interlocking directorate issues, and transmission planning.
Chris commented: “Steptoe has one of the premier energy practices in the country. The firm’s relationships with leading energy producers, transporters, and marketers serves as the foundation of our extensive practice litigating, providing counseling, and representing companies before FERC, state utility commissions, other federal and state agencies, as well as Congress make this an exciting next step in my career.”
