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Biography
Katie practices in the Energy Section of the firm, focusing primarily on energy related transactions and the federal regulation of natural gas pipelines. She advises clients regarding contracting for transportation, purchase and sale of natural gas and other energy commodities, and regarding compliance with applicable regulation. Katie is involved in preparation and prosecution of filings in federal administrative proceedings, particularly pipeline rate cases and certificate proceedings, as well as related appellate work. She practices regularly before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
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Representative
Experience
- Drafted and negotiated all construction and operating agreements and advised on related documents (including ground leases, financing agreements, right-of-way agreements, and construction subcontracts) pertaining to construction and long-term operation of three greenfield pipeline projects in Texas
- Coordinated, drafted, filed, and defended before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission extensive and complicated Natural Gas Act Section 7 certificate applications for two major interstate natural gas pipeline construction projects
- Drafted and negotiated model agreements proposed for industry-wide use by the Gas Industry Standards Board, a national energy industry consensus organization responsible for developing and maintaining voluntary standards governing electronic communication for natural gas business transactions
- Prepared and successfully defended numerous agency and appellate court briefs on a wide variety of energy issues
- Coordinated and drafted testimony, affidavits, and exhibits for a variety of energy industry experts (including economists, accountants and rate experts) for use as supporting evidence in proceedings before the Texas Railroad Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission
- Organized and coordinated several large-scale document productions related to discovery proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; drafted numerous protective orders and confidentiality agreements related to dissemination of commercially sensitive documents in federal rate proceedings; successfully litigated several evidentiary rulings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Led several due diligence review teams analyzing energy contracts and related files of prospective acquisition targets
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Activities and Affiliations
- Member: Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law Section, American Bar Association; Houston Bar Association; Federal Energy Bar Association
- Speaker: Seminars on contracting and regulatory topics
- Contributing Author: Natural Gas Contracts (Thompson Publishing Group, 1994-1998)
- Contributing Author: Federal Natural Gas Regulation Update, American Bar Association: Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Section Year in Review (1995-1998)
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Education and Professional Background
- University of Iowa, B.A. in philosophy, 1980 (Phi Beta Kappa); J.D., 1986 (Teaching Fellow; Order of the Coif)
- Admitted to practice: Texas, 1986; U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and District of Columbia Circuits
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