Best Lawyers in America for Energy Law
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State
Benjamin J. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law and Energy Regulatory Law. Benjamin J., who practices law in Augusta, Maine, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Benjamin J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
William R. Hollaway is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law. William R., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Walter Wright has more than 30 years of experience in environmental, energy (petroleum marketing), and water law. His expertise includes counseling clients on issues involving environmental permits, compliance strategies, enforcement defense, property redevelopment issues, environmental impact statements, and procurement/management of water rights. He routinely advises developers, lenders, petroleum marketers, and others about effective strategies for structuring real estate and corporate tra...
Charles B. Dollison is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law, Mining Law and Oil and Gas Law. Charles B., who practices law in Charleston, West Virginia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Charles B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Area of Emphasis Steven Green is a Shareholder in the Energy and Natural Resources Group of Babst Calland. His practice is focused on energy matters, primarily upon advising and representing corporate clients within the oil and gas industry. Mr. Green’s oil and natural gas practice includes a wide range of matters including oil and gas title opinions, title examinations, title defect and curative work, civil and administrative litigation, transactional advice, and regulatory compliance ...
Laura A. Chappelle is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law and Energy Regulatory Law. Laura A., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Laura A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sarah Stevenson is a shareholder in the Natural Resources Department and a litigator representing public entities and private businesses. Her natural resources experience focuses on water law, including water adjudications and interstate water compacts, and Native American law, including natural resource development projects on Native American land. She has advised clients developing projects on Native American land on issues regarding indigenous rights, jurisdiction, and contract formation. ...
Bob Daileader represents a wide variety of energy clients in the development, financing, and construction of energy infrastructure projects, as well as on the federal and state regulatory approvals needed for such projects. Bob has represented clients in the energy industry for more than forty years. My focus My practice is heavily focused on the development, financing, and construction of electric infrastructure projects, particularly renewable generation and transmission facilities. Electri...
Michael W. Patten practices in the areas of public utilities, energy and telecommunications, and has extensive litigation experience. He appears regularly before the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) on matters involving public utilities, electricity, water and wastewater, renewable energy, energy efficiency, gas and telecommunications matters including rate cases, rulemakings, financings, line sitings, service area extensions, formal complaints and various ACC proceedings addressing polic...
Mr. Smith has a broad-based practice with emphasis in antitrust, business, healthcare, utility and telecommunications law. His extensive experience includes handling trial and appellate work in state and federal courts as well as regulatory, transactional and legislative assignments for clients in each of these sectors. Mr. Smith has more than forty years’ experience in assisting individuals and business clients with all aspects of their legal representation. He serves as outside counse...
Chris Bowles is co-chair of Bradley’s Solar Energy Practice Group. He is an energy and economic development attorney practicing out of Bradley’s Nashville office. Chris regularly advises clients on the development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects, with an emphasis on renewable energy sources, helping them negotiate contracts and manage risk in each stage of a project’s development, including the real estate, tax and regulatory aspects of development and pr...
Demarcus Gordon is a partner in the Oil and Gas/Energy and Environmental Litigation sections and specializes in litigation involving the oil and gas industry. He has experience representing clients in cases involving premises liability and personal injury, particularly in cases involving chemical exposures such as asbestos, benzene, or naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). Mr. Gordon also defends oil and gas exploration and production companies in legacy litigation by landowners a...
Elisabeth Yandell McNeil is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Energy Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Elisabeth Yandell, who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elisabeth Yandell is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Alexander J. Bandza is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law. Alexander J., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alexander J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.