energy row

​11th Annual Energy Law Symposium

Energy Law Currents: Reconciling Risk and Return

February 2​7-28, 2020
Texas A&M School of Law, Fort Worth, Texas
6 CLE credit hours available

Download Agenda

    

The U.S. energy industry has long grappled with reconciling risk and return for utilities, investors, ratepayers, and other stakeholders. Even the earliest attempts at public regulation of private energy enterprises recognized the constitutional demand for just compensation. More than a century later, these challenges have become more complex and contentious than ever, as illustrated by heated debates over remuneration for distributed solar installations and stranded utility assets.

At the same time, stakeholders across the energy value chain are required to contend with an increasingly diverse portfolio of risks. Ever-changing legal frameworks pose significant regulatory risks while scientific and engineering advances exacerbate technology risks in a fast-evolving marketplace. Climate change, air quality problems, and water scarcity all implicate serious environmental risk. Supply challenges, terrorist threats, and cyber attacks, finally, present fundamental security risks.

The 2020 edition of Texas A&M School of Law’s Energy Law Symposium will explore the complex challenges, novel methodologies, and kaleidoscope of actors involved in striking a sensible balance between risk and return in today’s energy economy.

The annual ​symposium, hosted by the School of Law’s Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resources Systems Law Program, brings together thought-leading academics, industry professionals, city officials and legal practitioners for an in-depth discussion of current and future trends in energy law. The ​symposium continues to expand in size and scope thanks to the School of Law’s diverse and forward-thinking faculty, as well as the ​school’s dedicated partners. Specifically, the Program gratefully acknowledges financial support from XTO Energy and Freeman Mills PC.

We are pleased to offer interested practitioners up to 6 credits of continuing legal education (CLE).

Registration options include one or two day and CLE credit. Current ​students, ​faculty, and ​staff from all educational institutions are welcome to attend the Symposium at no charge, and should be ready to present their academic identification at the registration table upon arrival at the Symposium. All attendees (fee-paying & free) must register.

Panel Topics

  • Clean Energy Technologies – Leveling the Playing Field
  • The Hydrocarbon Industry's Approach to Political and Regulatory Risk
  • Electricity Governance – Toward a New Business Model?
  • Energy Law & Policy in Cross-Disciplinary Context
  • Careers in Energy Law

Keynote Presenters

  • Dan Reicher, Stanford University
  • Skip Alvarado, Alvarado Solutions

Speakers, Panelists, and Moderators

  • Bobby Ahdieh, Dean, Texas A&M School of Law
  • Sanya Carley, University of Indiana
  • James Coleman, Southern Methodist University School of Law
  • Lincoln Davies, Ohio State University College of Law
  • Richard Denne, Texas Christian University (invited)
  • Gabriel Eckstein, Texas A&M School of Law
  • Guillermo Garcia Sanchez, Texas A&M School of Law
  • Bruce Huber, Notre Dame University School of Law
  • Erik Johnston, Daniel Johnston & Co.
  • Kevin Jones, Vermont Law School
  • Lynne Kiesling, Carnegie Melon University
  • Wesley Lloyd, Freeman Mills, PC
  • Joshua Macey, Cornell University
  • Felix Mormann, Texas A&M School of Law
  • Tim Mulvaney, Texas A&M School of Law
  • William Muston, Oncor Electric Delivery
  • John Pollio, XTO
  • Nick Schulz, ExxonMobil (invited)
  • Anastasia Shcherbakova, Texas A&M University
  • Amy Stein, University of Florida College of Law
  • Harry Sullivan, Texas A&M School of Law
  • Joseph Tomain, University of Cincinnati School of Law
  • Amanda Ylitalo, Mediterranean Shipping Co.
  • Patricia Zacharie, Ambit Energy (invited)

Symposium Committee

  • Felix Mormann (Chair)
  • Gabriel Eckstein
  • Guillermo Garcia
  • Wesley Lloyd

   

energy row 2

  

Photo credits (123 RF Stock Photos unless otherwise stated):
Top, L-R: ffennema, lnpdm, zgsxycll, rufous, josefkubes, smereka
Bottom, L-R: Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltechmarrakeshh, surabky, U.S. State Dept. via Wikimedia Commons,​ tomas1111, Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park