Perkins Coie Grows Environmental Practice

SAN FRANCISCO (March 6, 2013) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that James W. McTarnaghan has joined the firm’s San Francisco office as a Partner in the Environment, Energy & Resources Practice Group.  His clients include companies in the traditional energy, renewable energy and communications industries, as well as California-based municipalities and public agencies.  McTarnaghan was most recently a partner at Duane Morris LLP.

“Jim’s practice is a perfect fit with our California Environment, Energy & Resources Practice,” said Barbara Schussman, Office Managing Partner of Perkins Coie’s San Francisco office.  “California has extremely complex environmental and energy regulations.  Much of Jim’s extensive experience has been in energy and telecommunications matters before the California Public Utilities Commission, involving utility ratemaking, rulemaking, adjudicatory proceedings and a wide variety of applications seeking governmental approvals.  He’s also represented renewable energy clients on transmission corridor issues, federal and state incentive programs, and other matters.  Jim’s practice will benefit our clients enormously.”

McTarnaghan earned his J.D., with honors, from the George Washington University National Law Center and his B.A., magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at Albany.  He previously served as President of the California Conference of Public Utility Counsel and as Co-Chair of the Northern California chapter of the Federal Communications Bar Association. 

Perkins Coie’s Environment, Energy & Resources Practice assists government agency and private clients nationwide.  For more than 60 years, the firm has had an active energy law practice representing investor-owned utilities, renewable energy developers, and a variety of power producers.  With 80+ attorneys focused on environmental, energy and resources matters, Perkins Coie is widely recognized for its breadth, depth, experience and capability.

About Perkins Coie:  Founded in 1912, Perkins Coie has more than 900 lawyers in 19 offices across the United States and Asia.  We provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation and intellectual property legal services to a broad range of clients from FORTUNE 50 corporations to small, independent start-ups, as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.  For more information, please visit www.perkinscoie.com.