Covington & Burling has snagged a high-level energy regulatory lawyer from competitor Davis Wright Tremaine.
Mark Perlis joins Covington’s Washington office as of counsel. Perlis handles regulatory compliance matters for independent power producers and utilities. He has represented clients before the U.S. Department of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission, and other regulatory bodies.
“Part of what drew me to this firm was the opportunity to work with former FERC Commissioner, Bill Massey. He and I share an interest and longstanding experience in representing energy producers and marketers on FERC enforcement and compliance matters. Covington has built a strong platform from which to advise energy companies on implementing effective compliance programs,” Perlis told IFLR1000.
“More broadly, Covington is at the forefront of representing energy companies interested in preserving and improving competitive wholesale electricity markets, in California, where much of my practice has focused, as well as in other regional markets throughout the country,” he added.
Perlis sees the intersection of federal and state regulation growing increasingly important as the electric industry adapts to a number of different factors. Paramount among these are climate change regulations and a push for enhanced efficiency. In Perlis's view, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan and its restructuring of the industry are likely to have a long-term impact on electricity regulations and markets.
Perlis earned his law degree at Harvard Law School and his bachelor’s degree at Yale University.