William L. Massey

Partner

wmassey@cov.com
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Covington & Burling LLP
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2401
Tel: 202.662.5322


 

Practices

Industries

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., 1985
  • University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Leflar Law Center, J.D., 1973

Judicial Clerkship

  • Hon. Richard S. Arnold, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1978-1980

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Arkansas


William Massey has a broad-based energy regulatory and government affairs practice in the Washington, DC office.  He has extensive experience with regulatory issues before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and with energy legislative matters before Congress and state general assemblies.  Most recently, he served as Commissioner at FERC for more than ten years.  Mr. Massey advises investment firms, utilities, independent power producers, pipelines, project developers, customers, marketers and energy companies on a wide variety of energy matters including mergers and acquisitions, market structure, competition policy, transmission and infrastructure investment, enforcement and investigations, and legislative strategy.

Drawing on over 25 years as a Washington insider and counselor, Mr. Massey understands the intersection of policy, legislation and regulation.  He offers a highly effective combination of strategic, legal and policy skills to his clients.  He practices successful regulatory and legislative advocacy in Washington and in state capitals.

Representative Matters

  • KKR and TPG in obtaining FERC approval to acquire TXU Corp. in the largest leverage buyout in US history.
  • Seven major energy associations (EEI, NGSA, AGA, IPAA, EPSA, INGAA, and PGC) in preparing and presenting a FERC Enforcement White Paper evaluating the implementation of FERC enforcement policy.
  • PSEG in obtaining a favorable FERC Declaratory Order with respect to the Cross Hudson Project.
  • A major energy company in a formal investigation by FERC in connection with alleged market manipulation, and a number of other energy companies in non-public and internal investigations.
  • COMPETE, a coalition of major electricity market participants, including Exelon, Constellation Energy Group, Sempra, Reliant, TXU, PPL, PSEG, Safeway, and Wal-Mart on legislative and policy matters related to electricity competition.
  • Texas Genco in obtaining FERC approval to sell $5.4 billion in generation assets to NRG.

Previous Experience

  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Commissioner (1993-2003)
  • U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers (D-Ark), Chief Counsel (1980-1989)
  • Central Arkansas Legal Services, Executive Director (1976-78)

Honors and Rankings

  • Chambers, Energy/Electricity (2008-2011)
  • Chambers, Energy/Oil & Gas (2009-2011)
  • Best Lawyers in America, Energy (2007-2012)
  • Washington D.C. Super Lawyer, Energy & Natural Resources (2010)
  • Recognized by the Legal 500 US for Energy (2010).

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Georgetown University Law Center, Adjunct Professor of Law
  • Energy Bar Association, Board of Directors (since 2005)
  • American Bar Association, Section on Public Utility, Communications, and Transportation (since 2000)

Publications and Speeches

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