Regulatory Turnarounds

The relationship between a regulated company and its regulator is as important as it is complex. The regulated company must meet the regulator’s expectations to deliver safe and reliable service efficiently and at a reasonable cost to customers. When the regulatory relationship breaks down, the utility must focus on mending the relationship and gaining back the regulator’s hard-earned trust. These disruptions in the relationship are particularly challenging when they involve concerns that the company has failed to place sufficient emphasis on public safety, accuracy of billing, cost of service, or service reliability.

We have a proven track record of helping public utilities mend relationships with their regulators and customers. Applying our deep understanding of the regulatory process and the complexities of the relationship among the company, the regulator and the customer, we work closely with clients to develop creative and consistent opportunities for the company to earn back trust and good will in their regulatory relationships.

When the issues involve safety, operational or reliability issues, our engineering background allows us to quickly understand issues that other counsel fail to comprehend in ways that are beneficial to the client. Our approach often combines the legal and the technical perspective to allow the client’s message to be understood clearly by a broad range of audiences focused on public safety and utility regulation.