Never has there been a more complex time in the US energy regulatory regime. This program will be an interactive discussion among in-house counsel at companies in energy (energy companies, hedge funds, banks), addressing the best practices, lessons learned and current challenges when complying with Dodd-Frank.
This panel will walk through various real-world emergency scenarios and hypotheticals with help from audience members. Organized around three main phases – preparation, immediate response and aftermath – the program will teach you how to anticipate, recognize and respond in accelerated and stressful circumstances to the multifaceted environmental, health and safety legal risks of various emergency situations – particularly when time may not permit a call to outside counsel or other company lawyers.
Leverage your partnership skills with the business and bring legal strategies to use sustainability for cost savings or profit. Panelists will discuss their experience with transactions such as water reuse efforts, solar rooftops, clean energy fleet services, becoming your own utility, public–private partnerships, power purchase agreements using clean energy brokers, reduction in inventory packaging, wrapping and disposal. Materials will include US Securities and Exchange Commission disclosures of sustainability efforts, sample contracts and case studies.
The United States is one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of energy, as well as one of its hungriest consumers. As the third largest industry in the United States, energy consists of many subgroups with interests, opportunities and agendas that both align and divide. This unique debate-style panel will bring together representatives of different facets of the energy industry, including industry players, environmentalists, consumers and lawmakers, who will discuss and debate some of the major issues facing the industry in the 21st century.
Motor vehicles are substantial sources of pollutants that cause smog and contribute to climate change. Taking a cue from California, which has always been at the forefront of fuel regulations, this interactive session will review the current rules affecting mobile sources, particularly transportation fuels. Faculty will then examine the various business risks and opportunities presented by alternative fuels programs and advanced vehicle technology programs. How are low carbon fuel standards credits different from renewable identification numbers? Are fuel cell vehicles the same as electric vehicles? How can companies take advantage of these rules and programs?
In October 2013, for the first time in twenty years, the United States produced more crude oil than it imported. US oil and gas production is evolving rapidly. The prospect of an energy- independent United States will dramatically reshape domestic and foreign energy industries and reposition the United States as an energy exporter rather than an importer. This session will equip you to advise clients on the major regulatory developments emerging from this significant transformation, including regulations regarding shale oil and gas production, transportation and storage and liquified natural gas storage and export. The session will also touch on US and global views from a policy perspective, including the longer term implications for US energy policy and international trade and foreign policy—particularly considering recent developments in the Middle East.
This is an interactive session focused on the fundamentals of energy law. Geared toward the non-energy lawyer, this session will walk through basic energy concepts, standard energy contracts and trends in energy law as they affect non-energy companies. The session will end with a mock contract negotiation and discussion of best practices.
Regulatory compliance continues to be a key issue for US energy companies. With an ever-changing regulatory landscape and stepped-up enforcement in some areas, it is more important than ever for in-house counsel to ensure proactive compliance with the various regulations governing the energy industry. This panel will provide timely updates, best practices, and advice from the experts on North American Electric Reliability Corporation, US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and US Commodity Futures Trading Commission compliance.
Companies must compete globally today, and international joint ventures (IJV) or consortium agreements (project joint ventures, PJVs) are a complex and necessary part of this business. They aid companies in forming strategic alliances that allow them to gain access to a partner’ s essential local markets, resources, expertise and technology. They also bring substantial risk, including significant economic and compliance risk. This session will prepare in-house counsel to advise on the pros and cons of JVs and PJVs, including geographic, cultural, economic and compliance considerations, and review the basic elements of JV and consortium agreements with an eye to maximizing the value and mitigating the risks. Panelists will cite real-life examples to illustrate how to structure, negotiate and manage these types of agreements for international projects.