Washington, D.C.
Joel Zipp, a lawyer in Orrick’s Washington, D.C.,
office, is a member of the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure group with 40 years of experience in the energy industry. Joel
advises a range of clients on energy market and regulation matters, including pipelines and shippers, on energy
transactions, energy project development, the acquisition of energy assets and
capacity.
He has extensive
experience working with clients on conventional energy projects, such as oil
and gas pipelines and LNG facilities. He has also advised on electric
transmission matters and renewable energy issues. Prior to entering private
practice, Joel served as an attorney in the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission's (FERC) Office of General Counsel, where he worked on large-scale
energy projects such as LNG and coal gasification. He was also assistant
director in its first Office of Enforcement, and a past president of the Energy
Bar Association.
Joel advises and
represents investors on federal and state energy regulatory and transactional
matters surrounding the acquisition and construction of assets totaling
billions of dollars in value. Joel has been general counsel, secretary, and
project counsel for several joint venture interstate pipeline projects,
including "greenfield" projects. He has been responsible for all
legal aspects of joint venture and other pipeline projects from inception to
commercial operation. In some cases, he served as part of the senior management
team involved in all business issues and strategic decision-making.
In addition, Joel has
advised on a range of rate and regulatory matters relating to electric energy
markets administered by independent system operators (ISOs), including:
representation before the FERC and as a voting representative for a client, at New York and New England ISOs management
committee and subcommittee meetings; representation before NEPOOL and
litigation before the NEPOOL Review Board; litigation on energy market prices
in ISO administered markets; electric transmission access and pricing; and RTO
formation.
His representation
includes negotiating and drafting project agreements such as: construction,
operation and maintenance and joint ownership agreements; the terms and
conditions of FERC electric and gas tariffs; undivided ownership interests;
precedent agreements and transportation contracts; and interconnection
agreements. He also has been responsible for project financing, permitting,
environmental review and right-of-way acquisition.
Joel also has broad
experience working with local distribution companies,
interstate and intrastate pipelines, midstream companies and end users on the
full range of rate and certificate proceedings before the FERC, and has
assisted European clients seeking to acquire ownership of and capacity in
U.S.-based LNG terminal and related pipeline facilities. His experience in
these matters includes: the heads-of agreement, LNG supply agreement, terminal
use agreement, interconnection agreement and downstream transportation
arrangements. He also negotiated a landmark ground lease for a LNG terminal
host site and pipeline on publicly-owned land.
