Montina M. Cole's practice includes both litigation and legislative initiatives, primarily with respect to electricity industry regulation. Ms. Cole represents clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the courts, local regulators and legislators on Capitol Hill.

Ms. Cole has extensive experience with utility industry restructuring, regional power market and utility holding company issues.

Key practice subject areas include:

• Transmission open access
• Regional transmission organizations
• Utility diversification
• Utility affiliate transactions
• Market power assessments
• Wholesale power costs
• Renewable energy
• Energy efficiency
• Power supply and transmission agreements
• Mergers and acquisitions

Illustrative clients include:

• Regional transmission organization
• Commercial customers
• Consumer-owned utilities
• State and local utility regulators

Experience

• Helped a state regulator effectively navigate complex federal and state jurisdictional issues presented by the convergence of state restructuring efforts, a merger, generation divestiture, market power issues, and plans for a regional transmission organization
• Actively developed energy consumer protection legislation, including coalition-building and legislative strategy
• Assisted local ratepayers with the complex litigation of a FERC utility merger case in which consumers gained protections from the potential adverse consequences of the merger
• Instrumental in obtaining Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) orders favorable to the interests of ratepayers, on behalf of a local regulator, in litigation efforts before the SEC

Publications

"FERC's Proposed Rules Ain't PUHCA or 'Worse,'" The Energy Daily (November 2005)

"Opportunities to Serve: Use Expertise to Contribute Through Projects of the Public Service Task Force," Looking Ahead, American Bar Association (May/June 1999)

Speeches and Presentations

"Accelerating the Winds of Change: Pursuing Opportunities and Combating Obstacles Regarding Wind Energy Development," (Panelist) United States Indian American Chamber of Commerce, Third Annual Convention (September 5, 2007)

"State Regulation After the Repeal of PUHCA," (Panelist) Energy Bar Association 60th Annual Meeting (April 27, 2006)

Previous Experience

Prior to joining Schiff Hardin, Ms. Cole was Of Counsel at Sullivan & Worcester LLP and, earlier, at Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand. She also served as Special Counsel to the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce, advising senior department officials on legal and policy issues, including environmental and international trade matters.

Her legislative and political experience includes past service on the congressional staff of former U.S. Representative Jim Slattery (D-Kansas).