Sherry A. Quirk leads Schiff Hardin's Energy and Public Utilities group. She concentrates in energy law, and her career has included extensive involvement in numerous regulatory, transactional and legislative issues.
She has significant experience representing private utilities, independent system operators, bond insurers, rural electric cooperative and municipal systems, state-level regulators, and independent power developers before FERC, Department of Energy, regional power marketing administrations, the Corps of Engineers, federal courts, various state agencies and before Congress. She also is heavily involved in issues related to the federal power marketing program and in representing clients in energy supply and contracting matters, having negotiated a number of short and long term power supply arrangements totaling billions of dollars.
Experience
- Acts as counsel to an Independent System Operator (ISO) on numerous proceedings related to the development and implementation of regional power markets. Was lead counsel for ISO in a significant proceeding before FERC involving development of the regional capacity market, resulting in the achievement of a successful result for client. Acted as counsel in related court appeals.
- Assists ISO in establishing regional capacity requirements.
- Represents wholesale purchasers of power in proceedings at FERC in which key terms of pricing and service are established, and in wholesale rate proceedings.
- Negotiates significant power supply arrangements for wholesale and retail customers. Key clients include rural electric cooperatives and gaming companies.
- Negotiated a 5-year $600 million power transaction in 2010.
- Represents customers of the Southeastern Power Administration in various legislative and administrative matters.
- Assists developers in the negotiation of contracts with utilities and service providers for the delivery of electricity and other energy services to casinos and associated hotels, retail malls, convention centers, and theatres.
- Represents large retail users in state proceedings.
Previous Experience
Prior to joining Schiff Hardin, Ms. Quirk was a partner at Sullivan and Worcester LLP, and earlier at Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand.
Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Quirk served as a law clerk to administrative law judges at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). She also was employed by the Office of Opinions and Reviews of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, assisting in the formulation and writing of opinions to be issued by FERC.
Awards and Honors
Best Lawyers in America, Energy Law
Martindale-Hubbell — A/V Rated
Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, Energy & Natural Resources (2011)
Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, Top 50 Women Lawyers (2007)