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Elizabeth Thomas
Elizabeth Thomas

Elizabeth Thomas

Senior Of Counsel
Seattle
+1.206.370.7631
Email Elizabeth Thomas @ liz.thomas@klgates.com
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Liz Thomas is senior of counsel in the firm's Energy, Infrastructure, and Resources practice. Liz has a national practice, concentrating in a range of matters related to energy and water regulation, transactions and project development. This includes regulatory matters in mergers, asset acquisitions, and other transactions; licensing, re-licensing, and compliance for hydropower facilities; siting, permitting, and development of renewable and traditional energy facilities; conducting litigation involving energy facilities, water rights. and rates; and advising clients on public policy issues.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Law Clerk, Hon. A. David Mazzone, United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 1979-1980

  • Recognized by Chambers USA as Band 1 for Energy & Natural Resources in Washington, 2021-2024
  • Recipient of “Lawyer of the Year” award in Energy Law by The Best Lawyers in America®, 2012
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Energy Law, 2009-2021
  • Named to the Super Lawyers list, 2010-2021
  • Member, Clean Energy Transition Institute Board of Directors, 2020-present
  • Past Member, Legal Foundation of Washington Board of Trustees (appointed by Washington State Supreme Court), 2011-2014; President, 2014 
  • Past member Climate Solutions Board of Directors, 2005-2010
  • Chair, Energy Facility Siting Process Review Committee, 1993-1994
  • “Shorting Carbon: Innovation in Climate Solutions,” Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition annual conference, 15 September 2020
  • “Is Nuclear Energy the Key to our Carbon Goals?,” Clean Tech Alliance Debate Series, 13 August 2020
  • “New horizons in corporate energy sourcing: Life—and pain points—on the cutting edge,” presented at Women in Power Conference, May 2017
  • “New Regional Energy Needs: The Promise of Pumped Hydropower Storage,” presented at Hydropower in the Northwest Conference, October 2014
  • “The Business of Renewable Energy - Integrating Intermittent Resources,” presented at Washington Future Energy Conference, November 2012
  • “Looking Past Coal,” presented at Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition annual conference, September 2012
  • “News from the Intersection of GMA and Water Rights: Kittitas County v. EWGMHB,” presented at 20th Annual Conference on Growth Management and Land Use, LSI, November 2011 
  • “Bridging the Gap between Early and Late-Stage Financing,” presented at Midwest Cleantech 2010 Conference, 14 September 2010
  • “Implications of Greenhouse Gas Regulation by EPA, Congress and States for Public Power in the Pacific Northwest,” presented at Washington Society of Municipal and PUD Attorneys, 2 December 2009
Additional Thought Leadership Pages
  • Co-author, “Living With Uncertainty: Hydroelectric Operations Now and in the Future,” AWRA Spring Specialty Conference, 18-20 April 2011
  • “Unlocking Regulatory Barriers to Sustainable Energy Systems,” Nat. Resources & Env’t, Fall 2004
  • “The Temperature’s Rising: Business Law Considerations for Greenhouse Gas Regulation,” Nat. Resources & Env’t, Fall 2004
Additional News & Event Pages
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