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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 Seattle office and member of 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
  • Advising clients on public policy issues
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Law Clerk, Hon. A. David Mazzone, United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 1979-80

  • Chambers and Partners USA - Washington, Energy & Natural Resources, Band 1, 2021
  • Best Lawyers’ 2012 Seattle Energy Law Lawyer of the Year.
  • Named a Best Lawyer in America by Best Lawyers, Energy Law, 2009-2021
  • Name a Super Lawyer, 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 (September 15, 2020)
  • “Is Nuclear Energy the Key to our Carbon Goals?,” Clean Tech Alliance Debate Series, August 13, 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, September 14, 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, December 2, 2009.
Additional Thought Leadership Pages
  • Co-author, “Living With Uncertainty: Hydroelectric Operations Now and in the Future,” AWRA Spring Specialty Conference, April 18-20, 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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