Leo E. Manuel

My primary practice area is energy-related regulatory and litigation matters before Federal and State courts and administrative bodies. I have advised in the past and currently represent a wide range of corporate entities including electric, telecommunications, water, and sewer public utilities across the Southeast. I also advise companies in the development, approval, construction and operation of emerging utility-scale energy projects such as solar, wind, battery storage, and clean coal in addition to traditional electric generating technologies. Beyond my energy practice, I also advise small and mid-sized companies in industries such as seafood processing, gaming, construction, and maritime. I have helped clients react to significant events such as Hurricane Katrina and the BP Oil Spill, and assisted in the development and execution of long-term goals such as merger and acquisitions, large capital investments and corporate succession planning.

My educational background in both engineering and business has been invaluable in delivering quality legal services to my clients. I am confident my diverse background has helped me to address complex issues such as long-term service agreements for major equipment or detailed accounting problems presented in corporate disputes or public utility regulatory proceedings.

The “Green Energy Movement” continues to be the single largest disrupter of the energy sector. Greenfield renewable energy projects have emerged as an indispensable part of supplying electricity in America today. Although my practice is nationwide, in Mississippi alone, I have been involved in the development, sale or purchase of over a gigawatt of new renewable energy projects such as biomass, solar, battery storage, and wind. This was not the case even a decade ago. I have also assisted clients on a variety of “clean energy” projects such as federal compliance with alternative fuel regulations; developing and implementing electric vehicle charging programs and rates; and demand-side measures such as energy efficiency programs. Distributed energy, real-time pricing and other customer-centric programs are now a reality through the refinement and wide-availability of cost-effective technology platforms driving these ideas to scale.