Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP announced today that Debrea M. Terwilliger has rejoined the firm as a partner after nearly seven years of government service at the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN). Ms. Terwilliger will focus primarily on advising clients on energy and state regulatory matters from the firm’s Denver, Colorado office. She was an associate in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, but left in 2006 to move to Nevada, serving as Assistant Staff Counsel and as Administrative Attorney for the PUCN General Counsel and its Chairman.

During her tenure with the PUCN, Ms. Terwilliger was the lead staff attorney on a variety of large cases, including an electric company rate case; electric company resource plan amendments considering renewable purchase power agreements; two gas distribution company rates cases; and water/sewer company rate cases. Additionally, Ms. Terwilliger was actively involved in and litigated a variety of adjudicatory matters, including enforcement of Nevada’s “Call Before You Dig” laws and federal PHMSA requirements; grants/revocations of eligible telecommunications carrier applications; performance measurement/incentive plans for ILECs; consumer and carrier-to-carrier complaints; and public utility receivership. She also served as lead counsel on several telecom and energy rulemakings, drafted legislation for, and testified before, the Nevada Legislature, and served on the Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

Bryan Tramont, managing partner of Wilkinson Barker, said “We are delighted to welcome Debrea back to the Wilkinson Team. Just as the firm has grown from its telecommunications roots to now offer clients top-notch energy and communications regulatory advice, so too has Debrea. She is a terrific addition to our continued growth in the Denver office and will be a great young leader in the firm.” Ray Gifford, managing partner of the firm’s Denver office, added, “We are thrilled to add Debrea to the energy and state regulatory team. Her experience and understanding of state regulation adds to the depth and breadth of expertise we can bring to our clients.”

“While I thoroughly enjoyed my government service, I am thrilled to be returning to Wilkinson Barker,” Ms. Terwilliger said. “I owe thanks to everyone at the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada for their friendship and collegiality. I learned a great deal there about the state issues affecting the energy and telecom industries, and look forward to applying this knowledge in my work for the firm’s clients.”

Ms. Terwilliger received her law degree, magna cum laude, from the Catholic University of America, where she also earned a Certificate from the Communications Law Institute and was production editor for the Journal of Communications Law and Policy. While in law school, she was an intern in the Common Carrier Bureau (now Wireline Competition Bureau) at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as well as for FCC Commissioner Susan Ness. Prior to law school, Ms. Terwilliger was a newspaper reporter in Indiana and Illinois. She graduated from Indiana University with degrees in Journalism and Political Science.

Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, one of the largest law firms in the nation dedicated primarily to the practice of communications and technology law, is ranked as a “first tier” firm by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers, Chambers USA (Telecom, Broadcast, and Satellite: Regulatory), and Legal 500 (Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory). The firm, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Denver, Colorado, advises clients ranging from global Fortune 100 companies to small start-ups in regulatory, transactional, corporate and litigation matters involving all aspects of communications, media and privacy law, as well as in energy and state regulatory matters. Additional information is at http://www.wbklaw.com.

Ms. Terwilliger is resident in the firm’s Denver, Colorado office and can be reached at (303) 626-2336 and at dterwilliger@wbklaw.com. Additional information about Ms. Terwilliger can be found at http://www.wbklaw.com/Our_team/Debrea_Terwilliger.