Bruce J. Barnard has extensive experience practicing energy law, including state and federal energy regulation and energy-related transactions and litigation.

The primary focus of Mr. Barnard's practice is the representation of electric utilities before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He has participated in all aspects of administrative proceedings before FERC involving traditional rate and licensing issues, rate and transmission tariffs, wholesale power sales, coordination agreements, requests for transmission service and approval of mergers and acquisition of utility assets. He has defended clients against allegations of anticompetitive conduct, price squeeze, predatory and discriminatory pricing, open-access violations and other compliance issues. He has also prosecuted and defended appeals of FERC administrative decisions to the DC Circuit and has counseled clients on the FERC regulatory implications of mergers, acquisitions and corporate reorganizations.

In 1998, Mr. Barnard retired as a lieutenant colonel after a 21-year career as an Air Force Judge Advocate, during which he practiced extensively in the areas of energy, government contracts and litigation.

• Led and managed all Air Force aspects of the GUNSHIP litigation in the Court of Federal Claims from 1995-1998, which involved litigation of over $600 million of contractor claims.
• Served as the Deputy Chief for the Air Force's Peace Shield litigation of over $2 billion in contractor and government claims, the largest case in Air Force history.
• Successfully obtained approval of a petition for Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval of transfer of nuclear licenses.
• Participated in large merger and acquisition actions involving both the merger of two domestic utilities and the acquisition of a domestic public utility holding company by a foreign utility.