Legal Elite 2023: Administrative/Government/Legislative Q&A

Title: Partner

Legal specialties: My practice is representing electric and gas utilities before state utility commissions.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Virginia; law degree, University of Richmond

Family: I am an empty nester with three adult children — Maya, Rowen and Alka (aka the lights of my life). My father and sister and her family also live nearby, and we are very close.

Career mentors: I have been blessed to have three great mentors who have seen me through my legal career and are still guiding me. Jimmy Dimitri and Judy Jagdmann, both from our time at the State Corporation Commission in the Office of General Counsel. They both served as judges at the SCC but within the bounds of judicial ethics were still able to be my career mentors. And the third is Stephen Watts, my retired law partner. These three people have taught me so many things but mainly grace under pressure, incredible work ethic and the highest integrity.

Hobbies: Yoga, cooking and endless home improvement projects. I do love live music and singing like no one can hear me (i.e., badly).

How would Virginia’s withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative affect the state’s utility companies? Virginia’s withdrawal from RGGI would not alter the commonwealth’s policy objectives and requirements for state utilities to move to carbon-free generation. The Virginia Clean Economy Act requires electric utilities like Dominion Energy Virginia to develop substantial new solar and wind generating resources, and to participate in a mandatory renewable energy portfolio standard program, which increasingly requires that electric energy needs be met from renewable resources — reaching 100% in 2045. For utility customers, exiting RGGI will mean that customers will not have to bear the additional costs associated with the purchase of emissions allowances, while still receiving an increasing amount of their electricity from renewable generation resources.

Check out the rest of the 2023 Legal Elite.