Balch & Bingham Welcomes Energy Industry Veteran David Martin Connelly in Washington, D.C.

Balch & Bingham is pleased to announce that David Martin Connelly has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as partner in the Energy Practice. David has more than 20 years of experience advising electric utilities and their affiliates on legal and policy matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. Court of Appeals. 

“I’m delighted to begin the year by welcoming David to Balch,” said Stan Blanton, managing partner. “David has been recognized throughout his career for his extensive experience in complex energy regulatory matters for investor-owned utilities, and his addition further enhances our energy team’s ability to serve industry participants in a wide variety of markets and transactions.”

David’s practice focuses on electric transmission matters, including open-access transmission service, cost-of-service rates for transmission and ancillary services, incentive transmission rates, generation and transmission interconnection matters, and the provision of wholesale distribution service, both in bilateral and organized markets. David also advises energy companies on transmission and generation interconnection issues associated with renewable development and provides counsel on North American Electric Reliability Cooperation compliance matters, including self-reports, spot checks, formal audits and cybersecurity issues.

“For nearly a century, Balch has been helping energy companies across the U.S. navigate some of their most challenging issues. The knowledge and experience that David brings to the firm will help us continue to meet the needs of our growing client base and deliver on our commitment to provide practical and actionable counsel,” said Dan McCrary, chair of the firm’s Energy Practice. “He is a terrific lawyer with outstanding skills, and I am thrilled to welcome him to Balch.”  

Recognized by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 for his energy regulatory experience, David’s career has spanned both private practice and time as senior counsel at Dominion Energy. He received his J.D. from the University of Baltimore, his M.A. from Towson University and his B.A. from Albright College. David is an active member of the Energy Bar Association, serving as the assistant secretary of the board of directors and serving on the board of directors for the Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association. 

“Balch has an incredibly strong reputation in the energy bar, a deep bench of FERC practitioners, and a commitment to continued growth that made this an excellent opportunity for me,” said David Connelly, partner.  “Balch provides the ideal platform to continue to serve energy clients and grow my practice.”

Balch & Bingham represents a wide range of energy clients including vertically integrated electric utilities, unbundled transmission owners, independent power producers, renewable operators, asset managers, field services companies, developers of next-generation production and energy delivery controls and technologies, financial institutions, private equity firms, and public entities across the U.S. Its work for these clients includes energy regulatory and transactional matters, environmental, project development, transmission service and power market and rate design issues, and related litigation.  For example, the firm has substantial experience in the negotiation of long-term wholesale power and trading contracts and often serves as lead counsel on the commercialization and acquisition of significant renewable projects. Nationally ranked by U.S. News - Best Lawyers^® and Chambers USA, Balch’s Energy Practice includes some the nation’s leading practitioners who are active in all areas of the industry and routinely represent utilities before state public utility commissions, FERC and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.