Thomas DeBray and Nick Brown Present Electric Utility Litigation Update at S.E.E. Claims Section Meeting

Thomas DeBray and Nick Brown, members of the firm’s Litigation Practice, presented the “Recent Updates in Electric Utility Litigation” report at the Southeastern Electric Exchange (S.E.E) Claims Section Meeting held March 10–12, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky.

S.E.E. is a nonprofit trade association supporting the electric utility industry through collaboration, best practices, and shared expertise.

Thomas and Nick’s presentation highlighted key electric utility litigation developments from March 2025 through February 2026, including cases addressing negligence, easement disputes, contractor liability, regulatory jurisdiction, and wildfire-related claims. Drawing on decisions from courts across multiple states, Thoams and Nick examined how recent rulings are shaping utilities’ responsibilities related to maintenance practices, safety procedures, and interactions with contractors and landowners.

They also discussed the evolving boundary between regulatory oversight and court jurisdiction, noting that many disputes involving private property rights or nuanced negligence claims continue to be resolved in traditional courts rather than before public utility commissions. The session emphasized the importance of documentation, regulatory compliance, and clear internal procedures, as many recent rulings have turned on whether utilities followed established protocols and maintained adequate records.

Thomas is a partner in the firm’s Birmingham office. He maintains a diverse civil litigation practice, handling cases involving property damage or disputes, defending alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, wrongful death and personal injury claims, general business disputes, and defending horse owners and trainers in statutory enforcement proceedings before the United States Department of Agriculture. In addition to his litigation practice, Thomas is also a true “dirt lawyer” and regularly assists and advises clients on a variety of real property matters and issues, including in regard to private and commercial land-use permits, easement agreements, and lease agreements.

Nick is an attorney in the firm’s Birmingham office. He focuses on a variety of civil litigation matters for institutional and private clients. He assists clients during all phases of litigation in both state and federal courts. Before joining Balch, Nicholas was a law clerk for the Honorable Michael Graffeo and Honorable Marshell Jackson Hatcher of the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court of Alabama. Nicholas possesses extensive litigation experience from his previous practice as a plaintiff’s attorney at a firm which focused on arbitration and at a defense firm where he primarily represented clients in the worker’s compensation realm.