Locke Lord Energy Lawyers Exit for Sheppard Mullin Before Merger

Two Locke Lord energy regulatory lawyers have left the firm as it finalizes a merger with Troutman Pepper.

Jennifer Brough, a Locke Lord partner, and Bruce Grabow, a senior counsel there, both started Aug. 19 at Sheppard Mullin’s San Francisco and Washington DC offices as partners.

The moves close out their 17-year and 15-year tenures at Locke Lord. Their practices focus on counseling renewable energy clients on regulatory compliance.

The departures follow a handful of lawyer exits from Locke Lord this year as the firm negotiates a combination with Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders. Chicago-based private equity partner Michael Wilson left for Sheppard Mullin in April, and energy regulatory partner Carrie Collier-Brown left for Husch Blackwell in May.

Locke Lord and Troutman Pepper confirmed in April they were discussing a tie up, which would result in a combined operation of more than 1,600 lawyers and revenue of more than $1.5 billion.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton announced its two new additions Wednesday. Growth of the renewable energy team is “a key strategic goal,” firm chair Luca Salvi said.

The nation’s transition to a renewable energy portfolio drives demand in their practices due to state mandates and retirement of old energy operations, Grabow and Brough said.

The pair guide developers and operators of renewable energy in regulatory matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. Several clients have approved the transfer of their matters to Sheppard Mullin, while others are already represented by colleagues at the firm, Grabow and Brough said.

Sheppard Mullin’s geographic footprint offers strength in jurisdictions critical for clients engaged in interstate projects, Brough said.

“Some of Sheppard Mullins’ California renewable energy attorneys work on deals that require opinions on FERC matters. They’ve been having to outsource those matters to other firms,” she said. “When I came in on Monday, I had people coming in and saying, ‘Can you handle this?’”

A representative for Locke Lord said in an email, “Jennifer and Bruce are longtime colleagues, and we wish them well in their new endeavors.”