Biography

Patrick R. Cowlishaw conducts a complex business litigation and regulatory practice, primarily involving energy and utility matters. Mr. Cowlishaw litigates commercial and regulatory disputes in state and federal courts in and around Texas. He regularly appears before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), where he serves as trial counsel in significant contested proceedings and counsels clients on strategic, enforcement and compliance matters, and he assists clients in the stakeholder process and other matters at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Texas Reliability Entity. Mr. Cowlishaw offers deep experience in addressing the mix of economic and technical issues, as well as legal, that are central to success in fast-changing regulatory and industry environments, and in presenting those issues within the confines of agency hearing room, courtroom, or across the bargaining table.

Mr. Cowlishaw's recent experience before the Texas Commission includes first-chair representation of a transmission and distribution utility, a major wind power developer and renewable energy company, and other industry clients in a wide variety of contested matters, including: transmission and distribution utility base rate cases; proceedings to review an advanced metering deployment plan and establish related surcharges; proceedings to designate Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) to foster renewable energy development, to select a major transmission improvement plan to connect CREZ zones and load centers, and to establish financial commitment to renewable energy development in the Panhandle; complaint proceedings challenging ERCOT protocol revisions revising reactive power requirements for wind power projects; and rulemaking proceedings regarding periodic rate adjustments, energy efficiency, and the CREZ process. Mr. Cowlishaw is equally at home presenting these matters in judicial review proceedings.

Mr. Cowlishaw's experience includes complex regulatory proceedings to work through restructuring electric utility and telecommunications markets from traditional monopoly regulation to competition. He served as one of the lead trial attorneys for a Texas-based utility in prudence reviews of nuclear power plant investment and long-term purchased power contracts. Mr. Cowlishaw also has counseled and represented energy industry clients and others in environmental law regulatory matters, including all phases of the Superfund process.

Mr. Cowlishaw's litigation practice includes representation of energy clients and others in a broad range of commercial and financial disputes, oil and gas, antitrust, and environmental matters. Recently he has resolved breach of contract and fraud cases for oil and gas clients, and obtained summary judgment for an oil and gas client on implied partnership claims related to a high-value Barnett Shale transaction. He recently served as Special Master to decide technical discovery disputes in a federal breach of contract suit between telecommunications providers.

Mr. Cowlishaw also is proud to serve as Jackson Walker's General Counsel.

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Organization Membership

Mr. Cowlishaw is treasurer and a director of the Lake Highlands Family YMCA. He is a past director and president of Legal Services of North Texas, the primary organization in the greater Dallas area providing legal services to low-income persons. He is a member of the Highland Park United Methodist Church, where he has served on the Administrative Board and chaired the Work Area on Religion and Race. He is also a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.

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Peer Recognition

Mr. Cowlishaw is included in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business under Energy: State and Regulatory & Litigation (Texas) and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America under Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental (2012). The Public Utility Commission of Texas has recognized Mr. Cowlishaw "for meritorious service to the people of Texas" in connection with the proceeding over SBC's application to enter the long distance business, citing his technical subject matter expertise in telecommunications matters.

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Speeches / Publications

Mr. Cowlishaw is the author of the following:

Links to Publications

• Coming Up: Energy Series - Are We Prepared for Another Energy Shortage?
• Coming Up: On the Road with Alternative Fuels
• Wind Power and the CREZ Case: What's Decided, What's Not, What's Next
• Congress Considers Proposal to Make "Net Neutrality" a Clayton Act Requirement
• FCC, DOJ Approve SBC/AT&T, Verizon/MCI Mergers With Limited Conditions, Finding Few Competitive Concerns
• A Local Telephone Service Primer: Regulating the Path to Competition

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Latest News

• Coming Up - Texas' Energy Future: Challenges and Opportunities
• Jackson Walker Congratulates Its Best Lawyers in America
• Pat Cowlishaw Speaks on Alternative Fuels
• Jackson Walker Congratulates its Chambers-Ranked Partners and Practice Groups
• Pat Cowlishaw Moderates Energy Efficiency Conference
• Pat Cowlishaw Will Moderate North Dallas Chamber of Commerce's Energy Forum
• Jackson Walker Congratulates Its Best Lawyers in America
• Jackson Walker Congratulates Its Best Lawyers in America

More about Patrick R. Cowlishaw: Biography | Involvement | Recognition | Speeches / Publications |