Fox Rothschild welcomes Karen Kemerait back to its Raleigh, NC office, as of January 20, as a Partner in the Energy & Natural Resources Practice Group following her tenure as the Chair and as a Commissioner of the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

Kemerait served on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Federal-State Collaborative and the board of the Organization of PJM States (OPSI), and was a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

“Karen’s experiences have provided her with valuable insight into regulatory process and policymaking and a wealth of contacts nationwide that will greatly benefit our clients,” said Brad Risinger, Managing Partner of Fox’s Raleigh office. “As we know from her previous time with Fox, Karen’s collaborative approach and reputation for building consensus among stakeholders make her a trusted adviser in high-stakes matters involving energy, utilities and infrastructure.”

Before joining the Utilities Commission in 2022, Kemerait represented numerous independent power producers, solar and renewable energy developers, privately owned and municipal water and wastewater utilities, natural gas companies, and telecommunications providers in regulatory matters as well as in the permitting, purchase, sale and construction of facilities. Looking ahead, Kemerait will focus her practice in the areas of energy, utilities and water/wastewater policy across Fox’s nationwide footprint as well as on federal issues affecting these industries.

“With rapidly rising electricity demand, technological advances and evolving market dynamics, our clients need and expect increasingly in-depth knowledge and understanding of the utilities sector and regulatory decisions that affect their business plans,” noted Gray Styers, Co-chair of Fox’s Energy and Natural Resources Practice Group. “Our practice is rapidly growing, and Karen’s addition will help accommodate that growth and enhance the depth and breadth of our skills and knowledge to represent our clients not only locally but also nationally.”

“It has been an honor to serve on the Utilities Commission,” Kemerait said, “I am looking forward to rejoining Fox and helping clients navigate complex regulatory and business issues to provide the safe, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy and utility services upon which our country’s economy depends.”