ABOUT ATTORNEY LINDA WILLIAMS

My sole practitioner private practice emphasizes energy, consumer and regulatory issues and all aspects of representation, including civil trial and appeals. Since 1999 I have been "of counsel" to Kafoury & McDougal where I emphasize First Amendment law and federal and state appellate work. I have recently developed a specialty in counseling nonprofit advocacy groups on federal and state tax law and campaign and election laws. I am especially interested in defending citizen activists from "SLAPP" suits-Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation. Developers and political opponents sue citizens for speaking out on controversial public issues and chill democracy. These suits are misuse of the legal system. Citizens can fight back, and can sting the wrongdoers where it hurts-the pocketbook.

STATE REGULATORY PROCEEDINGS AND RELATED LITIGATION.

Since 1980 I have represented electricity ratepayers, telephone customers and public interest groups, and others in over 200 proceedings before federal agencies and the Oregon, Washington, and Idaho utility commissions (OPUC, WUTC and IPUC), and in subsequent litigation against the utilities and the regulatory agencies. Utility proceedings are conducted under formal trial-like rules and usually require detailed analysis of complex financial transactions and briefing on legal and economic issues.

I have engaged in hundreds of hours of research and drafting of local legislation on environmental (primarily air, clean water, and economic development concerns) throughout Western Oregon and Washington . In this capacity I handled legal work and worked with expert witnesses in the 1989-92 proceedings on dioxin levels in the Willamette and Columbia Rivers , Oregon DEQ rulemaking and contested cases, a proceeding involving the Potlatch mine in Idaho on the Snake, and the resulting US EPA rulemakings. I have also appeared before the Washington Shoreline Hearings Board, Washington Energy Facility Siting Council, Oregon Water Resources Board, Oregon Office of Energy, Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council, and a number of county and municipal land use authorities.

I have appeared in Oregon and Washington state courts numerous times at trial, hearings on motion practice, special writs, special review and injunctive matters and been lead counsel in briefing and arguing fifteen appeals to the Oregon Court of Appeals, with several appearances before the Oregon Supreme Court (special review proceedings), and one appeal to the Washington Supreme Court.

FEDERAL FORUM ENVIRONMENTAL LAW.

I am experienced in federal administrative agency proceedings (Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Bonneville Power Administration), and civil cases in federal district court. I have undertaken all aspects of trial and discovery, numerous appeals to the Ninth Circuit (under regular and special Northwest Regional Power and Conservation Act rules), and have prepared two writs for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

I have appeared in numerous federal district court proceedings and been awarded attorneys' fees under various civil rights and federal forum statutes.

MUNICIPAL LAW.

I represented the Central Oregon Peoples' Utility District (1987-89) as general counsel until its winding-down; represented the Emerald Peoples Utility District on matters relating to nuclear plant decommission costs in Bonneville Power rates and on federal Freedom of Information Act requests; and currently represent the Interlachen Peoples Utility District. Representing these clients requires knowledge of laws regarding municipal bonding and budgeting, elections, public contracting, open meetings and related matters, in addition to the substantive regulatory law.

NONADVERSARIAL REPRESENTATION

CREATIVE STRUCTURED SETTLEMENT.

In 1985 and in 1992, attorney Daniel Meek and I were lead counsel for several consumer and environmental groups in the settlement of complex ratecases with (1) Portland General Electric Co., and later, (2) Pacific Power & Light Co. The PGE settlement resulted in $14 million o rate reductions during the winter heating season and a $500,000 donation to the Sierra Club Foundation for programs in Oregon . The PP&L settlement included a low-income weatherization program paid for by the company; $2 million dollars in seed money to start a community development bank, now known as the Albina Community Bank; forbearance on company claims to $162 million dollars; $1 million in matching funds for the Portland "I Have a Dream Foundation" to sponsor hundreds of college scholarships within the PP&L service territory; $500,000 for water quality, land use and renewable resource programs in Oregon; and a $400,000 donation to Oregon Legal Services for rural program support. Settlement negotiations required an intensive 2-year period seeking creative solutions and gathering community support for settlement options.

 OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.

In 1987-88, Daniel Meek and I incorporated, and served as special general counsel to the Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative during its inception. We negotiated the $41.5 million purchase of the CP National Corporation's distribution system in eastern Oregon , which serves 70,000 people. The core group for the citizen buyout came from the low income consumers I represented in the proceeding before the Oregon Public Utility to stop the sale of the utility to Idaho Power. Oregon Trail became Oregon 's largest electric cooperative when it began operating in October 1988, with $30 million annual revenue. It was the first new electric cooperative formed in the United States in decades and has proved to be a stable electricity provider with affordable rates.

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