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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.


Louis Sey Zimmerman, Louis Zimmerman, Sey Zimmerman, Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., Fulbright & Jaworski, Fulbright and Jaworski, Fulbright, citizen suits, environmental litigation, electric utility regulation, electric energy sales, independent power projects, Public Utility Commission, deregulation, investor-owned utility, project development, project finance, regulatory issues, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, environmental enforcement, private party, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, environmental indemnity agreement, Austin
Louis Sey Zimmerman - Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
Louis Sey Zimmerman
Partner
D: +1 512 536 4552
Austin
600 Congress Avenue
Suite 2400
Austin, TX 78701-2978
T: +1 512 474 5201
F: +1 512 536 4598
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
  • Electric Industry Regulation
  • Energy Contract Litigation
  • Environmental Aspects of Business Transactions
EXPERIENCE

Sey Zimmerman enjoys an active administrative law practice emphasizing litigation, with particular focus on environmental aspects of the law, as well as energy-related matters.  

Sey has been a partner with Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. since 1983 and is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Alternative Energy Practice Group. He has devoted significant time to the firm’s Texas’ offices, as well as the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, where he currently practices.

Sey is actively involved in matters involving the regulation of electric energy sales and the development and financing of independent power projects. He has regularly appeared before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (“PUCT”) and has been very involved in PUCT proceedings related to the deregulation of the electric industry in Texas. Sey also has represented clients in contested matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC"), and has also represented defendants and a plaintiff in a high-profile citizen suit under various federal environmental laws.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Sey has handled significant matters in the Energy law area and in the Environmental law area. Sey's representative experience in the Energy area includes: 

  • Representation of an investor-owned utility during its transition to a deregulated market.
  • Representation of investor-owned utilities during mergers.
  • Representation of municipally-owned utilities before the FERC.
  • Representation of independent power producers, including alternative energy producers, on various regulatory and contracting issues.
  • Representation of utilities in significant litigation over electric contracts and fuel supply contracts. 

Sey's representative experience in the Environmental area includes: 

  • The defense of citizen suits under the Federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, including arguing three cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
  • Defense of claims assessing property damage from alleged subsurface contamination.
  • Representation concerning enforcement of rights under indemnity agreements and agreements for contamination remediation.
  • Evaluating and negotiating the environmental and risk allocation provisions of transactions involving the purchase, sale and merger of corporations, both internationally and domestically.  
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS
  • American Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • State Bar of Texas
PROFESSIONAL HONORS
  • Best Lawyers In America
PUBLICATIONS

Sey is a contributing author of the Texas Environmental Law Handbook and has written a variety of publications on environmental law topics, including: 

  • "Environmental Issues in Sales Transactions: The Seller's Perspective"
  • "Natural Resources & Environment and the U.S. EPA Moves to Protect Financial Institutions from Superfund Liabilities in Environmental Law," Journal of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association
  • "EPA Adopts Controversial New Rules on Lender Liability," Natural Resources & Environment, 1992
SPEECHES

Sey is a frequent speaker on a number of topics, including electric utility deregulation, governmental enforcement of environmental laws (criminal and civil), compensation for governmental takings, and allocation of environmental risks in business transactions. His speeches include: 

  •  “Deregulation in the Texas Power Market,” Canadian Corporate Counsel Association meeting, 2003
  • “The Nooks and Crannies of the Energy Policy Act of 2005,” Houston Federal Bar Association, 2005
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

1974 - J.D., The University of Texas
1971 - B.A., Williams College

Sey was a law clerk for Judge Owen Cox of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  He is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Administrative Law.

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
  • Williams College Alumni Fund, Chair (2005-2007)
  • Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, Former President
  • St. David’s Episcopal Church of Austin, Texas, Former Senior Warden






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