Washington, D.C. – Global law firm K&L Gates LLP has added Ruta Skučas as a partner in the power practice. Skučas joins the Washington, D.C., office from Pierce Atwood LLP and is accompanied by associate Maeve Tibbetts.
 
Skučas focuses her energy practice on electric and natural gas matters, representing clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state and federal entities, including federal courts and state public utility commissions. She has experience counseling generation and transmission developers on project development, as well as companies trading electricity products in the independent system operator (ISO) and regional transmission organization (RTO) markets. Skučas previously served as an attorney in FERC’s Office of General Counsel, and as Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur’s legal advisor. 
 
Tibbetts previously served as an attorney at Monitoring Analytics, PJM’s independent market monitor. 

“We are pleased to welcome Ruta and Maeve to the practice,” said Steven Sparling, co-leader of the firm’s energy, infrastructure, and resources practice group. “Ruta’s range of private practice and FERC experience will be an immense asset to our clients, as they join a talented group of energy lawyers we have welcomed around the globe this year.” 

Skučas’ arrival follows the additions of energy partners James Douglass and Ben Holland in London and Kelly Davies in Sydney earlier this year. They are among the 65 partners who have joined the firm since January 2020.

J. Barclay Collins, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Washington, D.C., office commented: “Ruta’s federal and state energy regulatory experience broadens and deepens our energy capabilities in areas of significant importance to the U.S. energy sector, the energy markets, and to investors. We’re delighted to welcome Ruta and Maeve to the firm.”

K&L Gates’ power practice works to guide clients through strategic decisions, policy and regulatory initiatives, commercial transactions, project financing and development, regulatory compliance, tax matters, credit trading, and litigation. As clients are devoting increased attention and resources to alternative and renewable energy sources, the group assists in their efforts to produce, transmit, and distribute energy across the world.