James Albright has extensive experience in energy matters including major utility rate cases, certificates of need, regulatory initiatives, regulatory compliance, business strategy, and tariff and contract matters.

Prior to joining Squire Sanders, James was assistant general counsel with Xcel Energy, where he served as primary legal counsel on all natural gas matters and lead lawyer in regulatory, legislative, transactional and litigation matters for Xcel Energy’s Colorado and Wyoming public utility businesses.

James has testified twice before the US House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, Committee on Commerce.

Although for internal administrative reasons James is a member of Squire Sanders' Phoenix office, he resides in Denver, Colorado.

James is a member of the Energy Bar Association, the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations and the National Lawyers Association.

Representative Experience

• Serving for nearly 12 years as primary legal counsel on natural gas matters for a large natural gas utility and transportation provider serving 1.3 million customers.
• Acting as the lead lawyer in major regulatory, legislative, transactional and litigation matters affecting natural gas business in Colorado and Wyoming, including gas rate cases, need determinations, prudence reviews, major complaint cases, rulemakings and gas tariff matters before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and Wyoming Public Service Commission.
• Obtaining a federal court reversal of FERC orders resulting in refunds of more than US$500 million nationally in excessive first sale prices under the Natural Gas Policy Act.
• Representing local distribution and interstate pipeline companies in numerous proceedings before the FERC.
• Managing and coordinating multiple agency requirements, litigation and environmental issues concerning the phased closure of an underground natural gas storage facility in a major metropolitan area in Colorado.
• Serving as senior attorney for the Iroquois Gas Transmission System, a major interstate gas pipeline serving the Northeast, during its initial two years of commercial operations.