JOHN & HENGERER - Key Persons
Douglas F. John is one of the founding partners of the Firm. Doug has a diverse energy practice. He has represented a number of U.S. interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline companies; natural gas distribution companies; companies engaged in crude oil, liquids, and natural gas production, processing, and marketing; electric utility companies; electric power generators and marketers; industrial users of natural gas and electricity; and crude oil and liquids pipelines. Many of his clients are municipally-owned or cooperatively-owned. Doug has also served as counsel to several Canadian, Australian, and Norwegian energy companies, and advises the national oil and gas company of Mexico on matters relating to energy restructuring and cross-border trade regulation. During his career, Doug has acted as Special Counsel to the Texas General Land Office and to the State of Hawaii on matters related to federal energy regulation. He has, since 1984, served as advisor to the New York Mercantile Exchange on matters relating to NYMEX's Natural Gas and Electricity Futures Contracts.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Firm As an Associate
Elizabeth A. Zembruski joined the Firm as an associate in 2000 and became a partner in 2008. Her practice focuses on regulatory and transactional matters involving natural gas, crude oil and liquids industries. Liz's clients include Canadian and U.S.-based producers and/or marketers of natural gas, crude oil, and liquids as well as the developers, owners, and operators of natural gas storage facilities, interstate natural gas pipelines, and crude oil pipelines. She regularly advises clients regarding a wide range of matters related to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) regulation of interstate natural gas and crude oil pipeline rates and services along with compliance matters. Her practice involves representing clients in rulemaking proceedings before FERC and other federal agencies. Liz also advises clients on the development of greenfield crude oil pipelines and pipeline expansions. In addition, she advises energy companies regarding Commodity Futures Trading Commission related compliance matters.
Liz graduated with honors from Hofstra University in 1997 and received her law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2000. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and New York (inactive).
Liz is a former Chair of the Oil and Liquids Committee of the Energy Bar Association. She is also a member of the Women's Council on Energy and the Environment and the DC Chapter of the Women's Energy Network.
Gordon J. Smith joined the Firm in 1990 and the partnership in 1995. His practice focuses on regulatory and commercial matters involving the natural gas, crude oil, and liquids industries. He regularly advises clients regarding the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) regulation of interstate natural gas pipeline rates, services, transactions, and compliance matters. Gordon's clients include companies engaged in crude oil, liquids, and natural gas production, processing, and marketing. He has represented them in virtually all types of natural gas proceedings before FERC as well as related court appeals.
On the pipeline side, Gordon has advised intrastate natural gas pipelines providing interstate service under Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act on tariff filing and compliance matters, including the adoption of Statements of Operating Conditions and reporting obligations.
Gordon's oil and liquids experience includes advising and representing clients on crude oil and liquids pipeline tariff filings, compliance, and jurisdictional matters, as well as in the commercial negotiation of precedent agreements, tariffs, and associated contracts for crude oil and liquids transportation, terminalling, and storage.
Gordon graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1985 and from The George Washington University Law School in 1988. Before joining the Firm, Gordon worked as an Attorney-Advisor to Administrative Law Judges Birchman and Lewnes at FERC.
He is a member of the Energy Bar Association and is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland (inactive), and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Matthew Rick has been with the Firm since 1998 and became a partner in 2004. Over the years, Matt has provided advice and counsel regarding numerous energy regulatory matters and has represented various types of industry participants in countless proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other energy regulatory agencies. More recently, Matt's practice has focused primarily on the natural gas and electricity industries. His clients consist of, among others, the developers, owners, and operators of interstate natural gas pipelines; producers and shippers of natural gas; power marketers; electric utilities; and electric cooperatives. He has experience in virtually all types of natural gas and electricity proceedings before FERC, and with various related matters such as the negotiation and interpretation of natural gas and electricity contracts, electric reliability certification, and administration of FERC-mandated pipeline websites.
Matt graduated with honors from Michigan State University in 1996 and received his law degree from The George Washington University School of Law in 1999.
He is a member of the Energy Bar Association and is admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia (inactive), and before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the Ninth Circuit.