Van is a member of Butler Snow’s Regulatory & Government Relations group. He is an experienced attorney with a deep focus on utility regulation, compliance, and enforcement within complex public policy environments. With extensive experience navigating regulatory frameworks and overseeing enforcement actions, Van advises clients on the impact of legislative and rule-making developments on regulated entities and markets. He has firsthand insight into the intersection of law, policy, and operational compliance, grounded in years of both regulatory work and direct involvement with governmental oversight bodies.
Overview
Van is a member of Butler Snow’s Regulatory & Government Relations group. He is an experienced attorney with a deep focus on utility regulation, compliance, and enforcement within complex public policy environments. With extensive experience navigating regulatory frameworks and overseeing enforcement actions, Van advises clients on the impact of legislative and rule-making developments on regulated entities and markets. He has firsthand insight into the intersection of law, policy, and operational compliance, grounded in years of both regulatory work and direct involvement with governmental oversight bodies.
Practice Areas
About
Van joins Butler Snow after having recently spent several years as Commission Staff at the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) in its Division of Compliance and Enforcement. While at the PUCT he investigated utility performance, including their compliance with weatherization obligations and service quality obligations. As part of these proceedings, Van negotiated settlements on behalf of Commission Staff, advocated in favor of these settlements at the PUCT, advised the Commission in negotiated rulemaking proceedings, and represented Commission Staff before the Commission and the State Office of Administrative Hearings. His time at the PUCT has given him an in-depth understanding of how the PUCT assesses performance of jurisdictional utilities. Van helps clients understand regulatory obligations and shape effective responses to enforcement inquiries and evolving policy landscapes. Whether counseling on proactive compliance strategies or advocating in administrative proceedings, Van brings a balanced perspective informed by legal expertise, regulatory experience, and a collaborative approach to achieving favorable, solutions-based outcomes.
Experience
- Provides counsel to generation companies, data centers, and others on large load and behind-the-meter considerations.
- Works collaboratively with clients to craft and refine commercial strategies in compliance with market structure rules and regulations.
- Represents clients in administrative litigation, including utility rate litigation and enforcement matters.
- Counsels and collaborates with clients in the development of regulatory policy and market structure throughout rulemaking and protocol adoption processes at both the PUCT and ERCOT.
- Provides counsel in responding to regulatory investigations and requests for information from regulatory authorities.
- Represented Commission Staff in enforcement proceedings, including complex generation issues, wholesale market regulatory actions, rate violations, and simple self-reported errors, at SOAH, in front of the Commission, and during settlement negotiations.
- Negotiated voluntary mitigation plans for generators in ERCOT.
- Represented Texas Department of Insurance in regulatory enforcement proceedings involving workers’ compensation issues at SOAH and during settlement negotiations
- Represented multinational telecommunications company in matters involving property damage claims against contractors and other businesses in multiple state and federal jurisdictions.
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 2013
Education
- St. Mary’s School of Law, J.D., 2013
- University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 2010
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Austin Bar Association
- Gulf Coast Power Association