David M. Perlman
Partner
Elizabeth Acuna
202.828.5800 x3743
David Perlman is a partner in the energy practice in Bracewell & Giuliani's Washington, D.C. office. He represents and counsels clients in energy-related transactions and financings. He also represents clients in regulatory and compliance matters concerning the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and state public utility commissions and in the establishment of compliance programs and training. He has held positions as Chief Counsel to Lehman Brothers commodity trading business and General Counsel of Constellation Energy's Merchant business. In addition, he served in the Office of General Counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as Senior Legal Advisor responsible for matters such as market issues in the wake of the energy crisis of the early 2000s and multiple RTO matters. Mr. Perlman was Co-Chair of the committee that created the EEI Master Power Purchase and Sale Agreement and continues as a committee member.
Mr. Perlman represents a variety of clients, including utilities, commodities merchants, marketers, industrial customers, generators, lenders, financial institutions, gas producers and others.
Prior to joining Bracewell, Mr. Perlman was Chief Counsel to Lehman Brothers Commodities business in New York, where he was responsible for legal, transactional and regulatory matters relating to the firm's physical and derivative commodity businesses. Before this, he was a partner in the energy practice at a major law firm in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Perlman served for two years as Senior Legal Advisor at FERC, where he provided advice regarding significant and complex legal, regulatory policy and legislative issues coming before the Commission. These included matters related to Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO)/Independent System Operators (ISO), gas and electric market oversight, market-based rates and transmission.
Before his government service, Mr. Perlman was counsel to the Constellation Energy Group for 18 years, where he was General Counsel of its merchant and trading businesses and ultimately served as Chief Energy Counsel. He began his career as an attorney at FERC.
Publications and Speeches
"Assessing FERC's New 'Notice Of Violation' Strategy," Law360, December 22, 2009.
Moderator, Panel discussion, "Focus on Renewable Energy," EnergyRisk USA 13th Annual Conference, Houston, TX, May 20, 2009
Panelist, CRO Roundtable discussion, "Critical Issues Facing Risk Managers in the Current Market," EnergyRisk USA 13th Annual Conference, Houston, TX, May 20, 2009
Moderator, Plenary Session, Energy Bar Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, April 2009
"Carbon, Emissions and Renewable Energy Credits," Energy Compliance Network Meeting, Houston, April 14, 2009
Education
J.D., University of Baltimore School of Law, 1980
B.A., University of Maryland, 1977
Bar Admissions
District of Columbia
Maryland
Affiliations
Chairman, Finance & Transactions Committee, Energy Bar Association
Faculty, University of Illinois, Transmission Business School, 2003 - present
Lecturer on legal and regulatory issues relating to electric transmission and power markets to students including company representatives, government officials, regional transmission operator personnel, foreign officials and graduate students.