Biography

Sheila Slocum Hollis is chair of the Washington, D.C. office, and was the office’s founding managing partner, as well as the founding practice group leader for the firm’s Energy, Environment and Resources Practice Group. She served on the firm’s Executive Committee for more than a decade and the Partners Board for 20 years. Ms. Hollis practices in the areas of energy transactional and regulatory law and international and administrative law before government agencies, Congress, state and Federal courts, and other entities. She focuses on domestic and international energy, water and environmental matters, representing governmental bodies, the power and natural gas industries, and other entities.

Ms. Hollis has served twice in Federal government. In 1977, she became the first director of the Office of Enforcement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, establishing the office and its policies and procedures, which remain in place today. She began her energy law career as a trial lawyer at the Federal Power Commission from 1974 to 1976, serving as lead counsel on the Pennzoil-United spinoff case. Over the course of her career, she has played a key role in the formation and implementation of energy law and policy. As a Professorial Lecturer in the Law at George Washington University School of Law, she taught energy law for 20 years to over 600 students in the Environmental and Energy Law Program and was recently recognized by the school for her teaching contribution. Ms. Hollis is widely published in energy law and policy matters, having co-authored two energy law texts and numerous articles on energy policy, enforcement, and regulation in the natural gas, independent power and cogeneration, nuclear, and hydroelectric areas, along with related environmental topics.

With a long and venerable career representing clients in matters relating to infrastructure, natural gas and oil development, transportation and distribution, energy reliability, enforcement and compliance, and international energy policy, Ms. Hollis has received many honors and recognitions from the energy and legal industries. She has been recognized for many years by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for her work in electric regulation. In 2018, she was once again named by Super Lawyers as one of Washington D.C.’s Top 100 Lawyers overall and one of the Top 50 Washington Women Lawyers. She is the first energy lawyer to be named to this list. In addition, Ms. Hollis was recognized by the American Bar Association (“ABA”) as a “Trailblazer,” an honor given to women in law who “changed society.” She was among only 100 women to be so honored for breaking barriers for women in cutting-edge areas of the law. Her personal story is now at the Library of Congress, Harvard Law and Stanford Law libraries. In 2012, Ms. Hollis was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Environmental Lawyers, an honor bestowed upon a select group of lawyers with “distinguished experience and high standards.” Ms. Hollis was also named one of the “50 Key Women in Energy Worldwide” and received the 2011 Lifetime Achievement in Energy in Platt’s Global Energy Awards. (She is the first attorney in private practice to receive the Platt’s Award.) Ms. Hollis has also been ranked by The National Law Journal as one of the United States’ top 20 energy lawyers and has received the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Ratings for over 30 years for professional excellence.

In addition, Ms. Hollis is listed in many biographical directories such as, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World, The World’s Leading Oil and Gas Lawyers, and The World’s Leading Project Finance Lawyers. Ms. Hollis was selected for inclusion in Who’s Who Legal Directory for Oil and Gas. (The attorneys included in this publication were selected based upon comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and oil and gas lawyers in private practice worldwide. Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.)

Ms. Hollis has served on a myriad of boards, committees, and professional associations over the course of her career and has been extremely active in a leadership role in many of those organizations. Since 2015, she has chaired the Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress of the ABA. She was the first woman to serve as President of the Energy Bar Association and holds the distinction of being the only person to serve as both President of the Energy Bar Association and Chair of the ABA’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (“SEER”), the leading forum for thousands of lawyers working in areas related to the environment, natural resources, and energy. She now serves in the House of Delegates of the ABA as Senior Delegate from SEER and is also a council member of the ABA’s Senior Lawyers Division. She also served as President of the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment for five years and served on the board of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia.

In addition, Ms. Hollis is Treasurer and a board member of the United States Energy Association and chaired its nominating committee. She also is a member of the Advisory Committee of the North American Energy Standards Board. Ms. Hollis serves on the Board of Trustees of the Center for American and International Law and was Vice Chair of its Institute for Energy Law. She also is a Trustee of Plimoth Plantation, a museum located at the original site of the Plymouth Colony. With an extensive background in international energy law, Ms. Hollis is admitted as an honorary, international member of the Commercial Bar of England and Wales. She serves on the Board of the American Friends of the Royal Society, which is one of the oldest scientific bodies in the world. Ms. Hollis was honored to be chosen as a delegate of the ABA to the United Nations Rio+20 Conference in 2012. Ms. Hollis also served a three-year term on the Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary and in that capacity was one of the two primary investigators in the nomination of Justice John Roberts to the Supreme Court. She is a Life Fellow of the ABA and has been a member of the American Law Institute for 25 years.

Ms. Hollis is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Colorado. She is a Colorado native and a graduate of the University of Denver College of Law as well as the University of Colorado at Boulder, cum laude in general studies and with honors in journalism.

Education

University of Denver College of Law, J.D., 1973
University of Colorado, B.S., Journalism, cum laude and with honors in overall studies, 1971
University of Exeter, International Law semester, 1971-1972

Experience

Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 1997-present
- Founding and Managing Partner, Washington Office and of the Duane Morris Energy, Environment and Resources Practice Group, 1997-2005
- Chair, Washington, D.C. Office, 2005-present
- Member, Executive Committee, 2005-2016
- Member, Partners Board, 1997-2016
- Member, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (2005-present)
Metzger, Hollis, Gordon & Alprin, Washington, D.C.
- Senior Partner, 1992-1997 (merged into Duane Morris LLP in 1997)
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Washington, D.C.
- Partner, 1987-1992
- Head of Washington office Energy Practice
Broadhurst, Brook, Mangham and Hardy, Washington, D.C.
- Partner, 1984-1987
Butler & Binion, Washington, D.C.
- Partner, 1980-1984
Professorial Lecturer in the Law, “Energy Law,” The George Washington University School of Law, 1979-1999
Office of Enforcement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Washington, D.C.
- First Director, 1977-1980
Charter Member, Senior Executive Service, U.S. Government, 1979-1980
Wilner & Scheiner, Washington, D.C.
- Associate, 1975-1977
Federal Power Commission, Washington, D.C.
- Trial Attorney, 1974-1975

Admissions

Supreme Court of the United States
Colorado
Supreme Court of Colorado
District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Professional Organizations

American Bar Association
- Delegate, World Justice Project (leader of a global movement to strengthen the rule of law for the development of communities of opportunity and equity)
- Delegate, Rio+20 Conference on behalf of ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (2012)
- Representative to the House of Delegates for Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 1995-present
- Chair, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 2000-2001
- Chair, Standing Committee on Environmental Law, 1997-2000
- Chair, Coordinating Group on Energy Law, 1990s
- Chair, Council for the Fund for Justice and Education, 2006-2009
- Chair, Standing Committee on Silver Gavel Awards, 2009-2012
- Sustaining Life Fellow
American College of Environmental Lawyers,
- Fellow, 2012-present
Federal Bar Association
- Chair, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Section, 2012-2016
- Council, Washington, D.C. Chapter
Energy Bar Association
- President, 1991-1992
- EBA Representative to the ABA's House of Delegates, 1992-1993
Commercial Bar Association of England and Wales
- Honorary Overseas Member, 2005-present
International Bar Association, 1990-2015
American Law Institute
- Life Member, 1992-present
Women's Bar Association of DC
- Council, 3-year term
Women's Council on Energy and Environment,
- President, 1998-2001
International Women's Forum
- Member, 2014-present
The District of Columbia Bar, Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Section
- Steering Committee, 1991-1992
Thomas More Society
- Life Member
- President, 2003-2005
Eastern Mineral Law Foundation
- Trustee, 2000-2009
International Oil and Gas Law Center, Southwestern Legal Foundation/Center for American and International Law
- Trustee
- Vice President, 1995-2011
American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education
- Environmental Law Advisory Panel, 2013-present

Board Memberships

Center for American and International Law
- Board of Trustees, 1990-present
Women's Bar Association of DC
- Board Member, 2007-2009
KB Homes,
- National Sustainability Advisory Committee, 2008-present
Today's General Counsel Magazine
- Editorial Advisory Board, 2004-present
Law360
- Energy Editorial Advisory Board, 2017-present
United States Energy Association
- Board of Directors and Treasurer, 2000-present
American Friends of the Royal Society
- Board Member, 2000-present
Public Utilities Fortnightly
- Advisory Board, 2005-2010
Association of Women in Water, Energy and Environment
- Board Member2005-2015
ABA Journal Board of Editors
- Chair, Board of Editors, 2007-2010
- Board Member, 2001-2007

Honors and Awards

Recognized in 2017 as ABA “Trailblazer” for Women in Law: one of 100 women who “changed society”
Recipient, Cheryl Blackwell Bryson Leadership Award, Duane Morris Women’s Initiative, October 2012
Recipient of the Paul Nordstrom Service Award for contributions to the legal profession and the community from the Energy Bar Association and the Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association, 2010
Recipient, American Lawyer, “Global Finance Deal of the Year in Project Finance,” Global Legal Awards, New York, 2015 (LNG deals)
Recipient of Lawyer International’s Legal 100, Energy & Natural Resources, 2018
Recipient, Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell
Selected repeatedly as Top Rated Lawyer in Energy, Environmental, and Land Use Law by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell
Recipient, Outstanding International Alumni, University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2012
Recipient, Lifetime Achievement in Energy Award, 13th Annual Platts Global Energy Awards, 2011
Recognized by the University of Denver College of Law in July 2007 as an outstanding International Law graduate
Honored as one of the “Key Women in Energy-Americas” for 2003. This award identifies, recognizes and honors excellence in individual performance in the energy industry for North, South and Central America
Honored as one of the "50 Key Women in Energy in the World" for 2002. Ms. Hollis was named in the Legal Excellence category for her leadership on behalf of peers and clients in the energy community. Honorees were selected by a global panel of energy industry experts
Named “Woman of the Year” by the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (“WCEE”) for 2003. Honorees are selected each year by the Board of Directors of WCEE in the energy and/or environment field and honored for their exemplary leadership and special contributions to the advancement of women
Recipient, Offshore Excellence Award, Acquisition International, 2016
Appointed by People to People to head delegation of women judges and attorneys to China, South and Central America and by Center for American and International Law to lead delegation of senior energy executives and general counsels to former Soviet Union (1991-1992)
Ranked by The National Law Journal as one of the United States’ top 20 energy lawyers
AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, 1998-present

AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished℠ and Martindale-Hubbell Notable℠ are Certification Marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.

Recognized In

Super Lawyers, Top 100 Lawyers in Washington, D.C. and Top 50 Women
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
Who’s Who Legal: Energy,
Who’s Who in America
Who's Who in American Law
Who’s Who in American Women
Who’s Who in Business and Finance
Who’s Who Legal Directory for Oil and Gas
The International Who’s Who of Oil & Gas Lawyers, Business Lawyers, and Energy Lawyers
Guide to the World’s Leading Banking Finance and Transactional Lawyers in the Project Finance section
Guide to the World’s Leading Project Finance Lawyers
Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law
InterContinental Finance Magazine’s Leading Lawyers 500

Recent Selected Publications and Media Quotes

Featured in, “IAALS Advances Justice with Duane Morris LLP's Sheila Hollis,” Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, IAALS Online, Issues Blog, October 25, 2017
Featured in “Sheila Hollis: Energy Law Career,” Public Utilities Fortnightly, July 15, 2017
Featured, “Will US LNG Make a Splash in China?” KNect 365, June 4, 2017
Editor, Oil and Gas Reporter, 1990-2017 (when publication ceased)
Quoted in, “Will the US Lead the LNG Pack? 10 Energy Thought Leaders Weigh In,” KNect 365 Energy, March 5, 2017
Quoted in, “Another Fracking Pipeline Is Rejected,” CNN Money, April 25, 2016
Quoted, "Why Coal Jobs Aren't Coming Back, Despite Trump's Actions," CNN Money, January 24, 2017
Quoted in ”Is It Time to Bail Out the U.S. Oil Industry?“ CNN Money, January 14, 2016
Quoted in “Keeping Online Legal Material Authentic and Accessible with UELMA,” ABA News, January 6, 2016
Featured in “Vacations of the Overworked,” Bisnow, September 17, 2015
Co-author, “LNG Export Project Developments at FERC,” Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Newsletter, Volume 32, No. 3, 2015
Co-author, “EPA Proposes New Emission Rules Affecting the Oil and Natural Gas Industries,” Duane Morris Alert, August 19, 2015
Co-author, “FERC Green-lights Puerto Rico Offshore LNG Import Terminal; Project's Ocean-Going Regasification Unit Is First of Its Kind Before the FERC,” Duane Morris Alert, July 28, 2015
Author, “Don't Snatch Defeat from the Jaws of Victory,” The Hill, June 23, 2015
Co-author, "Possible Shift of Perspectives on Breadth of NEPA Review; CEQ's Draft Greenhouse Gas Guidance," Duane Morris Alert, May 4, 2015
Co-author, “D.C. Circuit Ruling Upholds New Ground Rules in Development of Electric Transmission Infrastructure,” Duane Morris Alert, August 27, 2014
Co-author, “FERC Continues Its Enforcement of Hydropower Safety Regulations with Approval of Stipulation and Consent Agreement,” Duane Morris Alert, February 20, 2014

Recent Selected Speaking Engagements

Moderator, “How to Conduct Free Legal Research Online,” American Bar Association Webinar, March 19, 2018
Moderator, “Applications of the Public Trust Doctrine: Part I,” 2018 Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium: The Public Trust Doctrine in the 21st Century, George Washington University Law School, March 16, 2018
Speaker, “#PressforProgress in Energy-An International Perspective,” Women in Energy Asia, Singapore, March 1, 2018
Presenter, “Cybersecurity: What Every In-House Counsel Needs to Know (and Outside Counsel Should Tell Them),” Federal Bar Association, January 24, 2018
Speaker, tips for success for women in leadership capacities in the law firm setting as well as in government service, Women’s Bar Association of DC, December 8, 2017
Speaker, “New Surge of Energy in the Americas: Renewables Developments, Deals and Disputes,” ABA Section of International Law Fall Conference, Miami, Florida, October 25, 2017
Presentation on behalf of the U.S. Energy Association on U.S. energy policy as it is evolving in the North American context, World Energy Conference, Mexico City, September 11, 2017
Presenter, “Emerging Energy Regulatory and Political Perspectives,” Annual Meeting of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB), Houston, September 6, 2017
Speaker, “How to Conduct Free Legal Research Online,” ABA Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress, New York, August 11, 2017
Presenter, “Energy Structure and Resources of USA - Big, Political, Rich, Consequential, and Smothered by Law and Regulation,” U.S. Energy Association, July 17, 2017
Presenter, “U.S. Shale and Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Production: What is the Future of the American Energy Market?,” 3rd Washington Oil & Gas Forum, Washington D.C., June 7, 2017
Speaker, “Cyber Security: What Every In-House Counsel Needs to Know (And Outside Counsel Should Tell Them),” Federal Bar Association, Washington, May 4, 2017
Speaker, “Providing Predictability and Trust Along with Legal Knowledge,” Legal Women’s Forum, New York, February 2, 2017
Panelist, “I Wish Someone Had Told Me!,” ACI Conference on Women Leaders in Environmental and Energy Law, New Orleans, January 20, 2017
Advisory Board Participant, University of Texas Center for Energy Economics, FDIC regional headquarters, Houston, December 7, 2016
Featured in Section Member Spotlight Podcast, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, December 2, 2016
Speaker, American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources Special Committee for Young Lawyers, Podcast, November 29, 2016
Speaker, “Clean Power Plan, the Paris Agreement on Climate, and the Impact of the U.S. Election on the Climate Change Agenda of the United States and Signers of the Paris Agreement,” World Bank International Legislative Legal Meeting, Washington, November 18, 2016
Speaker, “Evolution of Energy Policy and Programs in Response to Sustainability and Clean Power Goals,” Chairing Session, American Bar Association Environmental Energy & Resources Law Fall Conference, Denver, October 6, 2016
Speaker, “Energy Policy and International Legal Concerns and Questions,” TerraLex Global Meeting, New York City, September 24, 2016
Speaker, “Uncertain Times in Energy and Implications for Insolvency,” Annual Conference of the International Bar Association, Washington, D.C., September 21, 2016
Speaker, “Energy Policy, Clean Power Questions and Politics in 2016,” Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting, Cleveland, September 15, 2016
Panelist, “Current Legal Challenges in Energy and Water Infrastructure Development,” Webinar, August 11, 2016
Speaker, Women’s Council on Energy and Environment, Electric Power Research Institute, Washington, D.C., November 6, 2015
Speaker, “Careers in Energy Law,” Women’s Bar Association (WBA), September 17, 2015
Panelist, “Mexico’s Energy Reform is Rolling, Albeit with Training Wheels,” America's Voice for Energy Podcast, July 23, 2015
Speaker, “Mexico's Energy Reforms — A Developing Destination for Investment,” Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (“WCEE”), July 22, 2015
Presenter, ABA Women’s Day on the Hill, American Bar Association, Washington, D.C., June 23-25, 2015
Keynote Speaker, Commercial Bar of England and Wales (“COMBAR”) Spring Meeting at the United States Supreme Court, Washington, D.C., April 10, 2015
Speaker, “Hydraulic Fracturing Environmental Issues,” Tulane University Law School 20th Environmental Law Conference, New Orleans, February 27, 2015
Moderator, “Supreme Court Roundup: Land, Air, Water and Jurisdiction” Panel, 44th ABA Super Conference on Environmental Law, San Francisco, March 26, 2015
Speaker, “Canadian and Cross-Border Oversight of the Canadian and U.S. Energy Markets,” Canadian Oil Sands Summit, Calgary, AB, February 11, 2015
Speaker, Women Leaders in Environmental and Energy Law Conference, American Conference Institute, New Orleans, January 21, 2015
Speaker, “Small-to-Mid-Size Market Participants: Effectively Using Limited Resources While Complying with Constantly Evolving Regulations,” American Conference Institute's 10th National Forum on Energy Trading Compliance & Regulation Enforcement, Washington D.C., November 21, 2014
Moderator, “A Time for Action: The Cost and Impact of Energy Infrastructure Delays on the Northeast Economy”, New England Canada Business Conference Annual Energy Program, Boston, November 13, 2014
Speaker, “Federal Energy Trends" and Chair, "Moving Forward with Co-Generation Projects,” Fifth Annual Federal Energy Workshop and Defense Energy Partnership Forum, Washington, D.C., September 16, 2014
Panelist, “Energy Policy and Strategy,” NAESB Board of Directors Meeting, Meeting of the Members & Strategic Session, Houston, September 11, 2014
Moderator, “Environment and War,” Federal Bar Association’s Annual Meeting and Convention, Providence, September 5, 2014
Panelist, “Ethical Considerations in Responding to FERC Investigations,” Energy Bar Association, Houston, July 22, 2014
Speaker, “111(d) in Context: Broader Energy and Policy Implications,” Environmental Law Institute’s Workshop on EPA’s Proposed Clean Power/CAA Section 111(d) Rules, Washington D.C., July 14, 2014

Biography from Duane Morris LLP, https://perma.cc/3967-JG2C.