McGuireWoods Washington, D.C., partner David Martin Connelly co-authored a feature article for the Energy Bar Association profiling Federal Energy Regulatory Commission General Counsel James Dawson. The Aug. 19, 2026, article, co-written with Gary E. Guy, covered Dawson’s career trajectory, leadership insights and practical guidance for energy practitioners.
Dawson discussed the keys to FERC’s litigation success rate, which saw the commission fully litigate 29 appeals in 2025 and lose only three. Dawson attributed that record to “front-end care” — a rigorous, multi-level staff review process that ensures FERC orders are “fully baked” before they reach judicial review.
For practitioners, Dawson stressed the importance of prefiling meetings and engaging early and substantively with FERC staff. He encouraged filers to be specific in their requests for relief, noting that even “well-done pleadings” sometimes fail to clearly state what the filing party wants FERC to do.
On the policy front, Dawson highlighted the transformative impact of data center growth on the energy landscape, calling it a defining challenge for FERC.
“This is a new frontier, and it matters for controlling prices for consumers — the Chairman’s North Star,” Dawson said.