McGuireWoods LLP announced today that Ellen Ruff, the former president of the office of nuclear development at Duke Energy, has joined the firm as a partner in Charlotte. Ruff will join the firm’s expanding energy practice, where she will assist clients with business and strategic matters including issues relating to state and federal regulation.
Since 2008, Ruff was responsible for Duke Energy’s expansion of its nuclear capabilities in the Carolinas, including the Lee Nuclear Station in Cherokee County. Prior to that role, she served as the president of Duke Energy Carolinas, which provides power to more than 2.4 million customers across more than 24,000 square miles in North and South Carolina.
“With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Ellen is keenly aware of the issues and challenges facing our clients in the energy sector,” said Jim Kerr, co-chair of the firm’s energy and climate change practice. “But just as she knows the challenges, she knows how to address and ultimately solve those problems, and she will be a great resource for our clients.”
“Having known Ellen for so many years, I am thrilled she is joining McGuireWoods,” said Peter Covington, vice chairman of McGuireWoods. “Ellen is a leader in our community and the energy sector. She has seen the energy industry evolve over the years and is keenly aware of the changing landscape that awaits our clients in the future.”
“A very important conversation is taking place around what the future of energy will look like for both the region and our nation,” said Ruff. “I am looking forward to joining the team at McGuireWoods as we help our clients have a voice in that conversation.”
Ruff has been honored for her commitment to the community. Last year, she received the Wachovia/Wells Fargo’s Women in Business Lifetime Achievement award and currently serves on the board of directors at Aqua America Inc. Ruff is a graduate of Simmons College in Hartford, Conn., and she received her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.