Kevin Penders returns to the firm as a Partner and Practice Manager for Keegan Werlin's Energy Regulatory Group. Mr. Penders focuses on energy, regulatory, public utility law and governmental relations for utility clients, and represents electric and gas utilities before public utility commissions to gain regulatory outcomes that will improve service quality, rates, forecast and supply planning, corporate financing, energy procurement, energy efficiency, and facility siting.
As the former General Counsel to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU), Mr. Penders served as the chief legal and policy advisor for regulating the Commonwealth's investor-owned electric power, natural gas and water companies, handled complex rate design and base rate cases, and helped to write the playbook for future regional energy solutions. Under his management, the DPU's legal division issued over 2,000 orders on a wide range of energy issues, including traditional rate recovery obligations, initiatives to encourage grid modernization for the electric industry, including solar, battery storage and electric vehicle deployment, initiatives to quantify and reduce gas leaks in the Commonwealth, and initiatives to ensure energy efficient and renewable energy deployment to meet the Commonwealth's clean energy and climate goals. He returns with in-depth knowledge regarding the regulation of electric power, natural gas and water companies, and was part of the team that created the regulatory oversight of the Transportation Network Company industry.
Prior to rejoining the firm, Mr. Penders served as a policy advisor with Preti Strategies, providing business, political and strategic advice to clients on public policy and energy law issues, and of counsel in the Energy Practice Group of its affiliated law firm, Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios. Mr. Penders was an attorney with Keegan Werlin from 2006 through 2015, and has previously held positions within the energy industry and in government, at National Grid, the former New England Gas Company, the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (now DPU), the House Committee on Taxation, and the Senate Committee on Post-Audit and Oversight.
Kevin lives in Foxborough, MA with his wife, three kids, and rescue pup.
Boston Office
Email: kpenders@keeganwerlin.com
● Public Utilities
● Energy Law
● Regulatory Law
● Administrative Law
● Government Relations & Lobbying
● Massachusetts, 1996
● U.S. Supreme Court, 2004
● Boyden Library Board of Trustees, Foxborough, MA, 2011 to present
● Board of Directors, NexDine Foundation, 2018 to present
● Zoning Board of Appeals, Town of Foxborough, MA, 2010 to 2015
● Adjunct Professor, "Legislation", New England Law Boston, 2003 to 2013
● Lecturer, Business Law & Ethics, Boston University School of Management, 2008
● Visiting Professor, Tufts University Experimental College, 2000 to 2004
● Lucius Beebe Library Board of Trustees, Wakefield, MA, 1994 to 2001
● Massachusetts' Super Lawyers, 2013, 2014
● New England School of Law, J.D., 1996
● College of the Holy Cross, B.A., Political Science, 1993
● St. John's Preparatory High School, 1989