Adrienne E. Clair

Adrienne E. Clair is a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP in Washington, DC and a member of the firm’s Management and Executive Committees. Adrienne has devoted her career to energy regulatory work, representing primarily cooperative and municipal utilities in proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Her practice includes electric and gas pipeline compliance, enforcement, litigation, rate matters, transmission planning, cost allocation, market design, mergers, and appellate review. She also represents clients before the D.C. Public Service Commission.

Adrienne earned her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and a B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University, cum laude. She began her legal career at FERC, giving her direct experience with the agency central to her practice. Her education and government background support work with administrative records, market rules, tariffs, rates, and agency procedures. Over more than two decades, she has helped utilities understand regulatory obligations and advocate before federal and state energy authorities.

Adrienne represents clients in FERC proceedings involving capacity and energy markets, transmission planning and cost allocation, formula rates, wholesale power contracts, natural gas pipeline rates and services, mergers, market-based rate authority, and reporting requirements. She has litigated corporate reorganizations under Federal Power Act Section 203 and represented utilities and trade associations in rulemakings and market-design proceedings. Her work also includes compliance program design, audits, enforcement matters, and appellate proceedings connected to federal energy regulation and agency decisions.

Adrienne E. Clair is recognized for energy regulatory and litigation work, including Chambers Global and Chambers USA rankings and repeated Best Lawyers honors. She has served as president of the Energy Bar Association and holds leadership roles in other professional organizations. Her practice combines regulatory experience, litigation skill, and industry knowledge developed across major U.S. power markets. She helps public-power and cooperative clients navigate changing federal policy, protect their interests in contested proceedings, and plan for transmission, market, and compliance requirements.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Thompson Coburn LLP
• Member, District of Columbia Bar
• Member, Maryland State Bar Association
• Past President, Energy Bar Association (2013-2014)
• Life Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Advisory Board Member and Chair, Electric Cooperative Bar Association (2024-2025)
• Energy Forum Founding Co-Chair, Women’s Bar Association of D.C.
• Member, American Bar Association
• Secretary, D.C. Chapter, American Association of Blacks in Energy (2017)
• Pro Bono Counsel, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review
• Captain, Komen Race for the Cure (2001-Present)

Licensed State

• District of Columbia
• Maryland

Education

• The George Washington University Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Hampton University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mass Media Arts (Cum Laude)

Awards & Badges