Blank Rome LLP and Langan will present our Eleventh Annual Energy Industry Update, themed “Infrastructure | Innovation | Impact,” at Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday, November 17, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a reception to follow.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
As the energy landscape continues to shift with the current presidential administration, the prospect of continued climate change litigation and legislation, executive orders, and the need for stable and reliant power sources, as well as geopolitical dynamics, our panels will offer timely insights into the issues the business community needs to consider in order to navigate regulatory tensions, and make informed decisions in a rapidly transforming market.
DISCUSSION PANELS
Planning Under Uncertainty: Executive Orders, Energy Sector & Capital Investment
The panel will explore how business leaders are navigating shifting regulatory landscapes and making strategic investment decisions amid uncertainty.
- Ryan Purpura, Partner, Blank Rome LLP (Moderator)
- Travis Windle, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting
- Colton Fedell, Vice President, Government Affairs, Diversified Energy Company
- Timothy Frazier, Vice President, Government Programs, Aalo Atomics and Senior Advisor to the CEO, Zeno Power
- Brian Aiello, Vice President, External Relations, CNX
State and Federal Tensions in Energy Policy: Preemption, Patchwork & Power Struggles
A legal deep dive into the friction between state and federal energy regulations, including preemption challenges and policy fragmentation.
- Christina Manfredi McKinley, Partner, Blank Rome LLP (Moderator)
- Bob Martin, Managing Director, Christie 55 Solutions and Former Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental
- Keith Coyle, Chief Counsel for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) at the U.S. Department of Transportation
- Stephen Zumbrun, Associate, Blank Rome LLP
Energy Transition Strategies: Transactions, Data Center Development & Policy Impacts
Panelists will examine how policy shifts are influencing investment decisions and development strategies in the energy transition.
- Paul Manzer, Senior Principal, Langan (Moderator)
- Christy Swearingen, Principal, Swearingen Development Partners
- Frank Tamulonis, Partner, Blank Rome LLP
- Clifton Beech, Of Counsel, Blank Rome LLP
Grid Reliability & Policy Volatility
This session will address the challenges of maintaining grid reliability amid evolving policy frameworks and market pressures.
- Colleen Elliott, Associate Principal/Vice President, Langan (Moderator)
- Rory Johnston, Corporate Health & Safety Officer/Managing Principal, Langan
- Michael Swerling, Sr. Counsel, Energy & Regulation, UGI Corp
- David Fisfis, General Counsel, Vice President Energy Policy and Corporate Secretary, Duquesne Light Company
Keynote: Keeping the Lights On in the AI Era: Markets, Reliability, and Energy Demands
- Michael Farber, Co-Founder, Gridvolve
- C’pher Gresham, Co-Founder, Gridvolve
CLE Credit
This CLE program is pending approval in the jurisdictions listed below. We anticipate approval for General and Professional Practice credits; however, we cannot guarantee approval at this time.
Jurisdictions (pending approval): CA, CT, DE, IL, NJ, NY, PA, TX, VA.
Questions? Contact Jennifer Reda via e-mail.
