Climate Change Trailblazer Tanja Vujic Joins Jenner & Block to Lead New Transitions in Energy and Climate Solutions (TECS) Practice

WASHINGTON, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jenner & Block launched its Transitions in Energy and Climate Solutions (TECS) practice with the addition of Tatjana (Tanja) Vujic, a leader in climate change law and business innovation.

The cross-discipline TECS law practice meets the growing demand for solutions to climate change and ESG goals and operates at the intersection of new market mechanisms, emerging technologies, financial services, and rapidly evolving regulations, policy, and legislation.

"Every sector of our economy needs to be proactive when it comes to climate change and energy transition," said Ms. Vujic. "The TECS practice helps clients achieve their climate and clean energy end goals by navigating existing programs and incentives, developing novel approaches and policies, and executing new business ventures. Our competitive advantage is not only addressing immediate challenges, but drawing on our collective knowledge and experiences to anticipate and meet clients' long-term needs."

The TECS team provides strategic legal counseling on complex climate and sustainability issues including emission reduction commitments, natural climate solutions, renewables – including renewable natural gas, carbon offset development and purchasing, carbon in-setting, sustainable purchasing arrangements, and market-based solutions to sustainability problems and opportunities, all with a careful eye on complex regulatory systems and current and pending legal requirements and trends.

"Rules are being rewritten and long-standing paradigms disrupted as we race towards a more sustainable future," said Energy and TECS practices co-chair Tom O'Neill. "We have a track record of success in writing and defending changes in energy policy. With Tanja's addition, and the integration of our environmental, tax, and corporate practices, the TECS practice offers clients a unique legal service – all-in-one, innovative, and strategic counsel from lawyers with trailblazing experience in and around the energy sector."

Ms. Vujic brings to the TECS practice decades of experience guiding major institutions in the design and execution of strategies to address their greenhouse gas, renewable energy, and sustainability goals. In previous roles, she developed groundbreaking programs for institutions and businesses to achieve their greenhouse gas reduction commitments, including renewable natural gas development and renewable energy generation, carbon offset protocols, and funding programs to scale climate innovation and increase access to renewables.

The TECS practice has already completed projects for leading utilities, major corporations, universities, and Native American tribes including:

• Advising a major utility in the development of electric vehicle enablement tariffs and programs;
• Representing a gas distribution company to address gaps in state regulations to enable CO₂ transport via pipeline between capture and storage facilities;
• Developing regulatory regimes that facilitate economic production, transport, and end use of hydrogen, including as part of a Department of Energy funded hydrogen hub;
• Negotiating green tariffs and specialized AgTech tariffs with regional electricity providers to help an applied technology company secure access to wholesale electricity markets for green power and monetize their energy efficiency gains;
• Crafting and shepherding an historic utility/tribal financing partnership through numerous state and federal regulatory approvals to build and operate a transmission line for renewable energy across tribal land; and
• Helping clients expand energy efficiency and clean energy service lines, and execute renewable natural gas goals.

"The TECS practice is already producing tangible and strategically-oriented business results," said Co-Managing Partner and Energy Practice co-chair Randy Mehrberg. "And just as importantly, this work aligns with our firm values. We are proud of our industry-leading commitment to DEI and pro bono service, and leading in the climate change space is an extension of that commitment to social responsibility."

Ms. Vujic and Mr. O'Neill are joined on the TECS leadership team by Partners Suedeen Kelly, a former FERC Commissioner, and Partner Gay Sigel, an industry leader in environmental law. 

For more information on the TECS practice, its work, and lawyers, please see https://jenner.com/practices/521/

SOURCE Jenner & Block LLP