McGuireWoods' Jim Kerr Appointed to EPRI Board of Directors

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jim Kerr, a partner with McGuireWoods LLP and senior advisor of McGuireWoods Consulting, has been elected to a four-year term on the board of directors of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Kerr's term is effective immediately and he will maintain an active practice at the firm.

"We are thrilled to have a person with Jim's experience join our board," said Michael W. Howard, president and chief executive officer of EPRI. "His background as a utility regulator and his insight as a consultant on industry-related issues make him well suited for a board position."

Kerr is co-chair of McGuireWoods' Energy and Climate Change industry team. He advises clients on legal, policy and business strategies involving issues such as energy sources, generation facilities, renewable energy sources and portfolio standards, transmission issues, carbon regulation, climate change policy, environmental regulation and compliance, and financing.

"The work of EPRI is so important – not just for companies and their customers, but for the industry as a whole," Kerr said. "Having worked with them in the past, I am excited and honored by the opportunity to serve EPRI in this new role. I'm looking forward to using my experience, both as a regulator and in the private sector, to help EPRI fulfill its vital role in meeting the many challenges confronting the electric industry."

Before joining McGuireWoods, Kerr served from 2001 to 2008 as a commissioner on the North Carolina Utilities Commission. He was president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners between 2007 and 2008, and president of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners from 2002 to 2003.

He has testified before committees of the U.S. Congress and North Carolina General Assembly, as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He has also been a frequent speaker on regulatory issues.

EPRI conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. An independent, nonprofit organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers, as well as experts from academia and industry, to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to 40 countries. For more information, visit www.epri.com.

McGuireWoods LLP is a full service law firm with more than 900 attorneys in 19 offices around the world. The firm's Raleigh office is located at 434 Fayetteville Street. For more information, visit www.mcguirewoods.com.

SOURCE McGuireWoods LLP