Law schools educate lawyers in many areas of the law. Law school students do not have majors. After admission to the bar, a bar license allows lawyers to undertake any legal work, subject to the lawyer’s competence in performing that service. You can measure competence by the lawyer’s special education, training, or experience in the area of law.
There are specialties in many professions. For example, some doctors focus on pediatrics or cancer. Similarly, construction contractors may be plumbers, electricians, or masons. My practice area specialty is administrative law.
My clients know my practice is limited to administrative law. I rarely go to a local court and I never defend people accused of crimes. My clients usually are landowners or small businesses. My professional experience is in administrative law, especially transmission line routing cases, telecommunications, and electric law. I can help you understand the laws and rules that apply to the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the PUC’s procedures. For more about me, please go to the About Brad Bayliff page.
Administrative law
Administrative law governs the creation and operation of government agencies. Issues in administrative law include the powers granted to agencies, the substantive rules they make, and the legal relationships between agencies, other government bodies, and the public.
Administrative and regulatory attorneys provide legal services to individuals and corporate clients. They counsel their clients about complex government laws, rules, regulations, procedures, permitting, applications, or enforcement matters. Lawyers in this field often are called upon when a governmental action may affect an individual or a business. This can include a wide range of legal matters, from assisting an individual obtaining license or permit to responding to enforcement actions against a corporation.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer segregated the legal rules and principles of administrative law into four parts:
- Authority and structure of administrative agencies;
- Procedural formalities employed by agencies;
- Validity of agency decisions; and
- Role of reviewing courts and other governmental entities.
My Texas PUC practice includes the entire administrative process. My client matters licensing, enforcement actions and compliance counseling, rulemakings, contested case proceedings, and appeals of agency decisions.
Electric – Transmission routing
I am a PUC lawyer who represents only landowners in transmission line routing cases before the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Landowners sometimes receive a notice from an electric utility seeking a certificate of convenience and necessity. That process will allow the utility to construct an electric transmission line on their property. Landowners who receive those letters may want to retain a lawyer to represent their interests at the PUC.
A routing case can involve hundreds of landowners. The cases often are difficult for lawyers who are not familiar with the process. It can be more difficult for landowners on their own. Landowners hire me to help navigate this process and present their best case for why the PUC should approve construction of the transmission line in another location.
I have participated in dozens of routing cases and represented hundreds of landowners. I know the law and the process. Landowners hire me to help them defend their property a transmission line may affect.
Electric – Retail Electric Providers
I limit my representation of market participants in Texas to retail electric providers or REPs. REPs operate in areas of Texas where the sale of electricity is open to retail competition. A REP buys wholesale electricity, delivery service, and related services, prices electricity for customers, and sells electric energy.
The PUC’s rules affect REPs in many ways. I assist companies seeking REP certification. After certification, I help them provide proof of their completion of testing requirements before serving customers. New market entrants and other companies often need assistance understanding and following the Commission’s rules, including customer protection rules.
Communications Law – Telecommunications
I have worked since 1999 on telecom issues before the Public Utility Commission of Texas, many state utility commissions, and even the U.S. Supreme Court.
My representation of clients before utility commissions includes several issues. I help obtain approvals of applications, mergers, and asset acquisitions. Those projects involve large and small telecommunications companies and complex financing transactions. In several states, I was part of a team that negotiated and arbitrated interconnection agreements. Now, I act as counsel for clients on issues involving local competition, interconnection, 911 service, advanced services, and VoIP issues.
Click to call Brad Bayliff now at (512) 225-0027