Legal Division
Legal Division, through the General Counsel, is the attorney for the Commission. We provide high quality legal representation and advice to the Commission, including the Commissioners and Commission industry divisions. We are dedicated to improving the health, safety, and well-being of Californians, and conduct front-line advocacy to advance California’s goals of keeping utility costs affordable, net neutrality, transitioning to clean energy, clean water utility service, universal phone and broadband service, and transportation and rail safety.
Our more than 100 lawyers and support staff provide a wide range of legal services and represent client groups throughout the Commission. Our attorneys represent the Commission’s Public Advocates Office to argue for the lowest possible bills for utility customers consistent with safety, reliability, and the state’s climate goals. They represent the Safety and Enforcement Division and Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division in investigating and enforcing utility and passenger carrier misconduct and safety violations. And Legal Division represents the Commission in challenges before courts of appeal, the California Supreme Court, and federal courts, and in federal administrative actions, including before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.
Legal Division also provides legal advice to the Commission and its divisions to support them in their critical work. Our attorneys advise on matters such as general rate cases to set electricity and gas authorized rates, wildfire risk reduction, the regulation of Transportation Network Carriers such as Uber and Lyft and autonomous vehicles, passenger safety, and rulemakings to set the rules needed to achieve state requirements to decarbonize the energy sector and to help bridge the digital divide and extend broadband infrastructure. Areas of guidance include, for example, state and federal legislation, administrative regulations, CEQA, open meeting laws, the public records act, labor and employment, and contracting.
We are a diverse, respectful, and collaborative team who enjoy our work and colleagues. For job openings, please visit the Cal Careers website. To search and apply for jobs, click here.
Descriptions of our practice area teams are listed below.
The Section handles all Cal Advocates and safety and enforcement matters. As is true with all of the advocacy sections, this section can handle any of the industry areas, with an emphasis on energy and transportation. Areas of primary responsibility are as follows: Long-Term Procurement Planning (LTPP), Resource Adequacy (RA), Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), Energy Efficiency (EE), Energy Resources Recovery Accounts (ERRA), Net Energy Metering (NEM), Energy Storage (ES), Distributed Resource Plans (DRP), Water-Energy Nexus, and Utility Procurement Applications. Principal Clients are Public Advocates Office (Cal Advocates), Safety and Enforcement Division (SED), and the Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division (CPED).
Chris Clay, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles all Public Advocates Office and enforcement matters. As is true with all of the advocacy sections, this section can handle any of the industry areas, with an emphasis on ratemaking and energy and water. Areas of primary responsibility are as follows: Public Advocates Office - energy rate case litigation; Public Advocates Office – gas matters; Public Advocates Office - water utility rate case litigation; Public Advocates Office - telecommunication cases; SED and non-SED Enforcement. Principal Clients are Public Advocates Office, SED, CPED.
Amy Yip-Kikugawa, Assistant General CounselThe Section handles advocacy, safety and enforcement matters, with a particular emphasis on wildfire safety, cost recovery and securitization, electric de-energization matters, emergency response planning, and transportation enforcement matters. Principal Clients are Public Advocates Office, SED, and CPED.
Charlyn Hook, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles all federal district court and subsequent federal appellate court challenges to Commission decisions. This Section also handles federal advisory work, federal agency matters, including representation of the Commission and the utilities’ ratepayers before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and if warranted, federal appellate court challenges to the federal agency decisions. The section also advises on state proceedings that may have federal issues. Principal Clients are the Commission and Energy and Communications Divisions.
Christofer Nolan, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles various administrative law matters, including but not limited to conflicts of interest, Public Record Act requests, employment law, and contract administration. Along with the State and Federal Advisory Section, this section also handles questions that arise under the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
Laura Gasser, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles state advisory matters, rehearings and state court litigation, involving state appellate courts (California Supreme Court and California Courts of Appeal). As is true with all of the advisory sections, this section can handle any of the industry areas, with an emphasis on energy and transportation. Areas of primary responsibility are as follows: Applications for Rehearing of Commission Decisions (all industry areas), State Appellate Court Challenges to Commission Decisions (all industry areas) and state advisory work. Principal Clients are the Commission, the Executive Division, ALJ Division and all of the advisory industry divisions.
Sophia Park, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles state advisory matters, rehearings and state court litigation, involving state appellate courts (California Supreme Court and California Courts of Appeal) and Superior court. As is true with all of the advisory sections, this section can handle any of the industry areas, with an emphasis on telecommunications. Areas of primary responsibility are as follows: State Advisory work, Applications for Rehearing of Commission Decisions (all industry areas), State Appellate Court Challenges to Commission Decisions (all industry areas), Superior Court. Principal Clients are the Commission, the Executive Division, ALJ Division and all of the advisory industry divisions.
Jonathan Koltz, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles both state and federal advisory matters, including federal agency work representing the Commission on behalf of ratepayers before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and in related court challenges. State advisory areas of primary responsibility include the following: Wildfire Mitigation Safety and Costs, Public Safety Power Shutoffs, Water, Gas and Oil Pipelines, and Energy Reliability. Principal Clients are the Commission, the Executive Division, ALJ Division and the advisory industry divisions.
Candance J. Morey, Assistant General Counsel
The Section handles both state and federal advisory matters, as well as special projects that may arise, or be assigned by the General Counsel. As is true with all of the advisory sections, this section can handle any of the industry areas. Areas of primary responsibility are as follows: State and federal legislation, Superior Court litigation, Safety Advisory, CEQA/NEPA, administrative law and advisory work. Principal Clients are the Commission, the Executive Division, ALJ Division and all of the advisory industry divisions.
Aaron Bloom, Assistant General Counsel