2009-11-09 20:41:01 -

Environmental and energy law firm Marten Law PLLC announces the opening of its Portland, Oregon office. Michael C. Dotten will head the new office, which will provide regulatory and litigation services in energy, environmental, and climate change.

Marten Law’s founder and Managing Partner, Bradley M. Marten, notes that the growth of the firm is a reflection of client needs in responding

to regulatory changes in the area of climate change, at both the federal and state levels. Marten Law’s practice, which is now among the largest in the region, focuses exclusively on environmental and energy law issues. The firm represents clients nationwide, and many with significant operations in Oregon and southwest Washington, including Alcoa, Precision Castparts, Schnitzer West, Chevron, Federal Express and the J.R. Simplot Co. In 2009, Marten Law served as lead environmental counsel on some of the most controversial claims in the largest environmental bankruptcy case ever in the U.S. and several of the largest environmental cleanups in the Pacific Northwest. The firm has had a Seattle office since 2002 and is planning strategic national growth.

Portland Office Manager Michael C. Dotten is one of the leading energy lawyers in the West, and was the founder and former managing partner of Heller Ehrman’s Portland office. He brings over 30 years of experience in energy law, having negotiated major electric power and gas supply contracts, power transmission and gas transportation agreements, and utility merger and acquisition agreements. Dotten represents utilities, energy project developers, industrial energy consumers, and governmental agencies. He also has represented consortiums of clients in energy-related National Environmental Policy Act matters, energy rate cases, and utility siting proceedings. Dotten previously served as General Counsel of PG&E Gas Transmission Northwest and Senior Rate Counsel and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Bonneville Power Administration.

Also joining the Portland Office are attorneys Dustin T. Till and Adam D. Orford. Till has represented clients in a broad range of energy and environmental matters, including litigating energy rates before the Bonneville Power Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; defending challenges to energy infrastructure projects; and negotiating settlements in complex hazardous waste cleanup matters. He currently represents a local air permitting agency in one of Washington’s first climate change lawsuits. Till is admitted to practice in Washington; his Oregon Bar application is pending.

Adam D. Orford joins the firm from Arnold & Porter’s New York office, where his practice included litigation and counseling on complex environmental, energy and administrative matters for clients including developers, public utilities, municipalities, non-profits and petroleum, chemical and products manufacturers, before state and federal trial and appeals courts, public utility commissions, and federal, state and city environmental agencies. Orford is a member of the New York Bar and currently is applying to be admitted in Oregon.

Marten Law advises clients on all aspects of environmental and energy law, assisting companies and public agencies with their most challenging energy, environmental, land use, and natural resources issues. The firm represents clients in agriculture, energy, forestry, food processing, manufacturing, oil and gas, and real estate. See www.martenlaw.com : for more detail on our services, our clients, and our people.

Marten LawBradley M. Marten, Managing Partner206-292-2600 bmarten@martenlaw.com : mailto:bmarten@martenlaw.com orMarten
Law, PortlandMichael C. Dotten, 503-243-2200 mdotten@martenlaw.com : mailto:mdotten@martenlaw.com