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J. Ashley Cooper

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Ashley Cooper is a member of the Firm's Corporate Group and counsels clients in the energy industry on matters involving regulatory and compliance issues.

Featured Experience


Advise clients on compliance with federal statutes and regulations, and FERC orders and policy.

Work with clients on smart grid, transmission planning, and renewable generation policy and issues.

Assist clients in developing corporate compliance programs and program training and improvement.

Professional Biography


Mr. Cooper represents companies with energy interests before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and state utility commissions. He represents clients before federal and state commissions on contested proceedings, including interconnection and transmission service disputes, contract disputes, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), demand response, and distributed energy resources. He works on a range of energy transactional matters, from project development (including obtaining regulatory approval) to sales and purchases of energy to transmission offerings. He also advises clients on emerging issues such as battery storage, electric vehicles, and renewable integration issues.

Using his experience as a former chief compliance officer and assistant general counsel for a Fortune 500 energy-based holding company, Mr. Cooper regularly works with companies to design, implement, and manage their regulatory compliance programs. He prepares clients for and represents clients during government audits and investigations.

Mr. Cooper previously served as legislative director and counsel to former U.S. Senator Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina. In this role, he worked as the senior advisor on all legislative, policy, and political matters and was the main resource for all energy, judiciary, and financial issues.

  • Advise clients on compliance with federal statutes and regulations, and FERC orders and policy.

  • Work with clients on smart grid, transmission planning, and renewable generation policy and issues.

  • Assist clients in developing corporate compliance programs and program training and improvement.

  • Experienced with energy transactional matters, including power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, and 203 regulatory approval.

  • Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital Fund, Advisory Board of Directors (2007 – present)
  • Charleston Heart Association, Heart Ball Board (2022), Board Chair (2023)
  • Communities In Schools of South Carolina, Inc., Board of Directors (2006 – 2008)
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Energy Law (2017 – 2025); Energy Regulatory Law (2016 – 2025)
  • Named a Charleston Business Magazine's "Top Attorney in Energy & Utilities" (2020 – 2021); "Legal Elite" in Government (2018 – 2019); and Energy & Utilities (2020 – 2021, 2023)
  • "New FERC Cyber Rules May Push Companies to Revise Plans," Bloomberg Environment (August 2019)
  • "Tips For Solar Power Operators Facing Reliability Audits," Law360 (June 2018)
  • "Energy Storage and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)," E4 Carolinas (Summer 2019)
  • Moderator – "Top 10 Legal Considerations — South Carolina," North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association 2016 Clean Energy CLE: Policy in the Southeast (February 2016)

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