W. Patrick Dinnin

Senior Associate

  • W. Patrick Dinnin
  • Phone: +1 512 277 2265

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    Terrace 7
    2801 Via Fortuna, Suite 200
    Austin, TX 78746-7567
    USA

W. Patrick Dinnin practices in Duane Morris’ Trial Group with a focus on the energy industry. He also serves as an Associate Liaison for the Duane Morris Energy industry group.

Mr. Dinnin has extensive experience in electricity, water, natural gas, and telecommunications matters before state regulatory agencies, including his time with the Enforcement Division at the Public Utility Commission of Texas. He has represented landowners and businesses in negotiating and drafting renewable energy agreements with developers of utility-scale wind, solar and energy storage projects. Additionally, he has represented various market participants across a broad range of state and federal administrative agency matters, including litigation, ratemaking proceedings, rulemakings, complaints, enforcement matters and policy comments in agency projects. In addition to his energy practice, he routinely helps construction clients resolve disputes and navigate litigated matters.

Mr. Dinnin also maintains a significant transactional practice. He counsels energy and construction clients by analyzing statutory and regulatory requirements across the United States and drafting contracts aimed at compliance.

Mr. Dinnin is a 2015 graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Government.

Areas of Practice

  • Litigation

  • Energy

  • Renewable Energy
  • Construction & Engineering

Representative Matters

  • Served as outside counsel for Direct Energy in its ongoing defense and appeals related to enforcement proceedings before the Maryland Public Service Commission, the Maryland Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Maryland Supreme Court regarding alleged violations of state statutes and regulations concerning marketing and contracting practices, in a dispute with significant repercussions for the regulatory landscape in Maryland across the energy industry.

  • Acted as outside legal counsel for Papomemito Partners Ltd., the owner of a large South Texas ranch, in the negotiation and drafting of two 200 MW energy storage lease agreements, and related easements, with international renewable energy developer, BayWa r.e. The heavily negotiated agreements provide Papomemito with novel compensation terms allowing it to benefit from the projects’ profitability and extensive protections of its land and natural resources; this negotiation was complicated by Papomemito’s existing leases and easements for wind and solar development on the land. Once developed, the energy storage facilities will be among the largest in the state.

  • Serves as regulatory compliance counsel for a company that provides energy and water “submetering” and billing services for multi-family properties, regarding several states’ regulatory statutes (TX, PA, GA, TN, VA, FL, CA, CO, IL, WA and D.C.) and regulations governing third-party utility billing rights and restrictions.

  • Represented SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR) in connection with various regulatory and compliance-related matters across the U.S.

  • Represented Reliant (an NRG company, NYSE: NRG) in dispute related to Winter Storm Uri and related ERCOT imbalance charges.

  • Served on the trial counsel team representing Chevron Energy Solutions (a former division of Chevron NYSE: CVX) in connection with an arbitration related to energy savings performance contract.

  • Represent Service Experts LLC in ongoing efforts advising and counseling regarding its “Advantage” lease program for HVAC systems, boilers, water heaters and softeners, and other home devices for compliance with state laws for disclosure and notice requirements.

  • Represented Qualified Scheduling Entity in enforcement investigation before Public Utility Commission of Texas.

  • Represented coalitions of cities in rulemaking proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

  • Represented coalitions of cities in electricity utility rate cases, distribution cost recovery factor (DCRF) proceedings, and Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factor (EECRF) proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

  • Represented coalitions of cities in natural gas rulemaking proceedings before the Railroad Commission of Texas.

  • Represented a water utility in its approval of new water and sewer rates before the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

  • Settled the Public Utility Commission’s largest penalty against an electricity utility for customer billing violations.

  • Settled enforcement action against Retail Electric Provider for violation of customer protection rules concerning solicitation and telemarketing.

  • Developed submetered and allocated billing enforcement strategy for Public Utility Commission of Texas.

  • Settled enforcement action against apartment complex owners for violation of submetered and allocated electricity billing rules and statutes.

  • Settled enforcement action against apartment complex owners for violation of submetered and allocated water billing rules and statutes.

  • Settled enforcement action against mobile home park for billing violations.

  • Negotiated the placement of a water utility into receivership for hostility towards the Public Utility Commission of Texas and for failing to provide continuous and adequate service.

  • Drafted rules for Public Utility Commission of Texas to implement legislation.

Admissions

  • Texas

Education

  • University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 2015
  • University of Texas at Austin, B.A., 2011

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Senior Associate, 2025-present
    - Associate, 2021-2024
  • Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend P.C.
    - Associate, 2018-2021
  • The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC)
    - Attorney, Oversight and Enforcement Division (O&E), 2016-2018
  • Danilov & Konradi LLP
    - Associate, 2015-2016
  • Texas House of Representatives – Representative J. M. Lozano
     - Legislative Fellowship, 2015

Honors and Awards

  • Best Teammate – University of Texas Rugby Team (2011)
  • Eagle Scout – Boy Scouts of America (2005)

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Texas Coalition of Cities for Utility Issues (TCCFUI) Annual Conference, speaker, The Texas Landscape for Municipally Provided Broadband, December 2020