Overview
(April 4, 2018, Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce the addition of Wes Heath to its Energy Group. Heath, who will reside in the firm’s Washington office, joins Steptoe from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where he spent nearly a decade as a litigator and investigator in the Office of Enforcement.
At FERC, Heath was lead counsel on landmark litigation related to alleged market manipulation of US electricity markets, which resulted in a recovery of more than $100 million. Heath also worked on many investigations of potential market manipulation and other abuses concerning natural gas and power trading, regional transmission organization tariff non-compliance, gas pipeline discriminatory practices, standards of conduct for separating a public utility’s transmission and merchant businesses, and electric system reliability requirements.
Outside FERC, Heath earned certifications as an Energy Risk Professional and Financial Risk Manager from the Global Association of Risk Professionals. At Steptoe, Heath will utilize these designations and his experience to represent clients involved in investigations and enforcement actions initiated by FERC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Justice, among other agencies. He will also provide guidance on compliance with market manipulation and abuse laws and regulations, and will represent clients involved in private litigation in these areas.
“Wes’s success as lead litigation counsel for FERC’s highest profile market manipulation case coupled with his advanced certifications in the risk field provide him with the experience and tools to provide the highest caliber guidance to clients in litigation and investigations involving commodities, securities, and derivatives,” said Phil West, chair of Steptoe. “Wes will add value to clients in energy and other industries served by the firm.”
Heath commented: “In returning to private practice, my goal was to find a firm with considerable capabilities in investigations, enforcement, and regulatory compliance. Steptoe checked all the boxes. Not only does it have an esteemed energy practice, but it also has a deep bench of talented and experienced lawyers in its litigation and securities enforcement practices.”
Steptoe’s Energy Group is consistently recognized by Chambers Global and Chambers USA for having top-tier electric power and oil and gas pipeline practices. The broad-based energy and financial services team at Steptoe includes a former FERC commissioner, a former CFTC commissioner and acting chair, as well as other former senior level regulators from both agencies. Heath’s arrival further strengthens the regulatory enforcement and compliance capabilities at Steptoe, which were expanded significantly with the 2015 arrival of former FERC enforcement branch chief Dan Mullen and the 2016 arrival of Charley Mills, who brought more than 30 years of enforcement experience before the CFTC and FERC.
Heath earned his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Washington University in St. Louis where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Earlier in his career, Heath served as a special assistant attorney general in the civil division of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.