Ben brings a rare combination of legal and commercial experience to the transactions powering today’s evolving energy market. Drawing on his background as both an attorney and commercial energy negotiator, he advises utilities, independent power producers (IPPs), developers, and other energy market participants on structuring, negotiating, and executing complex agreements supporting power generation, energy storage, and emerging energy infrastructure. Ben practices from Knoxville, Tennessee as a member of our virtual office, The Link.
With nearly a decade of energy industry experience, Ben understands how legal, regulatory, and market forces influence energy project development and investment decisions. Before returning to private practice, he served in legal and commercial leadership roles at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), supporting utility-scale energy procurement, renewable generation, and emerging energy initiatives.
At TVA, Ben began as a staff attorney, advising on wholesale power contracts, renewable energy programs, and regulatory matters, including the development of TVA’s Green Invest program. He later joined TVA’s commercial origination team, negotiating renewable energy credit (REC) transactions and leading utility-scale power purchase agreement (PPA) negotiations with IPPs. As a senior originator and manager, he negotiated more than 2,200 MW of solar and battery storage projects representing approximately $7-8 billion in contract value. He also helped develop TVA’s renewable energy, battery storage, and natural gas generation contracting frameworks and created commercial procurement processes to address evolving resource needs and interconnection requirements.
Today, Ben advises clients on energy transactions involving utility-scale PPAs, renewable energy and battery storage projects, tolling and other offtake arrangements, interconnection matters, and strategic commercial agreements. His experience on both the legal and commercial sides of energy transactions allows him to provide practical guidance on the considerations that drive successful project development and execution.
Ben is part of a multidisciplinary team that supports clients throughout the development and financing of energy projects, collaborating on matters involving site acquisition, real estate, permitting, regulatory compliance, and offtake arrangements. By combining a transaction-focused perspective with an understanding of the broader project lifecycle, Ben helps clients identify opportunities, address challenges, and move projects forward.
Ben’s military service shaped the disciplined, mission-focused mindset he brings to his practice. As a former U.S. Army Reserve operations officer, he applies that same discipline to each engagement by understanding objectives, anticipating obstacles, and developing strategies to achieve results. Clients and industry partners value his preparation, work ethic, transparency, and ability to bridge legal, commercial, and technical considerations.