
Winston P. Skinner


Winston’s principal areas of practice are utility regulation and eminent domain litigation, with a focus on representing utilities in the electric, oil and gas industries, including rate, certification, and rulemaking proceedings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), Railroad Commission of Texas (RCT), other state and federal regulatory commissions, and Texas courts. His eminent domain practice includes litigation and counseling on behalf of both condemning authorities and Texas landowners.
Experience Highlights
(PUCT) — Co-lead counsel before the PUCT and State Office of Administrative Hearings for various electric utilities’ applications for certificates of convenience and necessity (CCN) for numerous 345 and 138 kilovolt electric transmission lines throughout Texas
(RCT) – Lead counsel before the RCT in gas utility’s application for securitization recovery of extraordinary gas costs related to Winter Storm Uri event
(RCT) – Co-lead counsel before the RCT for four gas local distribution companies’ base rate cases and consolidation proceedings
(RCT) – Co-lead counsel before the RCT for three gas transmission pipelines’ base rate cases and consolidation proceedings
(Regulatory Commission of Alaska) — Trial counsel for gas utility in base rate proceeding
(PUCT) — Represented electric utility in base rate case and change of control proceedings
(Tex. − Wise County Court at Law) — Represented an electric utility in condemnation and nuisance proceedings relating to the construction of a transmission line; the matter was successfully resolved at mediation after obtaining summary judgment in client’s favor on the nuisance claim
Represents electric utility and pipeline clients in various state courts across Texas seeking to obtain easements through condemnation for numerous projects totaling hundreds of miles
(PUCT) — Represents electric utility clients in various CCN, rulemaking, complaint, and rate proceedings
(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) — Represented various natural gas pipelines in Section 311 rate proceedings
Credentials
- Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 2011
- Louisiana State University, B.A., political science summa cum laude, 2008 (Phi Beta Kappa)
- Judicial clerk for The Honorable James J. Brady, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 2011–2012
- Chambers USA, Energy: State Regulatory & Litigation (Oil & Gas)(Texas), 2023
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Energy Law (Dallas), 2022–2024
- Juvenile Pro Bono Award 2013, co-recipient of firm-wide pro bono award for work representing clients before the Dallas County Truancy Courts
- Member: American Bar Association; Texas Bar Association
- Texas; Louisiana (inactive)
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 21, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 18, 2022