Leonard J. Marsico, a partner in McGuireWoods’ Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., offices and a leading litigator focused on serving energy industry clients, has been appointed by Energy Secretary Rick Perry to a seat on the Department of Energy’s National Coal Council.
On Aug. 11, Marsico’s nomination was confirmed for his two-year term on the NCC, an advisory board that provides guidance to Perry. NCC members include representatives from the coal industry, law, banking and finance, higher education, engineering, regulatory agencies, environmental groups and research organizations. Marsico is one of four lawyers on the NCC.
“I am honored by the appointment and look forward to bringing nearly four decades of experience and insights from serving clients in the coal industry to my work on the NCC,” said Marsico, who leads the coal group of McGuireWoods’ Energy Industry Team.
Marsico also serves as vice president of the American Coal Council, the industry’s premier trade association, a role in which he advises the organization on testimony before congressional hearings and regulatory agencies and on litigation that could affect the industry. He has litigated and arbitrated numerous complex cases for utilities, coal and gas companies. He also is among a small cadre of lawyers nationally who regularly arbitrate high-stakes fuel price redetermination matters.
The National Law Journal named Marsico to its 2016 list of Energy and Environmental Trailblazers — lawyers who influence change in the energy industry through innovative legal strategies.
The NCC produces studies and makes recommendations on topics of interest to the energy secretary. Since its creation in 1984, the NCC has published more than 30 studies, largely focused on the future of coal, management of carbon emissions, coal conversion technologies and power sector compliance with environmental regulations. The studies address engineering, environmental and regulatory issues as well as industry effects on the economy and job creation.