Nathan Howe is an associate at the firm's Newark office, and is a member of the Power practice group. Nathan provides value to clients in a range of regulatory and transactional matters. His clients have many different but equally important roles within the rapidly transforming energy ecosystem and include renewable energy developers, corporate buyers, utilities, retail energy suppliers and electric cooperatives, with an emphasis on the emerging industries of clean hydrogen, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and offshore wind. Nathan's deep knowledge of regulatory processes and practical business perspective allow him to provide strategic advice and tailored solutions, enabling clients to address risks, overcome challenges, and seize opportunities.
He guides clients through the intricacies of the evolving energy law landscape for onsite, offsite, distributed, and utility-scale project development for a variety of renewable energy resource types, such as solar, wind, battery storage, and alternative fuels. He has counseled clients on commercial and regulatory risks, interconnection processes, and available incentives, and on a range of contractual arrangements such as offtake agreements, acquisition agreements, and multi-party collaborations, so that they may move forward with their projects efficiently, maximizing value, and mitigating risks.
He has also represented clients in regulatory matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and other state regulatory agencies, in proceedings such as utility rate filings, mergers, contract disputes, and rulemakings. He has represented trade groups and industry stakeholders as lead counsel in renewable energy procurement, clean energy technology, and energy efficiency proceedings, including incentives programs proposed by utilities. He assists clients in all phases of these proceedings, including discovery, settlement, evidentiary hearings, and written submissions, from inception to resolution, as well as rehearings and appeals.
A former criminal prosecutor, Nathan has continued his public service by providing pro bono services to those in need. He has assisted unaccompanied immigrant minors reunite with their parents by obtaining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and reformed criminal offenders obtain a clean state through New Jersey's expungement program. He also has represented habeas corpus petitioners in constitutional rights issues and unlawful sentencing terms.
Prior to joining the firm, Nathan was an associate at a regional New Jersey-based firm, where he was part of the environment and energy practice group. His energy practice involved representing clients before regulatory agencies in rate proceedings and utility-proposed programs, providing regulatory advice, and performing regulatory due diligence.
His environmental practice included representing clients in complex litigation involving cleanup costs and natural resource damages for various hazardous substances and emerging contaminants. He also provided advice concerning environmental and related regulations pertaining to waste disposal, pesticides, and site transfers.
Previously, Nathan also has served as an assistant county prosecutor, handling both bench and jury trials, including high-profile homicide cases, and appeals. His argument before the Appellate Division for removing the inadvertency element of the plain view exception to the warrant requirement was embraced by the New Jersey Supreme Court in a 2016 decision.
- Listed in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Litigation - Environmental (2023-2024)
- Listed in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Commercial Litigation (2022-2024)
- Honored as Attorney of the Week and Attorney of the Month by Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
- First-place winner of The Environmental Law Institute’s National Writing Competition for his article titled "The Political Question Doctrine’s Role in Climate Change Nuisance Litigation: Are Power Utilities the First of Many Casualties?," 40 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 11229 (2010)
- New Jersey State Bar Association – Co-Chair, Renewable Energy, Cleantech & Climate Change Special Committee; Member, Public Utility Law Section
- Energy Bar Association, Northeast Chapter – Member, Board of Directors
- “Offshore Wind Auction Results Portend Difficulties In Gulf,” Law360, 12 September 2023
- “U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Cans Berkeley Gas Ban Under Federal Law,” Pratt’s Energy Law Report, July-August 2023
- “Proposed Regulations to Improve Offshore Wind Lease Auction Processes and Timelines,” ALI CLE’s The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, May 2023
- “How Proposed BOEM Regs Will Boost Offshore Wind Projects,” Law360, 1 February 2023
- “NY, NJ Lease Auctions Highlight US Push For Offshore Wind,” Law360, 10 February 2022
- Policy Can Foster Community-Based Energy Markets, Environmental Law Institute, The Environmental Forum, ELI Golden Anniversary Issue, Nov-Dec 2019
- California Energy Storage Initiatives: Surfing the Storage Wave; ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Natural Resources & Environment, Vol. 34 No. 1 (August 2019)
- CERCLA Cost Recovery, Contribution and a Primer on Natural Resource Damages Law: Regulation, Litigation and Basic Economic Principles (Book Chapter), ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION: LAW AND STRATEGY, Second Edition, July 2019
- The March Toward Utility-Scale Energy Storage Keeps Going and Going and Going: States Are Forming Ranks, Corporate Counsel Business Journal, April 2018
- The Political Question Doctrine’s Role in Climate Change Nuisance Litigation: Are Power Utilities the First of Many Casualties?, 40 ENVTL. L. REP. NEWS & ANALYSIS 11229 (2010)
- Quoted, “Calif. And NY Climate Change Plans: A Comparison,” Law360, 27 January 2023
