J. Joseph Curran, III

J. Joseph "Max" Curran, III is chair of the Energy and Utilities Practice Group. As both counsel regularly appearing before state utility commissions and a former Commissioner on Maryland's Public Service Commission, Max brings to his clients extensive knowledge of state regulatory issues concerning the electric, gas, water, and telecommunications industries.

Recent matters representative of Max's practice include:

• Representation of two investor-owned electric companies in their merger resulting in their ability to exercise substantial control over the policies and actions of a western Maryland electric utility, creating one of the largest energy companies in the country serving six million customers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. 
• Representation of a large national energy company in connection with its billion dollar plus acquisition of Mid-Atlantic electrical generating facilities. The matter encompassed six sites in Maryland and Delaware for which the firm was responsible for local state and local environmental, tax, real estate, and regulatory matters.
• Representation of a joint venture of major utilities in the licensing and development of the Maryland piece of a 267-mile 765 kV high voltage transmission line.
• Representation of a nuclear development company, in the siting, licensing and development of a new generation nuclear plant, including representing the company in the complex and extensive regulatory reviews in the state of Maryland.

During his six-year term on the PSC, he implemented changes in Maryland's energy policy allowing customers to choose, for the first time, their electricity and gas suppliers. Max also played a leading role in the fostering of renewable energy resources in the state and promoting energy conservation and demand response programs in the Mid-Atlantic region.

While a commissioner, Max was an active member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). He served as Co-Vice Chairman of NARUC's Washington Action Committee, which maximizes NARUC's effectiveness on energy and telecommunications issues before Congress, and served on NARUC's Telecommunications Committee and on its Ad Hoc Committee on Critical Infrastructure, working to ensure the security of our nation's energy infrastructure.

Max is frequently tapped to speak about developments in the state and federal regulatory environments and on regulatory issues in general. His presentations have been attended by state regulators, energy company management, utility boards of directors, energy company investors and labor representatives.

Immediately prior to joining Saul Ewing, Max represented the nation's leading Internet phone company in efforts to implement enhanced public safety (911) service in several states. In these efforts, he has worked with utility commissions around the country.

He is admitted to practice before the Maryland Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.