Syracuse, New York – December 12, 2014 – Hiscock & Barclay, LLP welcomes experienced attorney Brenda D. Colella as a Partner in the Syracuse office and a member of the firm's Project Development, Energy and Regulatory Practice Areas.
Colella brings over a decade of experience representing clients in the energy sector, particularly with respect to the siting approval, construction and financing of large linear projects, including electric transmission line and pipeline projects, as well as representing clients in every facet of project development. She regularly assists energy based companies as well as other business clients in matters of site acquisition and right-to-build issues, construction and other project development agreements, project financing, and tax mitigation measures such as payment-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) agreements and development incentives
Colella has been actively involved in supporting energy and other project development projects, as well as counseling both established and emerging businesses on a myriad of issues. Her experience includes representing clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the New York State Public Service Commission, other state public utility commissions, and various local municipalities.
Prior to joining Hiscock & Barclay, Colella was a partner at Gilberti, Stinziano, Heintz & Smith, P.C., where she was Chair of the Corporate Department and handled and supervised a wide range of transactional and regulatory matters, including those involving the purchase, sale and lease of commercial property; the merger and acquisitions of businesses; project construction and development; and energy projects, including minor and major transmission lines and pipelines(electric, gas and petroleum) and renewable energy developments. She has been closely involved in the preparation and negotiation of ground, office and shopping center leases, asset/stock purchase agreements, professional service, construction management and owner-contractor agreements, and power purchase, transmission service and interconnection agreements, among others.
In addition to her project development, energy and regulatory practice experience, Colella has a significant background handling business litigation, environmental review and permitting, zoning, land use and municipal law matters. Before her association with the Gilberti firm, she practiced law with a boutique Washington, DC law firm for six years, where she represented clients across the nation in property rights litigation before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and various federal courts. She also prepared several amicus curiae briefs on behalf of clients in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Colella received her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Dayton School of Law. She is admitted to practice in New York and the District of Columbia. As an active participant of her community, she is a member of various organizations, including the National Association of Women Lawyers, the Central New York Women's Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association's Business Law Section, and Women TIES.
Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, listed as a "Top 250 Firm" by The National Law Journal, is a full-service, 210-attorney law firm, with offices throughout the major cities of New York State, as well as in Boston, Washington, Newark, N.J. and Toronto, providing comprehensive legal and business counsel to a diverse client base in 30 practice areas.