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Overview
Introduction
With nearly 15 years of experience, Elena advises clients on energy and natural resources matters.
Elena M. Romerdahl advises clients on energy, oil, gas, and mining matters, including project development and finance. She handles state and federal permitting, litigation, enforcement actions, and administrative appeals related to environmental and natural resource concerns. Her work also includes utility rate, regulatory, and tariff matters.
Elena represents clients in large project permitting and financing transactions and appears before the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Alaska Office of Administrative Hearings. She also litigates in state and federal courts. She counsels clients on environmental compliance and enforcement actions, contaminated site investigations, due diligence and title review for natural resource deals, commercial agreements, and occupational safety and health issues.
Before joining Ashurst Perkins Coie, Elena served as assistant attorney general in the Alaska Department of Law’s Natural Resources Section. She represented the state of Alaska in multiparty negotiations for the Alaska North Slope liquefied natural gas project and worked on oil and gas development matters involving permitting, land use, lease administration, royalty and taxation, commercial agreements, dismantlement, and removal and restoration issues.
Raised in Alaska, Elena has a deep understanding of the state regulatory agencies overseeing resource development. Her experience advising state agencies on resource management, development, permitting, lease administration, and administrative appeals, as well as her work with senior policymakers on legislative matters, informs her guidance to clients across Alaska’s energy and resource industries.
Education & credentials
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, The Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, Senior Notes Editor, 2010
- Pace University, M.S.T., summa cum laude, 2007
- Georgetown University, B.A., English, Government, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 2005
- Alaska
- New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska
- Alaska Department of Law, Natural Resources Section, Anchorage, AK, Assistant Attorney General, 2014-2017
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore, New York, NY, Associate, 2011-2013
- Hon. Timothy M. BurgessU.S. District Court for the District of Alaska
- Hon. Craig F. StowersSupreme Court of Alaska
Professional recognition
Listed in Chambers USA as an "Up and Coming" Natural Resources & Environment Lawyer, 2023-2026
Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Energy Law; Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law, 2021-2025
Impact
- Alaska Bar Association, Attorney Discipline Hearing Committee
- Alaska Bar Association, Pro Bono Committee
- Alaska Association of Women Lawyers, Board of Directors
- Thread Alaska, Board of Directors, President
- Alaska Resources Education, Board of Directors
- Georgetown University Regional Alumni Contact for Alaska
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