Mr. Trotter is recognized for his expertise in diverse practice areas including general litigation, administrative law, appellate practice, and public utility & energy law. Read more about his experience in these areas of practice.

 

 

General Litigation

Mr. Trotter is an experienced trial lawyer with an active practice in state and federal courts.  His litigation experience is an integral part of the foundation upon which other practice areas have been built.  Mr. Trotter’s experience is largely defense-oriented, but he has represented clients on both sides of the docket and is active in litigation sections of the Arkansas Bar Association. Representative business litigation includes:

• Contract Disputes

• Public Utility Issues

• Administrative Enforcement Actions

• Labor and Employment Disputes

• Statutory/Regulatory Interpretation

• Judicial Review and Administrative Action

• Real Estate Disputes

• Construction Matters

 

Administrative Law

Mr. Trotter has appeared before multiple state and city agencies on behalf of business and individual clients, and he has defended state agencies in administrative hearings and in court where agency rules are challenged.  He has extensive experience representing both utilities and intervenors before the state utility regulatory commission, both in major rate and utility siting cases as well as in an array of rulemakings. 

 

Appellate Practice

Mr. Trotter has successfully briefed and argued numerous cases for his clients before state and federal appellate courts. He has represented clients before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Eighth, and Tenth Circuits and in the Supreme Courts of Arkansas and Louisiana.

 

Public Utility & Energy Law

Mr. Trotter practices extensively in the field of public utility law, dealing with all aspects of electric utilities, natural gas and telecommunications services. His experience includes appearances before state utility regulatory commissions, including:

• Compliance with regulatory rulings and regulations

• Development of rate case applications and supporting testimony

• Representation at rate case proceedings and other hearings

• Applications for certificates of convenience and necessity

 

Public Utility & Energy Law

Arkansas landowners are being contacted by commercial solar energy developers.  They may want to lease acreage for installation of solar energy collectors.  Electric power generated by these solar farms would be sold to local utility companies.

 

Landowners may need assistance in negotiating leases of their land for these solar energy farms.  The leases are far more complicated than typical land leases. 

 

Mr. Trotter is ready to assist landowners in negotiating these solar farm leases.

 

The firm also represents large institutional users of electricity in negotiating agreements in competitive markets, including review and analysis of statutory and regulatory requirements, consideration of energy supply options, and negotiating power supply contracts. The firm has advocated the interests of commercial customers in gas utility rate cases.  Mr. Trotter is active before the state legislature in drafting, analyzing and promoting legislation involving deregulation and other energy regulatory issues. Other electric utility, regulatory experience includes transmission line siting, nuclear decommissioning, power plant proceedings and other issues.