Biography: 

Debra L. Bouffard joined the firm in September 2004 and is a principal of the firm. Debra’s practice is focused on energy and telecommunications law.  Debra regularly appears before the Vermont Public Utility Commission assisting utilities with permitting requests, regulatory compliance, energy project siting, utility service tariffs and rate plans, and other energy transmission and distribution issues. As well, Debra has extensive litigation experience representing public utilities and other companies before local boards and in state and federal courts.  In addition, Debra counsels and advises firm clients on all types of employment-related questions, including such topics as discrimination and harassment claims, internal investigations, leave management, and separation from employment.

Notable Representations:

• Served as counsel to Consolidated Communications in petitioning for regulatory approval from the Vermont Public Utility Commission to acquire control of FairPoint Communications, Inc., including its Vermont subsidiaries.
• Frequently assists utilities in preparing detailed and comprehensive project-specific materials to request permits from the Vermont Public Utility Commission to build and/or upgrade energy transmission infrastructure.
• Obtained injunctions against protesters and an adjacent landowner interfering with construction of a large wind farm, and in a separate lawsuit, obtained a mandatory injunction requiring a gas station owner to remove its tanks to protect neighboring businesses.
• Represented Vermont’s largest retirement community in a trial involving a tax valuation of a $40 million property.
• Defended a hospital against employment contract claims in an arbitration brought on behalf of a group of physician specialists, winning a favorable verdict after trial to an arbitrator.