Perkins Coie Client Awarded more than $50 Million for Partial Breach of Contract Claim

On December 18, 2009, the United States Court of Federal Claims issued an opinion awarding more than $50 million to Perkins Coie's client, Wisconsin Electric Power Company, in its claim against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for partial breach of a contract to accept and dispose of spent nuclear fuel from the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant. Wisconsin Electric's case was presented by the Perkins Coie trial team during a Washington D.C. trial lasting more than five weeks; during which 27 witnesses testified and hundreds of exhibits were entered into evidence. The Court awarded Wisconsin Electric more than 96% of its claimed "nominal," or non-finance-related damages to mitigate the DOE's partial breach. The Perkins Coie trial team included Partners Rick Oehler, Don Carney and Mary Rose Hughes, Associates Emily Poulin and Jay Griffiths, and Paralegals Beverly Kershaw and Mary Lou Maag.