Christian Termyn Counsel

Christian Termyn provides counsel in a wide range of energy and natural resource areas, with a focus on power and renewable energy development matters. He plays a role in innovative projects in the Western United States, including proposed offshore and land-based wind energy facilities and the restoration of the Klamath River through removal of four dams. His regulatory and transactional experience is grounded in the public programs and private incentives driving the energy transition.

Christian works extensively with offshore wind developers and developers of onshore wind, solar, and energy storage assets to permit projects, comply with regulatory requirements, and influence critical regulatory policy proceedings at the state and federal levels. This involves obtaining and defending environmental approvals under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Clean Water Act (CWA), federal and California Endangered Species Acts (ESA/CESA), and California planning and zoning law. Christian effectively collaborates with experts on issues involving natural and cultural resources, energy, and climate change and has experience with the legal framework for protection of historic and culturally significant resources, including consultation requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and California AB 52. Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Christian interned with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Southwest Regional Solicitor, where he advised Interior bureaus on issues of Federal Indian law, administrative procedure, and water law.

Christian’s experience also includes matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), as well as comprehensive commercial counseling of energy providers, large industrial consumers of power, and offtakers of renewable power. This involves transactional matters, including power purchase and other offtake agreements, project development agreements, and regulatory due diligence in support of corporate and finance transactions.

One of Christian’s strengths is in his ability to confront both the public policy issues and the narrow legal and technical questions that arise in controversial or complex undertakings in the energy sector. Before going to law school, he worked at Advanced Energy United, a national business association for companies innovating in the generation, transmission, storage, and consumption of energy, as well as for the Center for the New Energy Economy and the New Bedford Economic Development Council. His experience with these organizations provided unique exposure to the policies and economics driving shifts in how Americans generate and consume power.

Christian received his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he served as an editor of the Columbia Journal of Environmental Law, and his B.A. from Yale University.