Bingham ConsultingWilliam D. Kissinger
Bingham McCutchen, Partner
Bingham Consulting Group, Consultant
- T 415.393.2850
- F 415.393.2286
- San Francisco
William Kissinger returned to the firm after spending two years working as senior deputy legal affairs secretary to Governor Gray Davis and serving as the primary legal contact for the Office of the Governor with Cal EPA, Cal Health and Human Services Agency and the Resources Agency. Bill also served as a member of the governor’s Energy Task Force responsible for shaping California’s strategy in responding to the electricity crisis. He was California's lead negotiator in the effort to renegotiate the multibillion-dollar energy contracts the state entered into in early 2001. His efforts resulted in greatly improved contract terms with future savings to the state in excess of $5 billion over the life of the contracts. Bill was also a member of the California Electricity Oversight Board, after being appointed by Governor Davis in 2002.
Prior to that, Bill served as senior adviser for international economic policy at the White House National Economic Council and as special assistant to the legal adviser for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
He originally joined legacy McCutchen in 1989 and was a partner in the Environment and Litigation Groups from 1995 to 1997, with an emphasis on hazardous waste litigation and tort law matters. Since returning to the firm from public service, Bill has expanded his litigation practice to include energy and international legal matters. He is also a member of Bingham Consulting Group.
- Energy-Related Matters
- Represented California municipal public utility in section 206 proceeding before FERC against an Investor Owned Utility arising out of the breach of an interconnection agreement
- Appeared on behalf of two Mexicali based combined cycle power plants in CPUC proceedings related to the acquisition by San Diego Gas & Electric Co. of resources to meet grid reliability criteria
- Represented party before California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) seeking Commission approval of the sale of the 1,050 MW Mountainview Power Project to Southern California Edison
- Participated in California Independent System Operator (CAISO) sponsored stakeholder process relating to the management of transmission congestion and the proposed development of additional congestion management zones
- Appearances before Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relating to challenges of proposed CAISO tariff amendments and associated compliance filings
- Represented InterGen Services, Inc. before the CPUC proceedings relating to the development of various transmission upgrade projects
- Renegotiated on behalf of the California Department of Water Resources Power Purchase Agreements with Allegheny Energy Supply, CalPeak, Constellation Power Source, Edison Mission Energy, El Paso, GWF Energy LLC, High Desert Power, PGE Trading, Williams Energy Marketing & Trading. Renegotiated contracts resulted in more than $5 billion in savings to the State of California
- Led US delegation on behalf of the US Department of State to successfully conclude negotiations with Canada on the sale of Canadian electricity into the Pacific Northwest
- Environmental Litigation-Related Matters
- Plaintiff’s counsel in multi-party cost recovery action pending in U.S. District Court Hawaii
- Represented former property interest holder within Hylebos Superfund site, Tacoma, Washington
- Established new precedent under California Right-to-Know statute that provided additional protection to commercial trade secrets
- Extensive involvement in all phases of Superfund litigation and remediation, including U.S. v. Stringfellow, U.S. v. Allied, U.S. v. Bunker Hill
- Other Matters
- Advised party seeking to do business with State of California on State procurement practices
- Acted as lead plaintiffs’ counsel in multiparty litigation involving tort law claims of first impression under California law; successfully negotiated multimillion-dollar settlement for client. Efforts recognized by California Lawyer magazine
- "Coal in the West" Conference, Law Seminars International, Denver, CO, March 2007
- Northern California "Super Lawyer," Law & Politics and SF Magazine (2005)
- Certificate of Excellence awarded by Attorney General Bill Lockyer (2003) for "extraordinary advocacy for California energy consumers"
- U.S. Department of State Superior Honor Award (2000) for outstanding contribution to negotiations resolving claims of the People's Republic of China against the United States arising out of the Chinese Embassy bombing in Belgrade, Yugoslavia
- 1996 "California Lawyer of the Year" based on advocacy in a pro bono action against the assault weapon manufacturer used in mass shooting in San Francisco high-rise building
- The Jack Berman Advocacy Center of the American Jewish Congress 1996 Community Service Award
- Margaret Sanger Community Sanger Service Award Planned Parenthood Association of San Mateo (1992); recognized for successful prosecution of claims for injunction relief against Operation Rescue on behalf of Planned Parenthood health care clinic
- Notes and Comments Editor, Ecology Law Quarterly
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Bar Association of San Francisco
- Member, Conference of California Public Utility Counsel
- Board Member, UC Berkeley Boalt Hall Alumni Board
- Member, Pacific Council on International Policy
- Member, Legal Community Against Violence
- Admitted to practice in California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- University of California Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), J.D., 1987
- Princeton University, B.A., cum laude, 1982
