Dana Contratto is the Chairman of Crowell & Moring's Energy Group and is resident in the Washington office. He represents clients in environmental, natural resources, and energy litigation, regulatory, legislative, business development, commercial negotiation, and general corporate matters. His practice experience is both domestic U.S. and international, including substantial matters in Latin America, the Far East, Africa, and the Caspian Sea. Substantive areas of expertise that he has developed include electric generation and transmission, natural gas production, transmission, storage, distribution, and marketing, oil and gas leasing, exploration, development, and production, petrochemical production, minerals exploitation, pesticide and agriculture regulation, natural resource development, and the corporate structure and governance and financing and transactions documentation related to such matters.

Dana has written and spoken extensively at private and public seminars and conferences and corporate retreats on a wide range of issues related to energy, natural resource, and environmental issues. He has advised both public and private sector interests on natural resource and energy infrastructure development issues and has represented commercial and lending institutions on economic development and international trade policies.

His undergraduate degree in marketing is from Southern Illinois University, and his law degree is from Washington University, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Urban Law Annual, now the Washington University Journal of Law & Policy. Prior to entering private practice, Dana served as a Court Law Clerk to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and thereafter as a law clerk to The Honorable Edward Allen Tamm, Chief Judge of the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals and Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Dana has been named one of the top lawyers in the Energy field for the District of Columbia by Chambers USA. He has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2008 in the areas of Administrative Law and Energy Law.

Education
Southern Illinois University, B.S., 1970
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law , J.D., 1973

Affiliations
Admitted to practice: District of Columbia

Publications
"Mexico’s 2008 Energy Reforms," Energy Law and Transactions, published by Matthew Bender (2009). Author: Dana Contratto.

"ECT: One, Two, Three: A Brief Primer on Investment Protection Under the Energy Charter Treaty," Russia/Eurasia Committee Newsletter (Fall 2007). Co-Authors: M. Brinkley Tappan and Dana C. Contratto.

"Senate Convenes Natural Gas Policy Summit," 21 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 8 (March 2005). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Energy Policy Struggles Continue in 2005," 21 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 6 (January 2005). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Gas Industry on Track to Resolve Quality Issues," 21 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 5 (December 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Bankruptcy Court Trumps FERC," 21 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 3 (October 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Terrorism Defense Remains High Priority," 21 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 2 (September 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"States’ Rights Meet the Power Act," 20 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 12 (July 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Blackout Task Force Recommendations Present Challenges," 20 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 11 (June 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"'Helping' the Market Provide Just and Reasonable Prices," 20 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 8 (March 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"FERC Converges Electric and Gas Standards of Conduct," 20 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 7 (February 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"A Commentary on Mexican Energy Policy and Developments at 2004," Energy Law and Transactions (2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Though Stalled, Electric Reliability Act of 2003 Indicates Public Policy Direction," Electric & Natural Gas Business: Using New Strategies, Understanding the Issues (2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Delayed Natural Gas and Electric Policy Bill Indicates Future Direction," 20 Natural Gas & Electricity No. 6 (January 2004). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Energy Developments in Mexico," Texas Mexico Bar Association (October 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Blackout 2003 Energizes Congress on Electric Energy Policy," 20 NATURAL GAS & ELECTRICITY No. 3 (October 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Gas-Price Jump Is Much Ado About Something," 20 NATURAL GAS No. 2 (September 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Is There an Emerging Trend for Rate-Basing Generation?," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 12 (July 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Creditworthiness Remains Unresolved Territory," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 11 (June 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"FERC Gets the Caution Light on SMD," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 9 (April 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Dollars and Sense of the Market Take Center Stage," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 8 (March 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"FERC Trying to Reinvent Electric Industry through Standard Market Design," ELECTRIC AND NATURAL GAS BUSINESS: UNDERSTANDING IT! (2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Distribution, the Place to be in ’03," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 6 (January 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"FERC Struggles to Define a Standard for Reviewing Market-Based Rate Changes," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 5 (December 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"FERC Moves to the Gas Agenda," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 4 (November 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Capacity Release Rate Caps Show Regulatory Gradualism," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 3 (October 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Distribution a Calmer Eye of the Energy Storm," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 2 (September 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Comprehensive Report Shows Crucial Requirements for LDC Growth," 19 NATURAL GAS No. 1 (August 2003). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Pipelines Keep Chipping Away," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 11 (June 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Supreme Court Case: LDC Viewpoint," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 10 (May 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"LNG Continues to Show Promise, despite Glitches," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 8 (March 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Learning from Enron," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 7 (February 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Activity Foreseen in Many Important LDC Areas," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 6 (January 2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Mexico: Good Start, Great Regulations, But Mixed Results for Participants," NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRIES ANALYSIS (2002). Author: Dana Contratto.

"After September 11," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 5 (December 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"A Welcome Glimmer of Jurisdictional Flexibility," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 4 (November 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"'Electric-Gas' Industry Provides Opportunities," 18 NATURAL GAS No. 2 (September 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"National Energy Policy Returns to the Fore," 17 NATURAL GAS No. 12 (July 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Affiliate Regulation and the Virtues of Moderation," 17 NATURAL GAS No. 10 (May 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Bad Facts, Bad Law, Emergency Facts, Emergency Law," 17 NATURAL GAS No. 8 (March 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Thoughts in 'Aught One,'" 17 NATURAL GAS No. 7 (February 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"The Implications of Six-Dollar Gas," 17 NATURAL GAS No. 6 (January 2001). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Consulta para avanzar hacia una estructura más eficiente y competitiva en la industria del gas natural," (Winter 2000). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Outlook for Natural Gas and Power Industries in Mexico," NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY ANALYSIS – 2000-2001 (2000). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Mexican Developments – Staying the Course," NATURAL GAS (March 1998). Author: Dana Contratto.

"International Focus: New Opportunities in Mexico," THE 1997 NATURAL GAS YEARBOOK (1997). Author: Dana Contratto.

"Regional Interdependency: Benefits of and Barriers to Environmental and Energy Cooperation," REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF BORDER ENERGY FORUM IV (October 1997). Author: Dana Contratto.

Speeches & Presentations
"The Energy Equation: Innovations and Policies for a Greener India," 14th Wharton India Economic Forum (March 2010). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Transboundary Reservoirs -- the Mexico/US Situation in the Gulf of Mexico: Issues and Remedies," Border Energy Forum XVI (October 2009). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Natural Gas in Mexico and the U.S.: Important Public Policy and Commercial Issues," Border Energy Forum XIV (October 2007). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Investment Protection and the Energy Charter Treaty," International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, Energy Charter Secretariat, Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (May 2007). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Managing Electric Utilities and Natural Gas Interdependency," Electric Utility Consultants, Inc. (March 2007). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Determinación de Precios del Gas en un Contexto de Integración Regional," Organización Latinoamericana de Energía (September 2006). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"North American Energy Policy," Border Energy Forum XI (October 2004). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Potential Impact of Constrained Natural Gas Supply on Electricity Sector Environmental Performance," Policy and Financial Incentive Workshop: Improving Environmental Performance of Central Generation Facilities (July 2003). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Implementing Energy Projects in Latin America: Entering, Surviving, and Prospering," Twelfth Annual Latin American Energy Conference, INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS (May 2003). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Examining the Future of Sustainable Energy Development in Emerging Economies," THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW, Symposium 2003 (February 2003). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"LNG in the Californias – Issues and Opportunities," INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS (January 2003). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Understanding Energy in Mexico – Opportunities for the U.S.," TULSA GLOBAL ALLIANCE (May 2002). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"An Assessment of the Opening of the Mexican Natural Gas Industry," REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF BORDER ENERGY FORUM VII (October 2001). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Effective Use of Business Entities to Limit Risk and Engage in Post-Production Activities," PROCEEDINGS Of THE TEXAS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION COURSE (September 1999). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"New Business Opportunities in Mexico," The Energy Law Institute for Attorneys and Landmen, South Texas College of Law Continuing Legal Education Course (August 1999). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"Regulatory and Legal Framework," Mexican Natural Gas Congress and Exhibition (July 1998). Speaker: Dana Contratto.

"The Emerging Market for Natural Gas Price Risk Management in Mexico," ENERGY IN THE NEWS (Summer 1997). Speaker: Dana Contratto.