Delivering innovative solutions from experienced, resourceful attorneys.

Our Practice Areas

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

Firm attorneys assist public clients in the procurement of renewable energy project development (wind, solar, battery storage), evaluating renewable energy projects, negotiation and evaluation of power purchase agreements, negotiation and assessment of site leases, review of renewable energy credit purchase and sale agreements, and navigating the permitting and regulatory requirements surrounding renewable energy project development. Firm attorneys have supported public procurements resulting in the development of over 30 megawatts of solar photovoltaic projects on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard (on school roofs, capped landfills and local airports).

Energy

Energy

Firm attorneys routinely support clients before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities on matters ranging from the competitive provision of retail electric generation, utility rate design, net metering, aggregated electric power supply and the implementation of energy efficiency and demand side management programs.

Firm attorneys also assist public clients hosting or impacted by energy facilities navigate the Massachusetts energy facilities siting process in review of utility and energy company proposals for construction of generation plants, electric transmission and gas distribution lines, and renewable energy facilities.

The Firm is General Counsel to a joint powers entity of twenty-one towns and one county providing regional service to a combined population of a quarter million people on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The Firm assists this entity procure and negotiate power supply for over 160,000 customers and undertake the provision of innovative and nationally recognized energy efficiency programs.

Firm attorneys also supported the formation of and serve as General Counsel to an electric cooperative authorized to procure long-term purchases of wholesale power and to own and operate renewable energy generating facilities.

Business and Nonprofit

Business and Nonprofit

The Firm represents business corporations, general and limited partnerships, limited liability companies and other business entities in commercial and contractual matters. Firm attorneys have assisted clients to review and understand laws governing corporate filings, corporate acquisitions and joint ventures. The Firm also supports nonprofit clients navigate the process of organizing and operating as a charitable, tax-exempt organization.

Meet our Team

Audrey Eidelman Kiernan
Audrey Eidelman Kiernan
President and Director
READ BIO
Audrey Eidelman Kiernan

Audrey Eidelman Kiernan

President and Director

Audrey Eidelman Kiernan focuses her practice on energy, renewable energy and regulatory and administrative law. On behalf of Firm clients, she routinely plans for and assists in multi-governmental procurements for retail energy supply, and has managed several multi-governmental procurements for renewable energy systems.  Audrey Eidelman Kiernan routinely provides support to clients in proceedings before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities related to energy efficiency, power supply, utility ratemaking, interconnection of distributed generation and green energy programs and also represents clients in proceedings before the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board related to the siting of energy and renewable energy projects.   She has been involved in analysis of Massachusetts’ renewable energy credit markets and net metering policy.  Prior to founding the Firm, she was Senior Counsel for eleven years at BCK Law, P.C.   Audrey Eidelman Kiernan also started her legal career as an associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Kutak Rock LLP, a national Firm, practicing in the areas of military base closure, realignment and reuse, federal privatization, federal property acquisition and federal contracts. Audrey Eidelman Kiernan is a graduate of American University and a cum laude graduate of Suffolk University Law School. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.

Erin M. O’Toole
Erin M. O’Toole
Vice President and Director
READ BIO
Erin M. O’Toole

Erin M. O’Toole

Vice President and Director

Erin O’Toole is a cum laude graduate of Fairfield University and Suffolk University Law School. Her practice focuses on general business, nonprofit and energy law. She has assisted in complex financial transactions for technology clients of the Firm. She functions as outside General Counsel for several clients of the Firm, regularly advising them on corporate governance practices, operational matters, regulatory compliance, commercial transactions, contract negotiations, acquisitions and sales of businesses and employment matters. Ms. O’Toole also represents early stage and emerging companies, assisting them with entity formation matters (including corporations and limited liability companies), stockholder agreements, strategic partnerships and other transactional issues. She is admitted to practice before the State Courts of Massachusetts and Idaho, as well as the Federal District Court for Massachusetts and the United States Court of Appeals for the First and Sixth Circuits.

Rebecca F. Zachas
Rebecca F. Zachas
Senior Counsel
READ BIO
Rebecca F. Zachas

Rebecca F. Zachas

Senior Counsel

Rebecca Zachas is Senior Counsel to the Firm, focusing on energy regulatory and policy matters, renewable energy development, and pipeline permitting proceedings for municipalities, other public entities, electric cooperatives, nonprofits and renewable energy developers. Ms. Zachas advises renewable energy clients on project structure, state and federal regulation, and financing. She drafts and negotiates project agreements, including power purchase agreements, renewable energy certificate agreements, host community agreements and leases, for renewable energy projects. Ms. Zachas regularly represents entities before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities in regulatory proceedings on topics including solar incentive programs, energy storage, net metering, grid modernization, interconnection standards for distributed generation, mergers, utility long-term contracts, service quality standards, rate cases and reconciliation factors. On the federal regulatory side, Ms. Zachas has practiced energy and telecommunications law, representing electric utilities, energy efficiency administrators, power marketers, non-utility generators, telecommunications carriers and cable companies before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. In pipeline permitting proceedings, Ms. Zachas has protected the interests of municipalities and other public entities through the negotiation of agreements and appellate litigation. Ms. Zachas is a magna cum laude graduate of Syracuse University and a cum laude graduate of the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, the District of Columbia, Maryland (inactive) and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Dawn R. Book
Dawn R. Book
Office Manager and Paralegal
READ BIO
Dawn R. Book

Dawn R. Book

Office Manager and Paralegal

Dawn Book serves as office manager and paralegal. She is responsible for management of the Firm’s computerized time and billing programs and providing administrative and paralegal support to Firm clients. She seamlessly coordinates the remote practice of Firm attorneys with our clients to allow us to provide cost-efficient and effective representation. In general, she cheerfully makes sure all the gears are turning smoothly!