KAREN K. O'NEILL

koneill@gravelshea.com

Karen joined Gravel and Shea in 2007, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience in business, law, government affairs and human resource management.

Karen started her career as a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  After moving to Vermont in 1984, she served for over a decade as in-house counsel and later vice president of organizational development and human resources at Green Mountain Power Corporation (GMP).  In the former position, Karen handled rate case and other regulatory litigation before the Vermont Public Service Board; environmental matters, including the Pine Street Superfund case; and a variety of employment, contract and general litigation matters.  As head of organizational development and human resources, she provided guidance for its strategic planning process and managed a successful company reorganization and reduction in force.

Karen left GMP to help found a fledgling competitive renewable energy company, Green Mountain Energy Company. There she created and implemented the company’s national legislative and regulatory strategy, identified business opportunities in restructured energy markets, and provided regulatory support and guidance for the company’s entry into new markets and lines of business.  As a recognized expert on electric restructuring, Karen testified before congressional committees, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, state legislatures and utility commissions.  Past leadership positions in the energy industry include:  president of the Mid-Atlantic Power Supply Association, founding member of the Alliance for Retail Choice, policy committee chair for the National Energy Marketers Association, elected member of the Board of Directors of the Electric Power Supply Association, and member of the Leadership Forum of the Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets.

Since 2004 Karen has been providing counsel, services and project management to businesses and institutions with legal, regulatory and human resource management needs as an independent consultant.  At Gravel and Shea, Karen is concentrating her practice in the areas of employment and labor law, energy law, utility regulation and dispute resolution.

Education

• National Law Center, George Washington University, J.D. 1977
• University of Pennsylvania, B.A. 1973

Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Association for Conflict Resolution
• Howard Center Board of Directors, Vice Chair
• Woodbury College Board of Trustees, Secretary
• Audubon Vermont, Treasurer

• Bar Admissions
• Vermont (1985)
• District of Columbia (1978)
• Maryland (1978)