Fredrikson & Byron Expands Energy Practice in Wisconsin with New Madison Office and Five Attorneys

Fredrikson & Byron announces the expansion of its Energy practice with the addition of five attorneys in Madison, Wisconsin. Joining the firm, effective May 31, 2022, are Energy and Real Estate attorneys Justin Chasco, Mary Beth Peranteau, Jessica Shrestha, James Woywod and Sarah Arbaje. The team will practice from a new firm office in Madison, Wisconsin.

“We continue to solidify our position as the leading law firm in the region by opening a new office in Madison, Wisconsin and adding five colleagues there” said firm president, John Koneck. “Fredrikson is recognized for its exceptional national energy practice, and we’re excited to strengthen our reach with the Madison team. Their experience, and our expansion into the Wisconsin market, will enhance our ability to provide comprehensive services to clients across the Upper Midwest region and beyond.”

“We’ve collaborated with Fredrikson lawyers in the past, and were impressed by the quality and experience of the firm’s energy and real estate teams,” said Justin Chasco. We are thrilled to be moving to Fredrikson, which offers a broad platform of services and resources across the region to serve our clients.”

Justin Chasco joins the firm as an Officer in the Energy and Litigation Groups. He advises electric, telecommunications and other companies in regulatory proceedings and commercial related to electric, natural gas, and water service. He is the former Chair of the Public Utilities Section of the Wisconsin State Bar.

Chasco helps clients define and achieve their strategic goals before state public utilities commissions, independent system operators, environmental regulators, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He has significant experience in the development and permitting of large electric infrastructure, territorial disputes between electric providers, holding company and affiliated interest regulation, and the formation or purchase of public utilities.

He has successfully represented clients before the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, federal courts, and trial courts throughout Wisconsin.

Mary Beth Peranteau joins the firm as an Officer in the Real Estate, Energy and Litigation Groups. She assists individuals, associations, businesses and local governments in matters relating to real estate, zoning and land use, property rights disputes and navigable waters law.

Peranteau advises clients in land use law, including real estate transactions, resolution of boundary disputes, quiet title actions, public dedication, annexation, restrictive covenants, homeowner’s association and subdivision law, environmental permitting and county and municipal zoning proceedings including rezoning, conditional use permits and variances.

She is experienced in water law, including pier and other navigable waters permit proceedings and dam regulation, riparian rights disputes and the public trust doctrine, and representation of inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts in regulatory and governance matters.

Peranteau’s practice also includes energy law matters, including the representation of local electric distribution cooperatives in regulatory compliance, policy and governance matters and member relations, renewable energy procurement and contracting.  She specializes in appeals of administrative agency and lower court decisions.

Jessica Shrestha joins the firm as an officer in the Energy, Real Estate and Cooperative Groups.  She concentrates her practice on real property law, representation of electric cooperatives and business transactions.

Shrestha’s work includes representing property owners in boundary disputes and adverse possession matters, resolving title issues, working on easement and right-of-way transactions, assisting clients with environmental regulatory issues, and advising electric cooperatives on a variety of matters including governance, finance, and right-of-way.

Shrestha has written extensively on the law of adverse possession in Wisconsin and has been actively involved with legislation on the topic. She is a frequent presenter on real property law matters including boundaries and utility easements, and on issues relating to electric cooperative management and governance.

James Woywod joins the firm as a senior associate in the Energy and Litigation Groups. He concentrates his practice on energy law including administrative and regulatory matters, litigation and the representation of electric cooperatives.

Woywod is part of a team representing electric cooperatives and other companies in a variety of proceedings before courts and regulatory agencies. Additionally, he assists cooperatives and other entities with financing and business transactions. He also represents individual clients in litigation including property disputes.

Previously, Woywod gained extensive courtroom experience as an assistant district attorney handling a variety of felony and misdemeanor offenses from initial review through resolution, including trials before juries and the bench. Early in his career, he worked as a staff attorney for a nonprofit organization dedicated to representing the interests of residential and small business public utility customers before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. He began his career serving as an assistant city attorney for a municipality in suburban Chicago.

Sarah Arbaje joins the firm as an associate in the Energy and Litigation Groups. She concentrates her practice on energy law, property law, representation in regulatory proceedings and litigation.

Arbaje has represented parties in litigation before Wisconsin administrative agencies—particularly the Public Service Commission—including in electric rate cases and disputed transactions. She also has experience working with clients in proceedings involving boundary disputes and stray voltage litigation before Wisconsin courts and arbitrators. Beyond adversarial proceedings, Arbaje has also assisted clients with title review and drafting property agreements such as easements and notices of interest.

All five attorneys formerly practiced with the Wheeler VanSickle & Anderson law firm in Madison.

Fredrikson & Byron is a leading Midwest law firm working collaboratively to help businesses achieve their goals regionally, nationally and globally. With a reputation as the firm “where law and business meet,” our attorneys bring business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking to work with clients and operate as business advisors and strategic partners as well as legal counselors. The firm’s 340+ attorneys are based in Minneapolis, with offices in Bismarck, Des Moines, Fargo, Madison, Mankato, St. Paul, Saltillo, Mexico, and Shanghai, China. Learn more at fredlaw.com, LinkedIn or @FredriksonLaw.