Bret A. Dublinske

Bret focuses on administrative, land use, litigation and appeals as well as policy issues for energy and communication clients throughout the U.S.

He represents traditional power providers, wind energy producers, industrial electric customers, pipeline companies, data centers, competitive local exchange carriers, wireless service providers, cable companies, VoIP providers, internet service providers, communications backbone and wholesale services providers, telecommunications equipment providers, and other stakeholders before state utilities commissions, state and federal courts, and state and local boards, commissions and councils. Bret also works with software licensing issues and general civil litigation and appeals. He has numerous published court decisions before the Iowa Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, the U.S. District Court for Nebraska and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Energy

• Counsels on several aspects of wind farm development including assisting with local permitting, regulatory and compliance planning, transmission planning and regulatory due diligence for the sale of wind developments.
• Successfully represented several pipeline companies before the Southern District of Iowa and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in determination that certain state pipeline land regulations could not exceed federal standards. See Northern Natural Gas Co. et al. v. Munns, 377 F.3d 817 (8th Cir. 2004).
• Represented nuclear power plant owner in regulatory approval of renewal of power purchase agreement with local Investor Owned Utility.
• Represented both independent power producers and large energy customers (including materials manufacturers, agricultural and biofuels processors and data centers) in various cases before the Iowa Utilities Board involving rates, ratemaking principles and other matters.

Telecommunications

• Handled many novel issues for new entrants, including helping obtain the first Iowa certification for a cable VoIP service in Iowa, the first Voice-over-DSL service in Iowa, and the first wireless designation as an eligible carrier for universal service funds in Iowa.
• Successfully represented communications clients in regulatory litigation on issues from access charge disputes (Kalona Co-op. Telephone Co. v. Iowa Utilities Bd., 824 N.W.2d 561 (Table, Text in WESTLAW), 2012 WL 5356056 (Iowa Ct. App., October 31, 2012)), terms of interconnection (McLeodUSA Telecomms. Servs. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 550 F. Supp.2d 1006 (S.D. Iowa 2008); claims of unauthorized customer charges (Evercom Systems Inc. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 805 N.W.2d 758 (Iowa 2011) and call blocking (East Buchanan Tel. Coop. v. Iowa Utils. Bd., 738 N.W.2d 636 (Iowa 2007), among others.
• Extensive experience with telecommunications land use issues including wireless facility zoning disputes and cable franchise and multiple dwelling unit issues.
• Appeared on behalf of communications clients before state or federal courts, or state and local government entities in Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas and the District of Columbia.

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 1994, with high distinction
• Iowa State University, B.S., Economics , B.A., Political Science, 1988

Admissions

• Iowa, 1994
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, 1996
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 1996
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1996
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2019

Clerkships

• Clerk, Honorable Harold Vietor, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 1994-1996

• Best Lawyers in America, Communications Law, 2007-2025; Energy Regulatory Law, 2018-2025; Energy Law, 2023-2025; Administrative / Regulatory Law, 2025
• Great Plains Super Lawyers, Energy & Resources, 2007-2024
• Lawyer of the Year in Des Moines for Communications Law, Best Lawyers, 2013, 2018
• AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Activities

• Government Practice Section, Iowa State Bar Association, Vice Chair
• Federal Communications Bar Association, Member
• Iowa State Bar Association, Member
• Federal Practice Committee, Iowa State Bar Association, Member
• Government Practice Section, Iowa State Bar Association, Section Council

Community

• Technology Association of Iowa, Board Member, 2006-2007
• Young Women's Resource Center, Board Member, 2003-2006