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Robert Alessi

Robert J. Alessi

Partner
Global Vice Chair, Energy Sector
About

Robert Alessi serves as the Global Vice Chair of DLA Piper's Energy Sector. Drawing on his scientific background, he is regularly called upon by Fortune 100 domestic and international clients to handle their most significant energy, environmental and financial services matters — be they project development, regulatory, major transactions, compliance, defense of government criminal and enforcement actions, or judicial and administrative trials and appellate litigation. He also represented the governmental entity charged with planning the rebuilding and revitalization of the World Trade Center and Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of 9/11, having been selected to do so as a result of a national competition.

Robert has been repeatedly highlighted for his multi-faceted practice in the leading legal rating publications Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, The Legal 500 United States, BTI Client Services, Martindale-Hubbell, and New York Super Lawyers. In these publications, clients have referred to him as "an A+ Lawyer," "the one attorney I would pick to be next to me when it really counts," "a brilliant attorney with a strategic mind-set and exceptional work ethic," and "one of the smartest lawyers I have ever worked with." In addition, clients state that he is "extraordinarily smart," "creative," "meticulous," "incredibly bright, hard­working, pragmatic and thoughtful."

He has led project development, regulatory, transactional and compliance matters and defended enforcement actions and civil and criminal court litigation for a wide range of businesses including electric generation, electric transmission, distribution and microgrid providers, financial institutions, private equity firms, liquefied natural gas facility developers, oil and gas companies (upstream, midstream, and downstream), renewable energy companies, water utilities, pipeline entities, industrial manufacturers, railroads, automobile manufacturers, state and local governmental authorities, mining operators, professional sports entities, telecommunication providers, and solid and hazardous waste disposal facilities and transporters. 

His general civil litigation practice encompasses a wide variety of other commercial matters in state and federal trial and appellate courts; and he is presently co-counsel in two prominent criminal defense matters.

Robert has successfully appeared on behalf of clients before the United States Supreme Court, the New York State Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for the District of Columbia. Various of these matters were profiled in the American Lawyer Litigation Daily, National Law Journal, New York Law Journal and Law 360 and reported in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

Bar admissionsNew York
CourtsSupreme Court of the United StatesUnited States Court of Appeals for the Second CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia CircuitAll New York federal courtsAll New York state and federal district courts
Education
  • J.D., Albany Law School
    cum laude
  • B.S., Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Awards

  • Chambers USA
    • Band 2, New York Environment (2023) 
  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Recommended, Environment: Regulatory (2023)

In 2018, Robert was named a BTI Client Service All-Star – one of only 326 US lawyers honored with this recognition. BTI Client Service All-Stars have been singled out by corporate counsel for "delivering the absolute best client service." To identify its All-Stars, BTI conducted more than 350 interviews with top legal decision makers at organizations with $1 billion or more in revenue. The recognition is based on the total end-to-end client experience and takes into account more than 15 categories of lawyering behavior. 

In 2016, the National Law Journal named him an "Energy and Environment Litigation Trailblazer." The Trailblazers series honors those who have advanced their legal practice areas with innovative strategies and made an impact on the intersection of energy production and the environment.

In 2012, Law360 named Robert among the winners of its MVP Awards, "honoring attorneys whose achievements in major litigation or transactions have set a new standard for accomplishment in corporate law." Robert was named an MVP for his practice of environmental law. 

Robert has been repeatedly listed in New York Super Lawyers and in The Best Lawyers in America in three categories: Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law, and Energy and Natural Resources Law. 

He also is listed in Martindale-Hubbell®, obtaining its highest rating, an individual "AV Pre-Eminent Lawyer," recognizing his legal skills and ethics.

Seminars

  • Speaker, International Bar Association Annual Meetings

Teaching and Other Accomplishments

Robert taught judges and their staff at the New York State Judicial Institute. He also taught at Albany Law School for five years as an Adjunct Professor of Law, and he served as Town Attorney for a New York State municipality.

Robert is a registered New York State pharmacist and an Eagle Scout.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Board of Directors, The Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
  • American Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association

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