Thomas L. Tynes

Thomas “Tommy” Tynes brings more than a decade of experience at the intersection of energy law, regulatory affairs, and public policy. Drawing on a career that spans private practice, in-house counsel, government service, and industry advocacy, he advises clients on a broad range of matters involving electric and gas utilities, energy markets, regulatory compliance, clean technology, administrative law, and local government issues.

Tommy’s practice is grounded in deep, firsthand knowledge of the agencies and institutions that shape the energy landscape. After a successful career working for multiple members of the Texas Legislature, he served as a Staff Attorney at the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), where he litigated rate cases, certificate of convenience and necessity (CCN) proceedings, and complaints before the State Office of Administrative Hearings, managed complex rulemakings, and counseled commissioners, intervening parties, ERCOT, and the public on matters of regulatory policy.

Before joining the firm, Tommy served as General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Affairs at Santanna Energy Services, a retail gas and power marketer operating in five states in PJM, where he led all legal and regulatory functions, including FERC, EIA, PJM, and state utility commission compliance and directed an AI-driven program to automate operational oversight. Earlier, as Of Counsel at Herrera & Associates, he advised Texas water and electric municipal utilities on rate cases, service area disputes, easements, post-Winter Storm Uri ERCOT weatherization requirements, and investor-owned utility conflicts. His background also includes four years as Deputy Director of Policy and Regulatory Counsel at Tesla, where he led energy market and policy initiatives across 15 U.S. state jurisdictions, as well as Mexico and Canada, advancing distributed energy resources, battery storage, electric vehicle infrastructure, and automobile direct sales.

Tommy’s capabilities span legal research and drafting, contract negotiation, administrative litigation, regulatory compliance, policy analysis, government and regulatory affairs strategy, and communications and messaging development. He has presented at numerous national and Texas-focused energy industry forums and is a published author on Texas energy policy.

Honors & Recognitions

• Research Center for NextGen PV, Distinguished Lecturer (2016)

Community & Professional

• Austin Bar Association, Administrative Law Section, President (2024)
• State Bar of Texas, Public Utility Law Section, Member