Pope Zeigler

A native of Florence, S.C., Mr. Zeigler is managing member of the firm and head of the regulatory and utility practice department.

Mr. Zeigler has worked extensively with utility systems throughout the state, having served as chief legal counsel to South Carolina Electric & Gas and general counsel to a regional transmission organization in formation.  Mr. Zeigler has participated as a lead attorney in seven general gas and electric rate cases and numerous smaller proceedings.  He has been certified as a transmission systems operator by the National Electric Regulatory Council and was lead attorney for the effort to create a regional transmission organization for South and North Carolina. He has represented clients before the South Carolina Public Service Commission in more than 20 major regulatory proceedings and advises a number of major publicly owned water and sewer utilities in contractual and rate matters.

• In 2005, as outside counsel to SCE&G, Mr. Zeigler recognized the need to substantially overhaul state statutes related to the siting and prudency review of nuclear generating plants and created the initial draft of the Base Load Review Act at SCE&G’s request to correct that problem.  He served as principal spokesman on behalf of Duke Power, Progress Energy and SCE&G in presenting the draft legislation to the General Assembly and interested environmental and consumer groups.  The General Assembly adopted the Base Load Review Act in 2007.  The statute provides for a comprehensive, statutorily based pre-construction review of nuclear power facilities.  Mr. Zeigler also played a key role in the first siting proceeding under the act, which was completed in February 2009. Construction of the plants is under way. 
• Mr. Zeigler played a similar role for SCE&G in drafting and presenting of the Natural Gas Rate Stabilization Act to the General Assembly.
• Mr. Zeigler successfully argued the case establishing lease purchase as a valid means of financing governmental obligations without implicating debt limits under the South Carolina Constitution.
• He is attorney of record in more than 20 South Carolina appellate cases and has argued approximately 15 times before that court.
• Mr. Zeigler played a lead role in drafting the natural gas supply agreements between Patriots Energy Group and its members on which the Patriots Energy Group based the issuance of its $32 million Gas System Refunding Revenue Bonds, Series 2008.   He has also drafted numerous water and sewer service agreements and amendments.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• Order of the Wig and Robe
• Editorial Board, South Carolina Law Review
• AV Rating from Martindale Hubbell

CIVIC ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Founding Board Member, Congaree Land Trust
• Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina
• Past member, Executive Council of the Episcopal Church
• Board member, Trinity Seminary