James Van Nostrand became Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center in spring 2008 following a successful career in private practice as a partner in the Environmental and Natural Resources practice group in a large Northwest-based law firm, Perkins Coie LLP. In his 22-year career in private practice, Mr. Van Nostrand represented energy clients in state regulatory proceedings in eight western states, as well as proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. His practice emphasized electricity and gas regulation, utility mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications, and administrative law. Mr. Van Nostrand represented electric, natural gas and combination utilities in dozens of general rate cases, and developed a specialized practice in the state regulatory approval of mergers and acquisitions, having handled several multi-state merger approvals in both the energy and telecommunications industries.

From his years in private practice, Mr. Van Nostrand has deep experience in all aspects of the regulatory process affecting electric and natural gas utilities, including resource acquisition, renewable energy, the design and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation programs, enactment of renewable portfolio standards, and integrated resource planning. Mr. Van Nostrand was recognized by the Energy Bar Association as its 2007 State Regulatory Practitioner of the Year, and has been included for the last several years (including 2008) of "The Best Lawyers in America." Before going into private practice, Mr. Van Nostrand spent five years with the New York Public Service Commission as an Assistant to the Commission for Opinions and Review and as Assistant to the Chairman.

In addition to his years in private practice, Van Nostrand has taught courses in energy and regulated industries, administrative law and business associations in various capacities at Lewis & Clark Law School, the University of Tennessee College of Law, and the University of Iowa College of Law. He has published and lectured widely on energy policy, renewable energy, capacity markets, utility rates and electric restructuring plans, and utility mergers and acquisitions. While in private practice, Mr. Van Nostrand served as trustee and section chair for the Washington State Bar Association Administrative Law Section.