Mike McBride joins Van Ness Feldman, P.C.
Mike McBride, a well-known attorney for rail customers, joined Van Ness
Feldman earlier this year and is, periodically, lending his substantive
expertise and insight to the CURE effort. Mike practiced for almost
three decades with the law firm, LeBoeuf Lamb. When earlier this year,
LeBouef Lamb and the New York city law firm, Dewey Ballentine, combined
to form Dewey LeBouef, the combined law firm faced a conflicts problem
that forced Mike to leave the new firm if he wished to continue to
represent rail customers. We are very pleased that Mike chose to join
our firm, where he has greatly enhanced our ability to represent rail
customers in all forums, including both STB proceedings and contract
negotiations.
Many of you know Michael, or know of his long record of success in
representing rail customers in commercial contract matters,
negotiations, litigation, ICC and STB proceedings and arbitration. We
are delighted that he has joined Van Ness Feldman, and we wanted you to
know of Van Ness Feldman’s enhanced ability to provide strategic
guidance and representation in your dealings with railroads.
Highlights of Michael’s experience include:
Testifying for the Edison Electric Institute in Common Carrier
Obligation of Railroads, ex parte no. 677, before the Surface
Transportation Board on April 25, 2008, concerning coal-fired power
plants and their dependence on hazardous materials.
Representing a major electric utility in coal price arbitration.
Litigating many coal and radioactive materials railroad rate and
service disputes for electric utility clients.
Representing various railroad customers with respect to “build-out”
authority from the STB, including successfully litigating one such
matter that was vigorously opposed by the incumbent railroad.
Representing eight clients in the Conrail acquisition proceeding,
securing relief for several of them.
Representing the Western Shippers Coalition in the Union
Pacific-Southern Pacific merger proceeding, most of whose members
obtained favorable settlements. He also participated in support of the
Canadian National-Illinois Central merger, after obtaining a favorable
settlement for his client.
Assisting shippers of radioactive materials and hazardous chemicals in
establishing the principles underlying the “common carrier
obligation” that still apply today, as well as in establishing
useful precedents with respect to ratemaking and relief for wasteful and
unnecessary railroad practices.
Arguing successfully at the ICC for the adoption of “productivity
adjustment” to the Rail Cost Adjustment Factor, and then successfully
defending the decision in the Court of Appeals.
Settling satisfactorily the first “small-shipment” rate complaint,
by BP Amoco Chemical Company against Norfolk Southern.
Twice serving as President of the Association of Transportation Law
Professionals (the only person ever to hold the position twice).
Michael’s complete biography and contact details may be found on Van
Ness Feldman’s website: http://www.vnf.com
Michael recently wrote an article that may be of interest to you,
entitled Railroad Transportation of Nuclear Waste and Other Hazardous
Materials ( http://www.vnf.com/news-articles-25 ) in the April 2008 issue of
The Electricity Journal.
Robert G. Szabo
Member
Van Ness Feldman, P.C.
1050 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 298-1920 - telephone
(202) 338-2416 - fax
(202) 256-6113 - cell
