Ms. Riggs' primary areas of practice are energy and public utilities.

Bar Admissions
West Virginia State Bar
West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Education

• Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, B.A. in History/Prelaw, Secondary Education, 1986
• West Virginia University College of Law, J.D., 1989

Significant Accomplishments

Providing representation before the West Virginia Public Service Commission on behalf of water and sewer utilities:

Preparing and litigating applications for certificates of convenience and necessity

Preparing and litigating petitions for conveyances and acquisitions of water and/or sewer utility assets

Preparing documents relative to conveyance and acquisition of utility assets

Preparing and litigating rate cases for water and sewer utilities

Manage large utility easement acquisition projects

Prepare and litigate easement condemnation cases

Providing representation before the West Virginia Public Service Commission on behalf of industrial consumers

Providing representation before the West Virginia Public Service Commission on behalf of pipelines and energy development companies

Preparing and litigating siting certificates for natural gas-fired power plants and wind power projects

Preparing utility agreements

Participating in the drafting of West Virginia’s electric deregulation plan

Serving as Co-chair of the Task Force established to review, and make recommendations concerning, the Public Service Commission’s proposed rules for the government of water and sewer utilities

Developing and implementing programs and policies of the Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council

Representing the Council as lender in loan transactions

Representing the Council before state legislative committees

Arguing cases before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals on public utility matters

Representing the West Virginia Public Service Commission in receivership proceedings before circuit courts

Executive Secretary, West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, June 1996 – August 1999

Staff Attorney, Public Service Commission of West Virginia, July 1991 – May 1996

Attorney, Mountaineer Gas Company, June 1989 – June 1991
 
 

Professional Activities and Experience

Distinctions

• Named the Best Lawyers® 2020 & 2023 "Lawyer of the Year" for Utilities Law in Charleston, W.Va.
• Nominated by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for Administrative / Regulatory Law, Utilities Law, and Municipal Law