Picture of Carrie R. Tournillon

Carrie R. Tournillon

Partner

Carrie Tournillon practices at the intersection of utilities regulation and energy law, including oil and gas and pipeline-related issues. Carrie is known and valued for providing smart solutions to businesses seeking to achieve their commercial objectives through government. Listed among Chambers’ Band 1 Louisiana Energy & Natural Resources: Utilities lawyers, Carrie currently serves as Chair of the Public Utilities Section of the Louisiana Bar Association.

Carrie brings decades of proven skill in achieving successful client outcomes to her Texas and Louisiana-focused administrative, public utility, and energy law practice. She ably guides clients through their most important generation projects – all with a focus on ensuring compliance with complex federal and state regulatory law.

Carrie represents industrial manufacturing, refining, and related energy industry constituents before the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC), Louisiana Pilotage Fee Commission (LPFC), and City Council of New Orleans. She also navigates business clients through utilities-focused regulatory matters involving the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), the State Office of Administrative Hearings, and district courts.

Notably, Chambers USA notes that Carrie “… is commended for her work with utilities in complex administrative proceedings and project development-related matters… before the LPSC and the PUCT.” Chambers describes her strengths as being “… a thorough and meticulous lawyer, with a good eye for detail” and “… zealous on behalf of her clients when advocating for them.”

Carrie also assists local distribution gas utilities, water and sewerage utilities, liquids intrastate pipeline companies, and telecommunications companies with complex regulatory matters, and has proven, time and again, her ability to resolve even the most difficult contract disputes.

Prior to joining Kean Miller, Carrie practiced in Texas, serving as a Staff Attorney for the PUCT before entering private practice with a law firm specializing in representing clients in utility regulatory matters before the PUCT and RRC. At the PUCT, she represented the commission on a wide variety of electric and telecommunication proceedings, rulemaking proceedings, and ERCOT protocol enforcement cases. Carrie also worked on the PUCT’s Emergency Management Response Team during Hurricane Ike. This direct experience working inside the commission exposed Carrie to the many facets of utilities regulation. Since entering private practice, Carrie has continued to expand her expertise across the full spectrum of regulatory considerations and effective problem-solving.

Because Carrie is fluent in the agency decision-making process, she knows how to serve as a catalyst for realizing her client’s end game. Her unique perspective, undeniable know-how, and immediate accessibility to the right government professionals are a value-add and benefit to those she serves. There is no substitute for this type of hands-on experience – one of the many reasons clients consistently turn to Carrie to realize their most ambitious goals.

Representative Experience
  • Representation of the Louisiana Energy Users Group, an associate of industrial manufacturing, refining, and/or related business operations located in Louisiana that collectively purchase more than 9 billion kWh/year of electricity from Entergy Louisiana, in electric energy rulemaking and policy matters before the LPSC.
  • Representation of the Louisiana Chemical Association and Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association in pilotage fee matters before the LPFC and in district and appellate court.
  • Representation of water/wastewater public utilities regarding their rate applications and state utility regulatory issues.
  • Representation of container board manufacturing companies before the LPSC in electric utility regulatory matters involving Cleco Power LLC.
  • Representation of an industrial manufacturing company before the City Council of New Orleans in electric utility regulatory matters involving Entergy New Orleans, LLC.
  • Representation of a telecommunications company in multi-state complaint proceedings pursuant to Interconnection Agreements and the Telecommunication Act.
  • Representation of liquids intrastate pipeline companies on rate proceedings and regulatory issues before the LPSC.
  • Representation of a major oil refining company in disputes over electric rates.
  • Representation of clients in applications for Eligible Telecommunications Carrier designations, compliance filings, and tariff revisions.
  • Representation of clients seeking permit authorization from the LPSC to transport oilfield wastes.
  • Representation of clients in transmission routing cases.
  • Representation of clients in proceedings relating to applications by electric, gas, and pipeline companies for rate increases.
  • Representation of a variety of clients in pole attachment fee matters.
  • Representation of a variety of clients in regulatory agency rulemaking proceedings.
Education
  • Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, J.D., 2005
  • University of Alabama, B.A., cum laude, 1998
Admissions
  • Admitted, Louisiana, 2005
  • Admitted, Texas, 2006
Memberships
  • Chair, Public Utility Law Section, Louisiana State Bar Association
  • Public Utilities and Administrative Law Sections, Texas State Bar Association
  • Public Utilities and Administrative Law Sections, American Bar Association
  • Louisiana Manufacturers Political Actions Committee
  • Women in Energy
  • Women's Energy Network
  • Ethics Committee, Kean Miller
Recognition
  • “Top Lawyer,” Chambers USA, 2018-2023
Community Service
  • Parishioner, St. Pius X Parish
  • Volunteer basketball coach, St. Pius X School and Carrollton Boosters