David Shaffer

David Shaffer is Counsel in Dentons' Energy practice, specialising in Energy Law. He is an authority on transmission systems and organised electricity markets, representing retail regulatory bodies and electric and natural gas public utilities on statutory, regulatory and compliance matters before the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the federal courts.

David has particular expertise in the operations of independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organisations (RTOs), advising on competitive energy and capacity market design, resource adequacy, transmission planning and cost allocation, reliability standards and stakeholder processes. He has advised the New Orleans City Council on its oversight of Entergy within the MISO market, an electric cooperative on its transition into the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), and the Canadian Electricity Association on US energy sector regulation. He also has significant experience in natural gas pipeline regulation, including rate cases, contract disputes and certificate authorisations.

David holds a J.D., cum laude, from the American University Washington College of Law (1996), where he served as Articles Editor for The Journal of International Law and Policy, and a B.A. with Honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1989).

He is recognised in Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Energy Law (2025, 2026).