Atty. James Curry
Area of Emphasis Jim Curry is the Managing Shareholder of the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Jim is an energy lawyer with years of experience in government service and private practice helping clients navigate difficult regulatory and strategic challenges throughout the energy sector.
Aerospace, Aviation and Airports & More Attorney · Serving Washington, DC
Profile Summary
About James Curry at a Glance
James Curry is a Shareholder based in Washington, District of Columbia, practicing at Babst Calland. Their practice focuses on environmental and aviation. Educated at Seton Hall University (J.D., 2005) and Boston University (B.S., 2001). Serves clients in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Get Legal Help from James Curry in Washington
Sign up free and choose one of the two methods below.
Have a legal question? Sign up free, submit it through the Ask the Attorney module and receive a focused answer from a specialist.
- Free to ask a question
- Answers from specialist attorneys
- Optional private / anonymous question
Request an online video meeting or an in-person consultation at the attorney's office. Pick a time that works for you and share the details securely.
- Online video meeting
- In-person at the attorney's office
- Secure messaging and payment
About James Curry
- Area of Emphasis Jim Curry is the Managing Shareholder of the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office
- Jim is an energy lawyer with years of experience in government service and private practice helping clients navigate difficult regulatory and strategic challenges throughout the energy sector
- His clients include pipelines, utilities, energy producers, LNG terminals, investors, technology companies, chemical makers, and hydrogen infrastructure developers
- Jim takes a pragmatic, business-minded approach, informed by an understanding of the energy markets and regulatory policy
- Applying his experience from day-to-day safety regulatory counseling, dozens of enforcement matters, internal and government investigations, rulemakings, energy projects and in appellate litigation, Jim identifies and executes creative legal and strategic pathways to help clients achieve their objectives
- Jim started his career in energy and transportation safety as an attorney the U.S
- Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- Since departing government service, he has broadened his practice to include counseling on other DOT modal safety programs, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Jim also advises clients on National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident investigations, Government Accountability Office (GAO) audits and in state regulatory proceedings
- Through this cross-cutting safety regulatory work, he has developed first-hand experience with many energy-related national safety and engineering codes and standards, including those for pipelines, utility-scale battery energy storage systems, and LNG facilities
- Together, these experiences have given Jim a unique understanding of safety and regulatory risk management, corporate safety culture and how each bears on credibility and the bottom line
- Jim serves as a member of the Firm’s Energy Management Team and in a number of its energy-related practice groups
- He is a frequent speaker at energy conferences and has published numerous articles on energy law and policy
- Select Matters • Counsel to numerous energy companies on internal compliance audits and in development and refinement of safety compliance programs
- In this context, Jim routinely provides strategic and legal advice to companies seeking high safety performance and reduced compliance risk. • Counsel to a number of energy companies and investors on PHMSA regulatory due diligence for transactions, including development of compliance risk assessments and transaction documents. • Day-to-day regulatory and strategic advisor to pipelines, utilities and other stakeholders across the United States on all aspects of the Pipeline Safety Regulations and their state counterparts. • Counsel to several energy companies in dozens of jurisdictional classification analyses of gas and liquids pipeline systems, terminals, refineries and other energy facilities. • Advising operators and trade associations in Pipeline Safety Act Reauthorization and various ongoing PHMSA and DOT rulemaking efforts. • Representing pipeline operators in PHMSA investigations and state enforcement proceedings throughout the United States
- Jim has obtained several complete and partial withdrawals of alleged PHMSA violations, proposed compliance orders and civil penalties on the merits, and through settlement agreements on favorable terms. • Advising technology companies and other stakeholders on hydrogen and natural gas powered vehicles, fuel systems and transport safety issues, and associated NHTSA, FMCSA and PHMSA regulatory strategy and federal approvals. • Regulatory and strategic counsel to developer of proposed carbon capture and sequestration project, including associated CO2 pipeline. • Represented seller of renewable natural gas system on regulatory strategy, state waivers and compliance issues. • Counseled pipeline operators and HazMat shipper responding to NTSB pipeline and highway accident investigations. • Represented pipeline operator in a D.C
- Circuit petition for review of a PHMSA jurisdictional classification of liquid and gas pipelines, and in related administrative enforcement proceedings
- Obtained favorable global settlement of all proceedings. • Represented pipeline operator in a D.C
- Circuit petition for review of PHMSA guidance documents regarding the scope of the agency’s jurisdiction at NGL fractionation facilities. • Advising oil and gas producers, truck and rail terminal facilities, industrial packaging business, and hydrogen fuel infrastructure developer on day-to-day interpretive matters, special permits, and investigations under the hazardous materials safety laws and regulations, including the DOT security plan requirements. • PHMSA counsel on a multi-agency civil enforcement action with DOJ and EPA related to oil pipeline accidents in Alaska. (prior government service) Background Jim earned his B.S. from Boston University is 2001, and his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2005
- Prior to joining Babst Calland, Jim worked at a prominent energy, environmental and natural resources law firm in Washington, D.C
- Government Service • 2006-2010: Attorney-Advisor, U.S
- Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration • 2004: Summer law clerk, U.S
- Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement Section Awards and Recognition • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Oil and Gas Law Section since 2020 and Energy Law since 2023 • PHMSA Administrator’s Team Eagle Award, 2007 and 2010 • U.S
- Department of Transportation Secretary’s Silver Medal, 2009
Practice Areas Explained
James Curry's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases James Curry handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Washington.
Environmental Law in Washington
Environmental attorneys for regulatory compliance, contamination, land use, and natural resource law.
James Curry is one of 55,977 environmental attorneys indexed nationally. Browse environmental attorneys in District of Columbia →
Aviation Law in Washington
Aviation attorneys for aircraft accidents, FAA regulation, pilot defense, and aviation industry matters.
James Curry is one of 9,145 aviation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse aviation attorneys in District of Columbia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Washington
Practicing law in District of Columbia. Legal matters in District of Columbia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Washington are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate District of Columbia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in District of Columbia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in District of Columbia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Washington Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Washington-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional District of Columbia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Washington or all attorneys in District of Columbia.
Frequently Asked
Common Questions About James Curry
Where is James Curry's law office located?
What practice areas does James Curry handle?
Where did James Curry go to law school?
How can I contact James Curry for a consultation?
Professional Profile
Why Clients in Washington Choose James Curry
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish James Curry's practice in the field of environmental and aviation.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering environmental and aviation, James Curry can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in Washington
A Washington-based practice means James Curry attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
Search Reference
How People Find James Curry Online
Prospective clients searching for legal help in Washington commonly use a combination of the attorney's name and their specific legal need. The following search terms frequently lead people to this profile and to attorneys like James Curry.
If any of the above matches what you searched for, you've found the right profile. Use the contact options at the top of this page to get in touch with James Curry directly.
James Curry's Practice Areas & Specializations
Education & Law School Background
Client Reviews & Ratings — James Curry
No reviews yet.