Atty. Thomas Robert Brill
Thomas R. Brill has deep legal and management experience in the energy industry and has represented clients in virtually every electricity and natural gas restructuring proceeding in California for over three decades, including proceedings adopting and implementing decarbonization strategies for California’s electricity and natural gas markets.
Energy & Natural Resources & More Attorney · Serving San Diego, CA · 40+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Thomas Robert Brill at a Glance
Thomas Robert Brill is a Shareholder based in San Diego, California, practicing at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. They have 40+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1986. Their practice focuses on litigation, environmental, and energy. Admitted to practice in California (1986). Educated at Southwestern University (J.D., 1985) and University of California at Santa Barbara (B.A., 1982). Active member of Professional & Community Involvement •Board Member, California Hydrogen Business Council •Member, California State Bar, 1986-Present. Serves clients in San Diego, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Thomas Robert Brill
- Thomas R. Brill has deep legal and management experience in the energy industry and has represented clients in virtually every electricity and natural gas restructuring proceeding in California for over three decades, including proceedings adopting and implementing decarbonization strategies for California’s electricity and natural gas markets
- Tom also has extensive experience in regulatory litigation, as well as strategy and policy development to address rapidly changing laws, regulations, and market dynamics as well as technological disruptions that are leading to significant changes in the energy industry
- Tom also has comprehensive experience addressing issues related to the integration of central station and distributed renewable generation, including electricity storage, smart grid technologies, and the impacts of utility rate design and cost allocation on competitive entry by third party providers and utility stranded cost exposure
- Tom’s current clients include developers of carbon sequestration, CO2 pipeline, and carbon capture projects as well as developers and producers of Renewable Natural Gas
- He also represents utilities seeking to navigate emerging decarbonization policies, an independent natural gas storage provider, and retail providers and consumers of distributed generation and other behind the meter services
- Before joining Greenberg Traurig, Tom served in in-house positions at Sempra Energy, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Pacific Enterprises, the Southern California Gas Company, and the American Gas Association
- In these roles, he served as lead counsel in proceedings to implement state policies and legislation to introduce competition and reduce emissions in California’s electricity and natural gas markets, developed legal, regulatory, legislative and public affairs strategies to address Community Choice Aggregation, Greenhouse Gas and carbon reduction initiatives, promote storage and smart grid investments, implement wholesale and retail market competition in the electricity and natural gas industries, address wildfire risk issues, and implement new utility rate designs to address emerging needs and new technologies in the energy industry
- Tom has deep experience on a wide range of matters before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the California Air Resources Board, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and has lobbied before these organizations, as well as the California Legislature, Nevada legislature, and the United States Congress
- He also currently serves on the Board of the California Hydrogen Business Council
- Concentrations •Greenhouse gas and emission reduction strategies •Obtaining and maximizing value of carbon credits in mandatory and voluntary carbon markets •Obtaining and maximizing value of credits Low in Carbon Fuel Standard credit markets •Development and implementation of decarbonization strategies in electricity and natural gas markets •Industry restructuring •Climate action plans •Distributed energy technologies/renewable generation •Utility cost allocation and rate design •CPUC and FERC merger approvals/market power analysis Recognition & Leadership Awards & Accolades •Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2023-2025 •Listed, The Legal 500 United States •Energy> Energy Regulation: Oil and Gas, 2023 and 2025 •Energy> Renewable/Alternative Power, 2025 •Team Member, a Law360 “Environmental Practice Group of the Year,” 2022
Practice Areas Explained
Thomas Robert Brill's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Thomas Robert Brill handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in San Diego.
Civil Litigation in San Diego
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Thomas Robert Brill is one of 450,750 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in California →
Environmental Law in San Diego
Environmental attorneys for regulatory compliance, contamination, land use, and natural resource law.
Thomas Robert Brill is one of 55,977 environmental attorneys indexed nationally. Browse environmental attorneys in California →
Energy & Utilities Law in San Diego
Energy attorneys for oil & gas, renewables, utility regulation, and energy sector transactions.
Thomas Robert Brill is one of 35,985 energy attorneys indexed nationally. Browse energy attorneys in California →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in San Diego
Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in San Diego are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California 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 California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
San Diego Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a San Diego-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.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in San Diego Choose Thomas Robert Brill
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 Thomas Robert Brill's practice in the field of litigation, environmental, and energy.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Thomas Robert Brill brings 40+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering litigation, environmental, and energy, Thomas Robert Brill can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in San Diego
A San Diego-based practice means Thomas Robert Brill attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
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