Kathleen C. Lake is a retired partner of the law firm of Vinson & Elkins LLP. For over 32 years prior to her retirement at the end of 2012, Kathy’s practice focused on state and federal utility law and energy regulation, energy transactions, and administrative law and litigation. Kathy has broad experience with all segments of the domestic energy industry, having represented producers, interstate and intrastate gas pipelines, electric cooperatives, electric utilities, marketers, end-users, and financial institutions active in the industry. Kathy taught courses on energy regulatory topics as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Bates Law Center from 2011-2015. She is President of Rancho Loma Alta, Inc. a privately held family corporation with business interests in South Texas.

Before practicing law in Houston, Kathy earned her A.B. magna cum laude, from Middlebury College, and her J.D. with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law, where she served as associate editor of the Texas Law Review, and was selected for membership in the Order of the Coif and Phi Kappa Phi.

Kathy has been recognized in various legal rankings, including Best Lawyers in America in energy law, in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014; Legal Media Group’s (Euromoney’s) Guide to the World’s Leading Energy and Natural Resource Lawyers in 2003, 2007, 2009, and 2011; Legal Media Group’s (Euromoney’s) Expert Guide to the US Best of the Best in energy and natural resources law, 2010; and Legal Media Group’s (Euromoney’s) Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Women in business law in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

In her leisure time, Kathy serves as Chair of the Houston metro-area Middlebury College Alumni Admissions Committee, is a long-time adult volunteer with Troop 55 and Crew 55, Boy Scouts of America, and enjoys hiking and other outdoor activities with her husband Randy, son Ethan, and two Irish Setter dogs.