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EU-UK Spotlight: Renewables, trade, and the global supply chain
Hilary C. Tompkins
Partner Global Regulatory
Languages
English
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Insights and events
Chambers USA, 2025"Hilary is particularly strong in strategic thinking and in communications with federal agencies."
Hilary C. Tompkins brings a wealth of experience to her current practice from her broad public service advising chief executives in government. She has successfully resolved complex, long-standing disputes, advised decision-makers in crisis situations, and has a keen understanding of the interplay between law, policy, economics, and political dynamics.
Her legal experience includes the areas of natural resources, environmental, energy, and Native American law. Hilary's current practice ranges from environmental, energy, and natural resources matters to litigation, product compliance, and corporate due diligence.
Previously Hilary held high-level leadership positions in the public sector. Former President Obama appointed Hilary to serve in the senate-confirmed position of solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Hilary was the first Native American to hold this position, which she served in for over seven years.
Interior clients included the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Reclamation. Hilary was responsible for managing an office of over 300 attorneys in 16 offices nationwide and acquired significant experience in onshore and offshore energy development (conventional and renewable), the administration of federal water projects, conservation and wildlife legal requirements, and public land law.
Prior to her Interior service, Hilary was chief counsel to a state governor and served as a legal adviser to Indian tribes. Hilary started her career in the prestigious Honors Trial Attorney Program at the U.S. Department of Justice. Hilary was recently elected to serve on the Dartmouth Board of Trustees and is chair of the communications committee.
Hilary is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Chambers USA, 2025"Hilary is particularly strong in strategic thinking and in communications with federal agencies."
Representative experience
Pattern Energy: provide regulatory advice and litigation defense of the largest renewables transmission line in U.S. history.
Primergy: provide permitting advice and key negotiator role in settlement of the largest solar project on public lands.
Recurrent Energy: provide legal advice on regulatory permitting requirements as well as changes in policy developments for solar projects.
Canadian Solar: provide legal advice on permitting requirements involving public lands.
Ioneer: provide permitting advice and litigation role in defense of lithium mining project in Nevada.
Talon Metals: provide permitting advice involving multiple proposed hard rock mining projects and processing facilities in the western U.S.
Multiple Offshore Wind Developers: permitting advice and litigation defense to multiple clients regarding frontier projects, including counsel regarding impacts of transition in U.S. energy policies.
American Clean Power Association: serve as legal adviser to leading U.S. renewable energy industry trade association.
Infrastructure land use authorizations: provide counsel to various clients on land leases, rights of way, and related historic properties and wildlife laws.
Corporate due diligence: provide legal opinions and guidance in support of multiple energy clients in the context of financing, M&A and restructuring deals.
Credentials
Education
- Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, Dartmouth College, 2019
- J.D., Stanford Law School, 1996
- B.A., Dartmouth College, 1990
Bar admissions and qualifications
- District of Columbia
- New Mexico
Court admissions
- U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships
- Member, Board of Directors, Environmental Law Institute
- Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers
- Member, Tribal Advisory Board, The National Judicial College
- Member, Board of Trustees, Dartmouth College
- Member, Board of Directors, Conservation Lands Foundation