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John McKinsey

Phone: (707) 316-9494
Fax: (916) 928-0796
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John McKinsey has been serving clients in California since 1999. He provides advice and transaction support for individuals and corporate clients of all sizes. A veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served as a Navy Diver, Nuclear Power Plant Operator and Electrician on Submarines, John is very effective in translating the complicated, handling high stress situations and presenting and implementing clear, useful, and innovative solutions to clients.

Attorney Profile

Before founding the McKinsey Law Office, John was a partner in law firms ranging in size from more than 1000 to less than 50 attorneys. He began his own practice in order to more effectively serve clients in the most cost-efficient and flexible manner. John serves independent energy producer clients in the energy sector with a focus on the contracts and regulations driving the business of electricity generation and sales. John also serves businesses in the beverage and hospitality industry and serves businesses doing business in California or grappling with California regulation. John also provides estate planning services including wills and trusts. John has extensive experience advising businesses on complex and high stakes matters.

Education

  • University of California, Davis School of Law. Juris Doctorate. 1999
  • California State University, Sacramento. Bachelor of Arts, Economics. 1996
  • United States Navy Dive School, Ford Island, Hawaii. US Navy Diver. 1986
  • Naval Prototype Training, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Nuclear Operator Certificate. 1985
  • Naval Nuclear Power School, Orlando, Florida. Graduate. 1984

Speaking Engagements

Energy

Siting Energy Projects in California; Finding the Balance. Second Annual Climate & Energy Law Symposium, San Diego, CA. April 9, 2010

New Technologies: Meeting Load While Cutting Carbon Emissions. Energy in California, Law Seminars International. San Francisco, CA. September 13, 2010

The War on Carbon: Regulating Carbon in the Electricity Sector. Wichita Pachyderm Club. Wichita, KS. October 22, 2010

See More Energy News

33% Renewable Standard in California and the Geothermal Industry. Geothermal Energy Association Annual Meeting. Sacramento, CA. October 25, 2010

California’s 33% RPS and the November 2nd Election. What does it all mean?. GEA Geothermal Energy Finance Forum. New York, NY, October 28, 2010

Legal and Regulatory Hurdles of Geothermal Power. GEA Geothermal Energy Finance Forum. New York, NY. February 9, 2011

The Nexus of Water, Energy and Carbon. Best Practices for Owning and Operating a Winery. The Seminar Group. Sonoma, CA. March 10, 2011

Future of California Energy Policy. U.C. Davis 2011 Environmental Law Society Symposium. Davis, CA. April 1, 2011

Geothermal Business Principles and Development, National Geothermal Academy Summer Series. Reno, NV. August 8-12, 2011

Moving Geothermal Forward on Public Lands in California, GEA National Geothermal Summit. Reno, NV. August 17, 2011

Energy Storage – Finding Energy’s Holy Grail and What It Will Take to Bring It Home. The Seminar Group. San Francisco, CA. September 11, 2014

California’s Energy Sector Efforts to Combat Climate Change. Combating Climate Change in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA. June 8, 2018

International Energy Transactions in Africa. The Example of East African Renewable Electricity Development. UC Davis School of Law. February 13, 2019

Energy Storage: What it Means for the Southwest. Energy in the Southwest Conference. Santa Fe, NM. August 12, 2016

Development and Financing in California: Challenges in an Uncertain Era. Electric Power in California. November 4, 2016

Energy Storage and Its Role in Integrating Renewables. Buying and Selling Electric Power in the West. Seattle, WA. January 24, 2017

Energy Storage: Reasons, Prospects and Challenges. Oregon’s Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Plan Conference - Portland Oregon. July 2016

Beverage and Hospitality

Energy Conservation, Renewable Energy and Wineries. Winery & Wine Distribution Law Conference. Napa, CA March 18, 2010

Liability and Risk Management in Winery Operations. Winery & Wine Distribution Law Conference. Canandaigua, NY. April 29, 2010

See More Beverage and Hospitality News

Business Law

Development and Financing in California: Challenges in an Uncertain Era. Electric Power in California. November 4, 2016

See More Business Law News

Publications

Energy

Regulating Avian Impacts under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Other Laws: The Wind Industry Collides with One of Its Own, the Environmental Protection Movement. Energy Law Journal Volume 28:71 (2007)

Future of Efficiency? May 2016

Geothermal Business and Finance Law, US AID

See More Energy Publications

Geothermal Business Principles. National Geothermal Academy, Reno, NV. 2012

Beverage and Hospitality

Making Wine in the City: The Business and Regulation of Urban Wineries. Wine Business Monthly. May 2008

Tasting Room Liability: Alcohol regulations, slips and falls, the Americans with Disability Act and more. Wine Business Monthly. February 2008

See More Beverage and Hospitality Publications

Business Law

Tasting Room Liability: Alcohol regulations, slips and falls, the Americans with Disability Act and more. Wine Business Monthly. February 2008

The Organized Attorney, Martin Pearl Publishing, 2015

Weak Accessibility Protection for California Property Owners. Law360. October 2013

See More Business Law Publications

Understanding the Law, Cengage, 2007-2014

Representative Matters

Energy

Redding Power Plant, Redding, California - Counsel to municipal utility before air district and California Energy Commission over air emissions abatement systems disagreements and permit changes to allow expanded operation

Bottle Rock Power Plant, Cobb, California - Project counsel for refiring of suspended geothermal power plant in the Geysers region of Northern California

Obtained required permits for a major power plant project opposed by the local government, environmental agencies and citizen and community groups

See More Energy Representative Matters

Negotiate Power Purchase Agreement for Nevada geothermal power plant selling to California Independently Owned Utility

Counsel to major urban repowering project in South San Francisco, California

Negotiate Power Purchase Agreement for California wind energy facility selling to Southern California Edison

Negotiate Power Purchase Agreement for geothermal power plant selling to a California Municipal Utility

Negotiate and prepare power plant construction agreement for geothermal power plant project in California

Lead project counsel for permitting and governmental and private party negotiations for a 1,000 MW combined cycle power plant in Southern California

Lead project counsel for permitting and governmental and private party negotiations for a 600 MW combined cycle power plant in Southern California

Counsel for air, energy and water permitting for major combined cycle power plant in Contra Costa County, California

Counsel for air, water and other environmental regulatory permitting for proposed power plant in San Francisco County

Pine Tree Wind Project, Kern County, California - Challenge of CEQA decision by Audubon chapters opposing proposed major wind energy project

Counsel regarding air permitting for proposed LNG facility offshore of California

Project counsel for proposed new power generation facility in central Los Angeles

Long Beach Emergency Peaker Project, Long Beach, California - Lead counsel for repowering project converting CGT combine cycle into simple cycle peaker with SCR installation

Turlock Irrigation District, Turlock, California - Counsel to municipal power producer regarding territorial disputes with major investor-owned electrical utility

Beverage and Hospitality

Advise and guide start-up of winery in Placer County, California including all corporate documents and contracts

Advise and resolve issues for winery client in Southern California regarding non-conforming wine inventory and sales

Purchase and Sale Agreement (seller side) for winery (Tallulah) in Sonoma County California

See More Beverage and Hospitality Representative Matters

Purchase and Sale Agreement for set of hotels in Sacramento, California

Advise and guide startup of winery in Monterey County, California

Advise and defend winery in regulatory action brought by State of California

Advise and guide amendments to license from California Alcohol and Beverage Commission for hotel in Sacramento California

Advise client regarding enforcement action brought by California Alcohol and Beverage Commission

Prepare master distribution agreement for food and beverage client use in California

Purchase and Sale Agreement (representing buyer) for restaurant in Emeryville, California

Support purchase transaction for hotel in San Bernardino, California

Business Law

Negotiate Power Purchase Agreement for Nevada geothermal power plant selling to California Independently Owned Utility

Negotiate Power Purchase Agreement for California wind energy facility selling to Southern California Edison

Negotiate Power Purchase Agreement for geothermal power plant selling to a California Municipal Utility

See More Business Law Representative Matters

Negotiate and prepare power plant construction agreement for geothermal power plant project in California

Advise and guide start-up of winery in Placer County, California including all corporate documents and contracts

Purchase and Sale Agreement (seller side) for winery (Tallulah) in Sonoma County California

Purchase and Sale Agreement for set of hotels in Sacramento, California

Prepare master distribution agreement for food and beverage client use in California

Purchase and Sale Agreement (representing buyer) for restaurant in Emeryville, California

Support purchase transaction for hotel in San Bernardino, California

Professional Activities and Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor of Energy Law, School of Law, University of California, Davis (2012 to present)
  • Member, California Bar Association (1999 to present)
  • Member, Governing Board of Directors, Geothermal Energy Association (2009 - 2015)