FERC Chairman Rich Glick announced today that Stephen J. Williams has been named FERC’s new Director of the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS).
Williams, who is designated the Commission’s Dispute Resolution Specialist under the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act, previously served as the attorney advisor for the Division of Audits and Accounting within FERC’s Office of Enforcement, where he provided his legal expertise and resolved conflicts between audit teams and audited entities. He also has held positions as an attorney advisor within the Office of Administrative Litigation and Office of Administrative Law Judges’ DRS, where he resolved many complex high-profile disputes.
Williams holds a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration from Rutgers University. He earned a Master of Laws in International Commercial Arbitration Law from Stockholm University School of Law in Sweden. He is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in Psychology.
DRS, which is housed in the Commission’s Office of the General Counsel, provides neutral and independent alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services, assisting parties in the voluntary resolution of their energy and environmental disputes-- prior to, during, or after a complaint is filed with the Commission.
The DRS staff are professional mediators trained in dispute prevention, negotiation and ADR techniques. The service uses ADR tools to assist parties in resolving disputes related to matters under FERC’s jurisdiction. The staff also educate and train audiences on ADR techniques and conflict management skills.
In addition, the DRS staff manages the Commission’s Landowner Helpline, providing landowners with a dedicated helpline to get information and resolve disputes regarding FERC-jurisdictional natural gas and hydropower facilities.
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