Mark Wesley Menezes nominated to be Under Secretary of the Department of Energy
Mark Menezes
LSU Law 1981 graduate Mark Menezes has been nominated to serve as Under Secretary of the United States Department of Energy.
Menezes is Vice President of Federal Relations for Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a diversified energy company. Before joining Berkshire, Menezes was a partner at Hunton & Williams heading its energy practice group.
Prior to Hunton, he was Chief Counsel, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, for the House Majority during the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Before joining the committee, he was Vice President with Central and South West Corporation and upon its merger with American Electric Power Company, served as vice president and associate general counsel.
Menezes is a graduate of Louisiana State University receiving both his undergraduate and juris doctor degrees. He is a charter member of the Advisory Council for LSU Energy Law Center.
Two LSU Law Center graduates nominated to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Kurt D. Engelhardt
Kyle Duncan
Two LSU Law Center graduates – Kyle Duncan and Chief U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt – have been nominated to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Duncan is a 1997 graduate of the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center and practices law in Washington, D.C. Engelhardt, a 1985 graduate, is currently chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
“This is a wonderful day for LSU Law. We are proud to have two graduates nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit,” LSU Law Dean Tom Galligan said. “I had the pleasure of teaching Kyle Duncan, and he was a very fine student while at LSU Law. We are equally honored to have Chief Judge Englehardt nominated in recognition of his distinguished career and service to the judiciary.”
Duncan is former general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. He also formerly served as Louisiana’s first Solicitor General, representing public officials and the state before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Fifth Circuit, the Louisiana Supreme Court and federal district courts.
Engelhardt joined the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in December 2001 on the nomination of President George W. Bush. He became chief judge of the New Orleans-based court two years ago. Prior to his judicial service, Engelhardt was a partner at the insurance company defense firm of Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale in Metairie, La.
In addition to Duncan and Engelhardt, President Donald Trump nominated two others – Texas Supreme Court Justice Don R. Willett and former Texas Solicitor General James C. Ho – for spots on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The New Orleans-based 5th Circuit hears appeals from Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.
