Womble Strengthens Energy Team with Dual Hires from Government and Utility Industry

September 8, 2025 – Womble Bond Dickinson announced today the continued expansion of its Energy and Natural Resources sector with the addition of Deborah Bone in Las Vegas and Jason Marshall in Boston. Both join the Business Litigation group, further strengthening the firm’s national energy litigation and regulatory capabilities across key markets.

“Jason and Deborah bring rare, high-level experience from both government and industry that strengthens our ability to advise clients in increasingly complex regulatory environments,” said Jeff Whittle, Head of the firm’s Global ENR Industry Sector. “Their addition aligns with our strategic focus on growing our national energy and regulatory practice with practitioners who’ve been at the center of the sector’s most pressing issues.”

Deborah Bone | Las Vegas

Bone is a seasoned advisor to energy companies and other highly regulated industries, with significant in-house and private practice experience. She most recently served as deputy general counsel and assistant corporate secretary at NV Energy, where she led a 12-person legal team handling regulatory, legislative, corporate, and litigation matters.

Her earlier work as a partner at a national law firm focused on defending clients in complex enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency, and Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as advising on Clean Air Act and CERCLA compliance, due diligence, and transactional risk management.

“Deborah’s arrival marks a significant step in the continued growth of our Las Vegas office and the firm’s energy capabilities in the West,” said Karl Rutledge, Las Vegas Office Managing Partner. “Her experience leading legal strategy at a major Nevada utility, combined with her background in high-stakes regulatory matters, brings valuable insight to clients operating in this dynamic and heavily regulated market.”

Bone received her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University.

Jason Marshall | Boston

Marshall brings fifteen years of experience advising on regional transmission, market design, and multistate energy strategy. He most recently served as deputy secretary and special counsel for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, where he led the state’s federal and regional energy policy initiatives. He also served as deputy executive director and general counsel of the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE), where he oversaw litigation on behalf of the six New England Governors before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Marshall previously held legal roles with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, the Massachusetts State Senate, and an international law firm. He began his legal career as a law clerk for Chief Justice Christopher J. Armstrong of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. He is a past president of the Energy Bar Association’s Northeast Chapter and recipient of the 2022 Jason F. Leif Award for exemplary service.

“Jason is a highly respected figure in the Massachusetts energy community and a natural addition to our Chambers-ranked energy practice,” said Deborah Vernon, Boston Office Managing Partner. “His depth in regulatory law and federal energy policy – combined with his relationships across the public and private sectors – will significantly elevate our presence in the Northeast.”

Marshall holds a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law, an M.S. in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance from Boston College, and a B.A. from Boston College.