Karleen Stern
Partner
Working to understand and combat the impacts of climate change has been a central tenant of Karleen’s career starting with her climate science studies as an undergraduate. Now a senior legal and business adviser to sustainable and clean energy industry clients, Karleen provides strategic guidance and legal counseling to companies, investors, developers, and IPPs, helping them to execute successfully on business strategy while managing risk.
Karleen’s expertise includes sustainable energy development, joint venture partnerships, financing, construction and operations, policy and procedure development, and contract review and management. Her background spans legal and business roles for global renewable energy developers, startups, and law firms. Over the course of her career, she provided legal and strategic guidance in the development, construction, and operation of over ten gigawatts of solar and wind utility scale projects, as well as over two gigawatts of C&I and behind-the-meter solar and solar and storage projects.
Karleen has extensive experience in negotiating and drafting project contracts for utility-scale and C&I solar, wind, and battery storage projects. She served as in house counsel at Fotowatio Renewable Ventures and SunEdison, and previously worked at the law firms Winston & Strawn and Stoel Rives.
Outside of work hours, Karleen tries to spend as much time as possible outside with her family. Together they enjoy hiking, camping, biking, and being in the mountains.
Bar Admissions
Admitted to practice in California
Education
J.D. George Washington University
B.S. Duke University
News, Insights & Events
Financing Distributed and Community Solar Projects
Karleen Stern and Zach Crowley discuss key considerations for Financing Distributed and Community Solar Projects. Among the topics discussed are recent federal tax credits and evolving transaction structures, state initiatives, key components of financing community solar projects, the process for project evaluation and selection and best practices for energy counsel, investors, and developers.