FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has promoted Nikhil Rao to the role of Associate General Counsel, Litigation and Labor & Employment, effective June 16.
In his new position, Rao will oversee and manage a broad range of FirstEnergy’s legal matters, including litigation, claims, employment and labor law issues, internal investigations, and privacy and cybersecurity matters. Rao will report to Hyun Park, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer.
“Nikhil is an experienced and respected attorney who has proven himself to be a very thoughtful, calm, collaborative and trusted partner with a strong track record of resolving challenging matters and creating value for our stakeholders,” said Park. “Nikhil’s business and litigation experience – as well as his demonstrated commitment to our core values – distinguished him as the best candidate for the position.”
Rao joined FirstEnergy in 2014 and currently serves as Senior Corporate Counsel II in the Federal Regulatory Group. He has handled high-stakes federal regulatory and legal matters for the company before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and federal district and appellate courts.
Rao began his career in 1997 as an investment banking analyst for Merrill Lynch before spending two years at a venture capital firm. After obtaining a law degree, he was a clerk for the Honorable Solomon Oliver Jr., U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He also worked as a litigator at Skadden in New York City, clerked for the Honorable Peter W. Hall at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and worked in the Business and Tort Litigation group for Jones Day in Cleveland.
Rao earned a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College in 1997 and received his Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. An Eagle Scout, Rao actively supports Boy Scouts of America (BSA), serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster and recently completing Wood Badge, BSA’s national leadership training program.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland,and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24 thousand miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwestand Mid-Atlantic regions.
Editor’s Note: A professional photo of Nikhil Rao is available on Flickr.
News Media Contact: Tricia Ingraham at (330) 384-5247 or Investor Relations Contact: Irene Prezelj at (330) 384-3859
