Meet Mark
Mark Bender is a Wisconsin energy, infrastructure and regulatory lawyer who helps clients move complex projects through the governmental and regulatory processes that determine whether projects are approved, funded, procured and built. He advises developers, businesses, governments, tribal entities, utilities, data center operators and developers, and large energy users on state and local approvals, permitting, utility regulation, public funding, public construction and procurement, administrative rules, legislation and strategic planning.
Before joining Godfrey & Kahn, Mark served as chief advisor to a Commissioner of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) and worked in the State Legislature, which provided him with extensive experience in state government and legislative environments. Mark’s practical insight into how agency decisions are made, how stakeholder dynamics affect outcomes and how to align project strategy with legal, policy, political and procedural realities that helps clients move projects forward.
Mark has extensive experience with project siting and permitting before the PSCW, including Certificates of Authority and Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for electric generation, energy storage, transmission, interconnection, and water infrastructure. Mark also advises clients on power purchase agreements, acquisitions and dispositions of energy assets, utility coordination and negotiation, and interconnection strategy and compliance. He provides counsel to data center operators, developers, and other large energy users on power procurement strategies, PPAs, utility coordination, and large-load facility issues.
As a member of the Tribal Governments practice, Mark also assists tribal governments, tribal agencies and tribal utilities with project development, right-of-way issues, tribal taxes and assessments, energy code and utility development, and related funding strategies that use federal and state grants, tax credit financing and other incentives to improve project viability.
Beyond energy, Mark advises clients on regulatory and administrative agency matters at the federal, state and local levels, including legislative drafting, administrative rulemaking, public construction and bidding, lead service line replacement, broadband and other projects.