Brett Koenecke

BRETT KOENECKE was raised in Clear Lake, SD. He is proud to be a fourth generation graduate of Clear Lake High School. He went on to South Dakota State University, where he earned a B.S., with honors, in Economics. He earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in December 1994, and has been in private practice in Pierre since 1995.

Brett has been registered as a lobbyist at the South Dakota Legislature for over 25 years. He's successfully represented many clients over that time, and as a result has very deep experience in many areas. His current regular clients include:

  • South Dakota Bankers Association

  • South Dakota Electric Utility Companies

  • South Dakota Dental Association

  • CenturyLink

  • Avangrid Renewables

  • Energy Transfer

  • Geronimo Energy

  • Harms Oil

  • South Dakota State University Alumni Association

  • South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

He is general counsel to:

  • South Dakota Bankers Association

  • South Dakota Electric Utility Companies

  • South Dakota Dental Association

  • South Dakota Community Foundation

  • South Dakota One Call Board

  • Build Dakota Scholarship Program

  • Bishop Hagmeier and the South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Church in America.

Brett practices energy and telecommunications regulatory law. He is frequently found practicing at the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, appearing on behalf of his clients who include Montana-Dakota Utilities, MidAmerican Energy, Avangrid Renewables, Energy Transfer Partners, Geronimo Energy, ENGIE North America, and others. He's been lead counsel in any number of proceedings before the PUC, including electric and gas rate cases, large load electrical choice petitions, territory cases, consumer complaints and others.

Brett's expertise is in siting and permitting large energy projects. He has been lead counsel in siting South Dakota's largest energy projects, including the Dakota Access Pipe Line, Keystone and KeystoneXL Pipelines, and several high voltage electricity transmission lines and wind farms. He does regulatory, tax, government relations, and land acquisition for such projects.

Brett represents a number of South Dakota’s resorts and hunting lodges and their operators. He maintains a practice for local clients including transactions, business and estate planning and probate matters.

Brett is a member of the State Bar of South Dakota and the State Bar of Wisconsin. He is admitted to practice before the courts of the State of South Dakota, the District of South Dakota, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.