Ingrid E. Bjorklund

Principal Attorney, Bjorklund Law, PLLC

Ingrid Bjorklund opened her practice in St. Paul, Minnesota after two decades of combined legal, regulatory, and legislative experience gained in private practice, government, and in-house. Ingrid also served as an Adjunct Professor of Energy Law for Mitchell Hamline School of Law and a Contract Administrative Law Judge for the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings. Ingrid currently serves as special counsel to Mendoza Law, LLC.

Ingrid offers an insider’s perspective on regulatory issues from her years regulating energy entities on behalf of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Minnesota Department of Commerce, and Midwest Reliability Organization. She also worked on high profile energy issues at the Minnesota Legislature as staff and contract lobbyist. Ingrid served as an executive and associate general counsel for a startup renewable energy developer where she developed and led an initiative to build private high-voltage transmission lines to support wind energy. Prior to starting her own firm, she practiced energy law and business law at a midsized law firm where she represented utilities, renewable energy developers, and biofuel producers. Ingrid was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in 2005.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Negotiated, prepared, and reviewed agreements, including power purchase agreements for wind and solar projects, meteorological tower easements, utility crossings, and water supply for ethanol plants.
Prepared and shepherded permit requests for wind, solar, and transmission projects.
Counseled clients on PURPA qualifications and various renewable energy incentives.
Advised a utility in its development of a community solar program.
Represented a fitness studio before the Minnesota Second District Court in a contract dispute; secured a temporary injunction and ultimately negotiated a favorable settlement for the client.
Led initiatives to advance or defeat legislation at the Legislature and issues before the Public Utilities Commission, which often involved working with a wide range of diverse stakeholders.
Shepherded interconnection requests and agreements with regional transmission organizations, including assisting in a successful outcome from FERC in a cost allocation dispute.
Represented clients on task forces and other formal working groups to advance their issues such as demand response aggregation and community-based wind.
Prepared organizational documents for new businesses, such as bylaws and operating agreements, and served as corporate secretary for a renewable energy company.

EDUCATION

J.D., 2005. William Mitchell College of Law. St. Paul, Minnesota.

William Mitchell Law Review

M.A., Environmental Resource Policy, 1996. The George Washington University. Washington, DC.

University Fellow and Research Assistant

B.A., International Relations, 1991. St. Catherine University. St. Paul, Minnesota.

Semester abroad in Cameroon (School for International Training)

PRESENTATIONS

Presenter, "Energy Law for Environmental Lawyers,” Energy and Environmental Law Topics Webcast Package, Minnesota CLE, September 5, 2019.
Presenter, "Energy Law for Environmental Lawyers," 2019 Minnesota Environmental Institute, Minneapolis, MN, April 11, 2019.
Presenter, “The Energy Storage Revolution,” 2018 Minnesota Environmental Institute, Minneapolis, MN, April 12, 2018.
Instructor, “Energy Storage—Marketing Stranded Renewables and Providing Grid Stability,” Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo North America 2016, Orlando, FL, December 12, 2016.
Presenter, “Securities Law Considerations for Community Solar Projects,” Summer Conference, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, Brainerd, MN, August 15-17, 2016.
Instructor, “Renewable Energy and Storage,” EUCI, Denver, CO, July 18-19, 2016.
Presenter, “Recognizing the Value of Electric Energy Storage: A Wake-Up Call,” MSBA Public Utilities Law Section, St. Paul, MN, January 20, 2016.
Panelist, “Tried and True,” GenForum Conference: Power Generation Week 2015, Las Vegas, NV, December 7, 2015.
Instructor, “Energy Storage—Marketing Stranded Renewables and Providing Grid Stability,” Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo North America 2015, Las Vegas, NV, December 6, 2015.
Presenter, “The Intersection of Energy Law and Environmental Law,” MSBA Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law Section, Minneapolis, MN, June 18, 2015.
Panelist, “Regional Reliability Audits: An Overview of the Process, Compliance and Enforcement,” Seventeenth Annual Midwest Energy Conference, Energy Bar Association, St. Louis, MO, March 10-11, 2014.
Presenter, “PURPA Today,” MSBA Public Utilities Law Section, St. Paul, MN, February 19, 2014.
Panelist, “Current Challenges for Wind Energy Development,” MSBA Public Utilities Law Section, St. Paul, MN, March 16, 2011.
Presenter, “The Future of Transmitting Wind,” 76th Annual Summer Meeting, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, Alexandria, MN, August 18-20, 2008.
Panelist, “Local Ownership—Accelerating Development Capacity,” First Annual Midwest Ag Energy Network Summit, St. Paul, MN, December 12-13, 2006.

COMMUNITY & PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Adjunct Professor of Energy Law for Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Investigator, Second Judicial District Ethics Committee (2010-2013)
Supervisor, Ramsey Conservation District Board (1999-2004)
Chair, Minnesota State Bar Association’s Public Utilities Law Section (2013-2014)
Member, Minnesota State Bar Association
Member, Ramsey County Bar Association
Member, InfraGard