Overview
After a clerkship with the Honorable Oliver Seth of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Mr. Olson joined Montgomery & Andrews in 1974 and is currently of counsel to the firm. For more than forty-five years, he has represented public utilities and other clients in regulatory proceedings before the Public Regulation Commission and its two predecessor agencies, the Public Utility Commission and the State Corporation Commission. Mr. Olson’s utility regulatory experience includes numerous general rate cases, certificate proceedings for new carriers and facilities, including independent power projects, proceedings related to changes in ownership and control of utility systems and operations, proceedings related to the definition and regulation of competitive and noncompetitive services, proceedings related to the issuance of securities, and state interconnection and wholesale regulatory proceedings under the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
He has also represented both sellers and purchasers in sales and purchases of utility systems including the sale of a statewide natural gas transmission and distribution utility, purchases of gas distribution utility systems serving several communities in southern New Mexico, and sales or purchases of water utility systems serving Santa Fe, Clovis, and Edgewood, New Mexico.
For many years, Mr. Olson was primarily responsible for the Firm’s engagement as counsel to Santa Fe’s nonprofit, acute care general hospital and continues to advise other hospitals and health care providers. He has also represented clients, including financial institutions, in complex commercial, real estate and financial transactions and has rendered numerous closing opinions on behalf of sellers, purchasers, and lenders. He has advised hospitals in regard to the issuance of more than $50 million of tax exempt revenue bonds issued by the City of Santa Fe, the New Mexico Hospital Equipment Loan Council and the New Mexico Finance Authority to finance hospital construction and additions, and to advance refund existing indebtedness.
Prior to attending law school Mr. Olson served as an officer in the United States Army for two years. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and received the Bronze Star Medal for his service.
Experience
Representative Clients
CenturyLink QC
EPCOR Water New Mexico, Inc.
El Paso Electric Company
Finastra
Background
University of New Mexico School of Law
Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, 1973
Stanford University
Bachelor of Arts, 1968
United States Army
1st Lieutenant, Transportation Corps (1968-1970)
Professional Memberships and Activities
Current:
Chair, State Bar of New Mexico Access to Justice Fund Grant Commission
Member, Secretary, La Familia Medical Center
Commissioner, New Mexico Municipal Boundary Commission
Member, Governor’s State Energy Policy Advisory Council
State Bar of New Mexico (Sections on Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law; Health Law; Real Property, Probate and Trust)
American Bar Association (Sections on Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Industries; Health Law)
Previous:
Commissioner, New Mexico Commission on Access to Justice
Director, La Familia Medical Center
Director, Equal Access to Justice
Director and President, Foundation for the Santa Fe Community College
Founding Director, Santa Fe Community Foundation
Director, President, and Campaign Chair, United Way of Santa Fe County
Founding Director, Santa Fe Partners in Education
Speaking Engagements
Mr. Olson has spoken to numerous groups on subjects of public utility regulation, health care, real estate, banking and equal access to justice.
Honors
Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating
Continuous 20-year listing in The Best Lawyers in America (a listing derived from a lawyer survey), currently listed in practice areas of Administrative/Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Health Care Law and Mining Law
Order of the Coif
Editor, New Mexico Law Review (Vol. 3)
Bronze Star Medal (Vietnam War service)
