Elena M. Romerdahl

Elena M. Romerdahl advises clients on energy and natural resources matters, with nearly 15 years of experience spanning oil, gas and mining. Her practice encompasses project development and finance, state and federal permitting, and disputes involving environmental and natural resource concerns. She also works on utility rates, regulatory issues and tariffs.

Elena represents clients in large project permitting and financing transactions and appears before the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Alaska Office of Administrative Hearings. She handles administrative appeals, enforcement actions and litigation in state and federal courts. Her counseling work includes environmental compliance, contaminated site investigations, due diligence and title review for natural resource transactions, commercial agreements, and occupational safety and health issues.

Before joining Ashurst Perkins Coie, Elena was an assistant attorney general in the Alaska Department of Law’s Natural Resources Section. She represented the state of Alaska in multiparty negotiations concerning the Alaska North Slope liquefied natural gas project. Her work for the state also addressed oil and gas development issues involving permitting, land use, lease administration, royalties and taxation, commercial agreements, and dismantlement, removal and restoration.

Raised in Alaska, Elena has advised state agencies on resource management and development, permitting, lease administration and administrative appeals. She has also worked with senior policymakers on legislative matters. That experience informs her work with clients navigating Alaska’s energy and natural resources regulatory framework.

• Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2010
• Pace University, M.S.T., 2007
• Georgetown University, B.A., English, Government, 2005

• Alaska
• New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska

• Listed in Chambers USA as an "Up and Coming" Natural Resources & Environment Lawyer, 2023-2026

• Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Energy Law; Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law, 2021-2025

• Alaska Bar Association, Attorney Discipline Hearing Committee
• Alaska Bar Association, Pro Bono Committee
• Alaska Association of Women Lawyers, Board of Directors

• Thread Alaska, Board of Directors, President
• Alaska Resources Education, Board of Directors
• Georgetown University Regional Alumni Contact for Alaska