Ex-commissioner Galvin joins law firm

Patrick Galvin, formerly commissioner of the Alaska Department of Revenue, has joined the global law firm K&L Gates LLP.

“As clients and potential clients continue to invest in Alaska’s extraordinary energy sector, Pat and our Anchorage office are well positioned to serve their needs in tax, royalty, leasing, permitting, and other matters,” K&L Gates chairman and global managing partner Peter Kalis said in a Feb. 15 press release.

After her election as governor, Sarah Palin named Galvin as her revenue commissioner in December 2006. A Democrat, Galvin had been petroleum land manager with the state Division of Oil and Gas, heading up the leasing and permitting sections.

As commissioner, Galvin played a leading role in the reform of the state’s oil and gas production tax, and passage and implementation of the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act to encourage construction of a North Slope natural gas pipeline.

Galvin was among several cabinet members whose resignations Gov. Sean Parnell accepted prior to the start of his new term on Dec. 6. At K&L Gates, Galvin will be a partner in the firm’s energy and utilities practice, the press release said.

“We are very pleased to add Pat to the firm’s energy practice,” said Jennifer Coughlin, administrative partner in the K&L Gates Anchorage office. “His extensive experience will greatly benefit clients with needs in a wide variety of areas, especially natural resource and energy project development.”

One notable K&L Gates client is the State of Alaska. The firm is helping press the state’s civil suit against BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. seeking to collect potentially $1 billion in lost oil and gas revenue, fines and other damages stemming from Prudhoe Bay pipeline leaks in 2006.

According to its website, K&L Gates has nearly 2,000 lawyers in 37 offices on three continents.

—Wesley Loy