January 2016 Alumni Highlight
Liam Baker (’99) was in a unique situation when he began considering law school. At the time, he was an employee of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (“Con-Ed”). After receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Fairfield University and his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Manhattan College, Liam obtained a position as a field engineering intern with Con-Ed. From there, he rose up the ranks to an operating supervisor and then an engineer. Though law school had always been a possibility in the back of Liam’s mind, it was while he worked at Con-Ed that he began to pursue it seriously. He began to seek the best law school both academically, geographically, and to fit his busy full-time working schedule. As luck would have it, Pace Law School was a perfect match.
During his time at Pace Law, Liam recalls the lifelong friends he made in the program and the “respect the professors and the students had for one another.” His favorite professor was Gayl Westerman. She taught international law and was a very “dynamic and engaging professor.” Liam considers his status as a law student instrumental to his career at Con-Ed. “I had a leg-up and a different perspective on my position with Con-Ed because of what I was learning at Pace in law school.”
After graduating from law school and spending some time in the legal office as an attorney at Con-Ed, Liam became an associate with the renowned firm Greenberg Traurig LLP. After spending a year there, Liam went to work with US Power Generating Company, where he remains today. He is currently the Vice President of the Connecticut-based company. As Vice President Liam has a myriad of responsibilities. For example, he is responsible for approximately 2,000 MW generation portfolio optimization and all the strategy and support that goes along with it. He leads a team that is responsible for formulating and implementing bidding strategies, manages risk, and evaluates potential contractual and development opportunities. He is also responsible for ensuring all NERC/NPCC compliance and leading all FERC interactions in court. His legal training at Pace has been the “ideal bridge between technical and legal” and positioned him for the successful career he has today.
Because of his positive experience with Pace, Liam is an advocate for the Law School. He is a consistent donor to both the annual fund and to more targeted projects. When we asked him why he donates to Pace Law, he said that “of all the places that ask for money, Pace spends it best. The money does not go into a void and you see the results of your donations. It is getting used to educate future generations of law students.”
Liam is also active in a variety of organizations. He is a past board member of Independent Power Producers of New York. He is a two-term past chair of the NYISO Operating Committee. He is a past board member of the Energy Bar Association, Northeast Chapter. And, most recently, Liam is the current chair of the Electric-Gas Coordinating Working Group.
Liam currently resides in Connecticut with his wife and their three daughters. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and either chasing, or being chased, by his kids.