San Francisco Partner Catherine Meulemans and Louisville Partner Sara Abner have been named as the new leaders of Frost Brown Todd’s (FBT) Utilities Team, effective immediately. This female duo brings seasoned leadership to a group serving public utilities, power generators, and retail energy providers in many of the firm’s practices, including corporate and transactional, business litigation, intellectual property, personal injury and tort defense, environmental counseling, tax, bankruptcy and restructuring, employee benefits and ERISA, labor and employment and lobbying.
Abner’s national practice focuses on bankruptcy and financial restructuring issues in the energy sectors, among other industries. She frequently represents utility companies embroiled in large bankruptcy reorganization cases filed by corporate utility customers. Abner assists her clients navigating the bankruptcy landscape to protect and advance their interests. Her cases include large preference and fraudulent conveyance actions, and spans numerous jurisdictions throughout the U.S., representing creditors in many of today’s largest Chapter 11 cases. In addition to her legal work, Abner is instrumental in FBT’s development programs. She leads the firm’s Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s Success in Law School Mentorship program, assists with the internship program for a Louisville-area high school, and is heavily involved in developing and training FBT’s new associates.
Meulemans became a part of the firm when FBT merged with California-based AlvaradoSmith at the beginning of 2023. She has expertise assisting energy and utility clients, and other companies faced with a variety of legal disputes, including contractual disputes and complex tort and business claims. She is part of FBT’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Committee, and works with the firm’s recruiting team in the hiring and mentoring of associates.
Part of FBT’s Energy Industry Team, the Utilities Team provides a wide variety of legal services to numerous electric, gas, sewer, telecommunications and water service providers; power generation companies; and retail energy providers. FBT’s representation of utilities spans decades and is spread across our entire footprint—from San Francisco to Washington D.C. and most places in between.