Sophie Anne Akins

Sophie A. Akins is a Deputy County Counsel at the County of San Bernardino in the land use division, specializing in renewable energy and land use matters. Prior to joining the County, she was a Partner at Best Best & Krieger, LLP and head of the firm's renewable energy group. During her years of practice, she has focused on general public agency law, governance, procurement, public contracts, water agency law, renewable energy and proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission.

From 2006 through 2012, Ms. Akins served as General Counsel for the Ramona Municipal Water District. In this capacity, she provided day to day advice on district matters, including conflicts of interest, Brown Act, public contracts and the Public Records Act.

Ms. Akins was the lead attorney for the City of Ontario's $150 Million Citizens Business Bank Arena. She was also the lead attorney for the Ontario City Hall modernization, which was a LEED certified Gold project.

From 2007-09, Ms. Akins worked on a little over 14% of the State’s public agency design-build, lease-financed and power purchase agreement solar projects. Her recent projects include a 3.5 mW design-build solar project for the Southwestern Community College District.

In 2010, Ms. Akins successfully represented a coalition of San Diego County Water Districts and School Districts before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), defeating San Diego Gas & Electric's application to shut-off power to over 130,000 San Diego County residents.

In 2011-13, Ms. Akins again successfully represented a public agency coalition at the CPUC, defeating SDG&E's proposal to modify the distrbuted-generation renewable tariff.

In 2012-13, Ms. Akins lead another public agency coalition to success in the Assembly Bill 327 proceeding which provides for a 20-year grandfathering period for existing net-energy metered customers.

Specialties:Power Purchase Agreements, solar projects, wind projects, biogas projects, renewable energy projects, public construction, procurement policies, prequalification of bidders, bid disputes, government contracts, alternative delivery methods, prevailing wages, labor compliance programs, public records act, conflicts of interest and water conservation.