Stephen J. Burdick counsels clients in the nuclear industry, both inside and outside the United States. A former civilian nuclear plant engineer and nuclear plant operator, Stephen advises electric utilities, reactor developers, government entities, and other companies across the nuclear fuel cycle. Stephen’s work focuses on regulatory and litigation matters before administrative bodies, such as the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and before relevant courts with a specific emphasis on new reactor projects, subsequent license renewal, decommissioning, high level waste storage, medical isotopes, and Part 810 nuclear export controls.
Stephen counsels clients on issues relating to NRC licensing and enforcement proceedings, nuclear safety and regulatory compliance, employment discrimination, and prudence of nuclear plant outages. He is actively involved in the licensing and permitting of new US nuclear plants, including large light water reactors, small modular reactors, and advanced reactors, and he has been involved in projects evaluating or utilizing all of the NRC licensing options for new plants. Stephen guides clients through the full scope of legal issues associated with new nuclear projects, including consideration of safety and environmental matters, preparation of applications, NRC review of those applications, and litigation of applications before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board and the Commission. After licensing, Stephen advises clients on legal and regulatory issues arising during construction.
Stephen helps clients prepare and adjudicate applications for other nuclear activities, including renewing or amending reactor operating licenses and other materials licenses, transferring licenses as part of commercial transactions, license changes throughout decommissioning, adjudicating materials license applications for uranium recovery activities, obtaining licenses related to medical isotope facilities, import/export of nuclear materials, and obtaining licenses for consolidated interim storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel.
As the firm’s deputy facility security officer with a top-secret security clearance, Stephen also supports investigations and litigation involving classified information.
Outside the United States, Stephen counsels clients on developing new nuclear regulatory and licensing programs and plants, including the need for power, choice of technology, alternative site considerations, and regulatory and commercial issues associated with project development. He helps government entities establish new nuclear regulatory regimes and apply international standards.
Stephen also assists applicants outside the United States seeking licenses for new reactor projects, including readiness reviews to consider whether a company is ready to submit and obtain licenses. He advised a United Kingdom client on a license application to the Office for Nuclear Regulation and has advised clients in the Middle East on the development of new nuclear programs, including application of international standards.
Stephen was appointed to a second term on the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC) by the Secretary of Commerce.
Prior to his career as an attorney, Stephen worked as a nuclear plant engineer for Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), then a Lockheed Martin Company. He qualified to operate a nuclear plant and participated in the training of Navy Personnel in the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
Member, Law Firm of the Year, Energy/Projects: Power (including Renewables), Chambers USA (2018)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Energy, Law360 (2016)
Member, Energy Law Firm of the Year, US News & World Report/Best Lawyers (2015)
Ranked, Energy: Nuclear (Regulatory & Litigation), USA, Chambers Global (2019)
Ranked, Energy: Nuclear (Regulatory & Litigation), Nationwide, Chambers USA (2017, 2018)
Recommended, Industry focus: Energy regulatory: conventional power, The Legal 500 US (2014–2018)
Member, American Bar Association
Contributor, American Bar Association, Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, Spring, Fall, and Annual Reports of Nuclear Energy Committee
Participant, US Industry Program at the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference
Guest Speaker, Nuclear Power Institute at Texas A&M University
Guest Speaker, EUCI Nuclear 101 Program
Articles Editor, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Annual Review Advisor, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Recipient, Boalt Hall Law & Technology Certificate
1/24/2019 - A Sunset for SUNSI: NRC Approves CUI Rulemaking
1/22/2019 - President Signs Law Supporting Advanced Reactors, Capping NRC Fees
1/8/2019 - Status of US–UK 123 Agreement Regarding Nuclear Trade
1/4/2019 - Partial Government Shutdown Disrupts Federal Register
10/15/2018 - US Government Announces Restrictive Controls for Trade Export to China
9/10/2018 - NRC Requests Input on Protective Order Templates for ITAAC Hearings
8/28/2018 - NRC Staff: Scalable EPZs for SMRs Are Feasible
7/26/2018 - Confirmed: Hackers Accessed US Electrical Utility Networks
6/26/2018 - NRC Recommends More Risk-Informed Regulation in Advanced Reactor Licensing
6/14/2018 - NRC, FERC Hold Joint Meeting on Grid Reliability and Cybersecurity
3/27/2018 - Progress Update on the NRC’s Controlled Unclassified Information Program
2/20/2018 - NRC Issues Further Guidance for Revising Decommissioning Regulations
5/11/2017 - Morgan Lewis Announces Classified Information Services
9/27/2016 - UK Moving Forward on New Nuclear Plants
1/11/2016 - NRC Staff Seeks Public Comment on Technical Approach for Second License Renewals
6/1/2011 - U.S. Nuclear Operations in a Post-Fukushima World, POWER Magazine (read the article)
4/2/2019 - 2019 International SMR and Advanced Reactor Summit
10/23/2018 - Nuclear Regulatory Roundup – 3rd Quarter 2018
7/24/2018 - Nuclear Regulatory Roundup – 2nd Quarter 2018
5/15/2018 - Ready4Nuclear, USNIC Nuclear Suppliers Workshop
3/27/2018 - International SMR and Advanced Reactor Summit
1/18/2018 - 4th Central & Eastern Europe Nuclear Industry Congress 2018
9/6/2017 - Nuclear Suppliers Workshop
3/30/2017 - Nuclear Energy Insider 7th Annual International SMR and Advanced Reactor Summit
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