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James R. Jim Kibler Jr., an attorney whose expertise includes regulatory law and governmental affairs, was named AGL Resources’ vice president of governmental relations for Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland in December 2004.
Before joining AGL Resources, Kibler was a partner at LeClair Ryan, a prominent Virginia law firm with more than 140 lawyers. His practice focused on regulatory law and governmental relations, with an emphasis on energy, telecommunications and other regulated industries. Kibler counseled clients in acquiring, permitting, regulating and operating energy infrastructure, especially natural gas production, gathering, storage, transmission and distribution facilities.
He served as counsel to the Virginia Oil and Gas Association, a statewide association of natural gas production, transportation and distribution companies. During nearly two decades of practice before the Virginia General Assembly, he has been involved in several major legislative initiatives, including the reformation of Virginia statutes on land use, eminent domain, utility regulation, electric restructuring, taxation and natural gas production. In 2003, he coordinated efforts of Virginia and out-of-state wineries to enact landmark legislation authorizing the direct shipment of wine and beer to Virginia consumers, which has become a model for the nation. Kibler has also represented clients in matters before the Congress of the United States.
His public service career prior to law school includes a tenure as an aide to the chairman of the Virginia House of Delegates Committee on Conservation and Natural Resources, during which time he was involved in legislation to remove dams and other structures impeding the spawning runs of striped bass, shad and herring. He also served as a land use planner for the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department and took a leadership role in developing land use controls around the Virginia tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. He has been involved, both personally and professionally, in Virginia’s efforts to control the loss of wetlands and to preserve open space and natural habitat.
He has been appointed by Republican and Democratic Virginia governors as special consumer counsel for telecommunications matters, and by three Virginia attorneys general as special counsel for the Virginia Racing Commission.
Virginia Business magazine has ranked Kibler as among Virginia’s Legal Elite for the last four years. He was named by Inside Business magazine as one of Richmond's Top Forty Under Forty business leaders. He possesses Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for legal ability and integrity.
Kibler, a Western Virginia native, earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Richmond, where he was editor of The University of Richmond Law Review Annual Survey of Virginia Law and was elected to the McNeill Law Honor Society.
Jim and his wife reside in Richmond with their three children. | 