Christopher A. Cernik, a Shareholder in the Government Law and Policy practice, focuses his practice on transportation, telecommunications, technology, economic development and energy. Chris heads the Albany office’s Technology Procurement Practice, consulting with technology companies in the development of focused strategies for providing IT support to state and local government agencies.

Prior to joining the firm, Chris was a senior counsel in the New York State Assembly, serving two Assembly Speakers as Parliamentarian and Special Counsel. He has received statewide recognition for his work in the development of groundbreaking initiatives in traffic safety (work that continues today through representation of several law enforcement coalitions).

Chris represented industrial energy consumers across Upstate New York during the deregulation of the electricity industry and the development of special industrial power programs (including the initial Power for Jobs Program) aimed at surmounting the barriers to global competitiveness caused by New York’s historically high energy costs.

In 1979, Chris served as counsel to the Constitutional Convention of the Emerging Republic of Palau (Micronesia) and was awarded honorary citizenship for his work. He also has served as town justice for Princetown, New York, and as an adjunct professor of Political Science at Union College in Schenectady.