PORTLAND, Ore. — Stoel Rives LLP, an Am Law 200 law firm, is pleased to announce that partner Cherise M. Gaffney has been recognized by the Portland chapter of Women in Hydro (WIH) for her contributions and dedication to hydropower. Gaffney and Lisa Larson, associate vice president at HDR, Inc., were honored at a chapter meeting, for which they were also guest speakers, at Stoel Rives’ Portland office on January 17.
The Portland chapter of WIH is part of the Northwest Hydroelectric Association. The mission of the WIH is “to further professional development and opportunities for women in the hydro field. WIH fosters relationships, mutual respect, and diversity among hydro professionals through networking, education, and mentoring.” Gaffney acts as general counsel for the organization.
Gaffney advises clients on federal natural resources law in complex permitting and compliance matters. She has extensive experience on issues arising under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Federal Power Act, National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedure Act. Her clients have included developers and owners of hydropower dams, liquid natural gas facilities, oil and gas facilities, and wave and tidal energy projects. Gaffney served as vice president and as a board member of the National Hydropower Association (NHA) and chaired several of its committees. In those roles, she took an active role in NHA's development and successful passage of hydropower legislation. Gaffney is listed in Best Lawyers in America for energy regulatory law and environmental law. In 2015, she received a “Women with Hydro Vision” award from PennWell’s Hydro Group.