Experience

• Served as counsel to major irrigation district, in addition to individual irrigators and ranchers, in cases involving water right adjudications and transfers, and in the defense of historic water rights.
• Represented public agencies in multiple phases of complex groundwater litigation and obtained a jury verdict in favor of her clients to secure the public water supplier’s prescriptive groundwater rights during periods of groundwater shortage.
• Advised public and private entities concerning the implementation of, and compliance with, California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
• Represented State Water Project (SWP) contractors in litigation and associated complex mediation proceedings involving California’s area of origin laws and SWP contracts.
• Served as a neutral mediator and facilitated a successful negotiated settlement of a water rights dispute between private landowners.
• Represented energy companies in litigation, resulting in a comprehensive settlement agreement, regarding the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) Water Quality Control Policy on the Use of Coastal and Estuarine Waters for Power Plant Cooling.
• Served as outside general corporate counsel in a broad range of matters including the development of company policies and contracts, legislative reform, employment disputes, and risk management.

Published Decisions

• Joyce Livestock v. United States, 144 Idaho l (2007)
• LU Ranching v. United States, 144 Idaho 89 (2007)

Honors & Activities

• American Bar Association
  • Chair, Water Resources Conference Planning Committee, 2008–2009
  • Vice Chair, Water Resources Committee, 2006–present
  • Member, Water Resources Conference Planning Committee, 2004–present
  • Vice Chair and Co-Chair of AHA Water Resources Conference, 2008–2009
  • Vice Chair (Special Appointment), Sponsorship, 2009–2013
  • Vice Chair, Editor, Year in Review, 2010–present

Insights & Presentations

• Presenter, “SGMA Through the Lens of Recent Groundwater Adjudications,” 2021 Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) CLE Virtual Workshop Series, Oct. 13, 2021
• Presenter, “SGMA Driven Adjudications,” CalCIMA Education Conference: Environmental Series, Feb. 23, 2021
• Co-author, “State Water Board Staff Releases Staff Preliminary Draft Statewide Construction Stormwater General Permit and Announces Virtual Workshops,” Stoel Rives California Environmental Law blog, Dec. 1, 2020
• Co-author, “California Wineries Take Note, Part Two: State Water Board Notices Stakeholder Meeting Regarding Winery General Order Fees,” Stoel Rives California Environmental Law blog, July 20, 2020
• Co-author, “California Wineries Take Note: State Water Board Releases Draft General Order for Winery Process Water for Public Comment,” Stoel Rives California Environmental Law blog, July 15, 2020
• Co-author, “State Water Agencies Expect Water Use Reporting to Continue as Normal as California Shelters in Place,” Stoel Rives California Environmental Law blog, March 31, 2020

Related News & Publications