Overview
Kate Tipple is a focused regulatory counselor and litigator with broad experience representing private and public sector clients in the water and natural resources industries. Her water-focused practice centers on steering clients through intricate environmental compliance, risk management, and litigation challenges under numerous federal and state laws. With over ten years of water quality and water rights experience, Kate unites legal and technical acumen to help clients anticipate risks, bolster compliance programs, and secure favorable outcomes.
Respected for cultivating collaborative client partnerships, Kate routinely helps organizations address shifting legislative and regulatory landscapes and identify strategic opportunities in rulemaking. She tracks federal and state case law trends, advises on multijurisdictional class action settlements, and guides clients through overlapping regulatory frameworks that impact their operations and liabilities.
Throughout her practice, Kate advises on wide-ranging water issues, including Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance, water rights adjudications, Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) matters, water supply and quality permitting, and Safe Drinking Water Act notifications. She frequently represents clients before the Water Boards, Department of Toxic Substances Control, and Public Utilities Commission and advises on hearing processes, ex parte disclosures, ratemaking rules, Brown Act obligations, access and easement negotiations, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption reviews.
Before joining Stoel Rives, Kate practiced at lobbying, environmental, and regional law firms. Earlier, she worked as an environmental scientist for a state regulatory agency.
Education
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, J.D., Environmental and Natural Resources Law Certificate, 2015; executive editorial board member, Utah Law Review
Yale School of the Environment, Master of Environmental Management, concentration: Water Policy, Management, and Science, 2007
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., Political Science, minors: Environmental Studies, Anthropology, 2005
Admissions
Admitted in California, Washington, and Utah
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
Experience
- Represented a client during a major sewage spill affecting multiple agency jurisdictions, managing emergency response, communications, enforcement negotiations, and securing a favorable settlement with the lead agency’s prosecution team.
- Defended clients against claims under the CWA, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act, and Health & Safety Code, and negotiated favorable settlements with U.S. EPA Region 9, county District Attorney, and regional Coastkeeper.
- Advised clients on regulations and liabilities for contaminated properties, stormwater management, chemical disclosures, organic waste recycling, indirect source emissions, and consumer products.
- Counseled clients on water rights and water quality permitting, steering one client successfully through a state agency industrial stormwater general permit inspection and negotiating favorable outcomes after the inspection.
- Assisted natural resource development clients with environmental and water review and due diligence for projects—both pre- and post-entitlement—and acquisitions.
- Represented a pro bono vacatur client in a California Penal Code § 236.14 matter.
Insights
Insights & Presentations
- “California Water and Housing Development CLE,” California Association of Realtors Legal Affairs Forum, REimagine! Conference, September 18, 2025
- “Federal and State Water Quality Policy Update,” SGMA Implementation & Groundwater Resources Association of California Legislative Summit, May 28, 2025
- “California’s ‘New’ Construction Stormwater General Permit Workshop and CLE” (co-organizer, presenter and moderator), U.C. San Diego Extended Studies Course ENVR-80012, August 27–28, 2024
- “Tackling Toxins: Legislating and Implementing Solutions for Emerging Contaminants” (presenter and moderator), Groundwater Resources Association of California Law & Legislation Forum, April 18, 2024
- “California Water Rights, Supply and Quality: Complying with Water Quality Regulations” (co-presenter), Half Moon Education Inc., April 25, 2022
- “Bears Ears National Monument: Unprecedented Surveys of Boundary Lines and Executive Authority,” B.A. TRENDS, September/October 2017
- “Waters of the U.S.” Overview and Discussion, Utah Mining Association Environmental Committee, August 15, 2017
- “CERCLA: Liability Is Not Blowin’ in the Wind,” B.A. NAT. RESOURCES & ENV’T, Winter 2017
- “Energy Law Update” (co-presenter), Utah State Bar ENREL Update, May 17, 2016
- Note, “Clear as Mud: Recreating Public Water Rights that Already Exist,” 5 UTAH L. REV. 1131, 2014
Recognition
- 2025 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP’s Jeffrey S. Rugg Pro Bono Award recipient as member of small, dedicated team who demonstrated exceptional commitment to meaningful pro bono work
Affiliations
Professional
- California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section, 2019–present
- California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA), Industrial Subcommittee, 2022–present
- California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), Member, 2024-present
- Environmental Law Institute, Member, 2018-present, Emerging Leaders Initiative, selected 2021
- Building Industry Association (BIA) of San Diego, Stormwater Task Force Committee, 2022–present
- ABA Federal Bar Association, 2014–present
- ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, Mining Committee Co-Chair, 2019–2022
- 2019–2020 ABA SEER Committee Phoenix Award recipient for leadership
- 2020–2021 ABA SEER Committee Communications Award recipient
Civic
- Executive Board Member and Class Representative, Young Alumni Association, S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, 2015-2025