Areas of Practice and Services

Water Rights

Our work in this practice area includes the adjudication of conditional and absolute water rights, both surface and underground. Much of our work focuses on the development, adjudication, and administration of plans for augmentation, changes of water rights, and exchange cases. We assist clients with well permitting issues, including resolving disputes between water users and regulatory officials. We also handle transactional matters involving the negotiation and drafting of water rights purchase and sale agreements, title examination of water rights, and related property rights issues governing the use of ditches and other water conveyance facilities. We have handled drainage, seepage, and flooding issues, have assisted water providers in obtaining water project funding, and have also evaluated and drafted proposed legislation dealing with water rights issues before the Colorado General Assembly.

We represent both applicants and objectors in water cases, and have extensive experience from both perspectives. We have directly handled significant litigation involving both trial and appellate work before the Colorado State Engineer, Ground Water Commission, District Courts, Water Courts, the Court of Appeals, and the Colorado Supreme Court.

Water Rights Attorneys:

• Paul J. Zilis
• Stuart B. Corbridge
• Gabe Racz
• Andrea A. Kehrl
• Pete Johnson
• Bradley N. Kershaw
• Rachel L. Bolt

Water Quality

Our work in this practice area includes all aspects of the federal Clean Water Act and the Colorado Water Quality Control Act and includes representation of municipalities and industries who need permits for discharges to waters and wetlands. As a part of this practice, we regularly appear before Colorado's Water Quality Control Commission during statewide and basin-specific hearings to assist clients in the water quality standard setting process which forms the foundation for water quality permitting. We also assist clients with permit applications, commenting on draft permits, negotiating and/or appealing final permit terms and conditions, and defending against enforcement actions and citizen suits.

Water Quality Attorneys:

• Jerry W. Raisch
• Eugene J. Riordan
• Gabe Racz
• Justine Beckstrom

Environmental Law

In addition to our extensive water quality practice, we also assist clients with administrative, transaction, and litigation issues arising out of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (including solid waste and underground storage tank matters), the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), and the Clean Air Act (including asbestos matters). By way of example:

• We provide environmental litigation services in Superfund contribution actions.
• We advise clients on environmental auditing and liability issues and we counsel sellers and purchasers, as well as environmental consultants, on due diligence matters.
• We monitor state and federal legislative initiatives through our active participation in the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry.
• We work with clients in evaluating and drafting legislative proposals for state environmental laws.

Environmental Attorneys:

• Jerry W. Raisch
• Eugene J. Riordan
• Gabe Racz