Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is saddened to announce the passing of Martha Pagel. Those of us at Schwabe will remember her caring and humble demeanor, strong work ethic, and dedication to the legal community.

Martha knew water—from the inside out. She helped clients build effective supply strategies and get agency approvals for water development projects. Martha’s passion for her work earned her the affectionate nickname “water queen.” From small family farms to major public utilities, Martha’s clients relied on her skill and experience to help meet water supply needs.

After graduating from San Diego State University and Willamette University College of Law, Martha served as assistant attorney general with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Natural Resources Section, director of the Oregon Division of State Lands, a senior policy advisor for natural resources for former Governor Barbara Roberts, and director of the Oregon Water Resources Department. She joined Schwabe as a shareholder in 2000. ‎Martha led Schwabe’s Environmental group and served as a mentor for several attorneys over the years.

Martha received the Oregon State Bar’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section Award in honor of her leadership, service, and outstanding contributions in the areas of environmental and natural resources ‎law in the Pacific Northwest in 2015. Martha was consistently listed in The Best Lawyers in America and was recognized by Oregon Super Lawyers for her work in water and natural resources law. This year, Martha was recognized as a Band 1 Environmental lawyer by Chambers USA.

We were truly honored to have known and worked with Martha and to have learned from her. We feel Martha’s loss across our firm and are grateful for her friendship and contributions. Martha loved to dance and she and Vic, her husband, sought out opportunities to dance often. Her passion for family, golf, and serving the natural resources industry and will be remembered fondly.