How I represent clients at Schwabe
I represent corporations, tribal governments, and individuals on environmental and natural resources issues, including water rights, redevelopment and energy matters, as well as all the major federal and California environmental statutes. I have also represented clients on matters of Native American law— from gaming and hospitality to recognition, jurisdictional, and land into trust. With 25 years of experience, I am considered one of the premiere environmental attorneys in the Indian country.
Prior to joining Schwabe, I had a thriving environmental and Native American law practice at several private practice law firms and most recently served as Principal at Keohane Law. Early in my career, I worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of General Counsel.
Throughout the years, I have served as an Adjunct Professor of federal Indian and Native American tribal law at UC Davis School of Law. I also frequently donate time as pro bono counsel to families facing eviction in the Bay Area.
Experience
- Served as outside general counsel to several Indian tribes during construction and opening of their casino-hotels.
- Negotiated gaming compacts and amendments.
- Negotiated tribal water rights settlements.
- Negotiated a deal and legislation to provide initial potable water service to an Indian reservation.
- Performed environmental due diligence for land acquisition and M&A transactions.
- Negotiated cleanup standards for contaminated properties on behalf of tribes, corporations, and private equity clients.
- Negotiated completion of controversial fee-to-trust land acquisitions.
- Drafted environmental and gaming regulatory and legislative language.
- Successfully negotiated air quality permits and a path-breaking tribal air basin for a power plant in an extreme nonattainment area.
- Developed a tribal water trading scheme and groundwater management plan.
- Represented tribes in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and California Energy Commission (CEC) matters.
- Drafted tribal environmental, gaming, and other legal codes.
- Assisted tribes to develop EPA-approved environmental programs regulating nonmember activities.
- Advised tribal gaming enterprises on COVID-19 and other disaster responses.
- Advised corporations on committing to ESG principles.
Education
- Stanford Law School, Juris Doctor degree (1997)
- Boston University, Bachelor of Arts degree (1992)
Admissions
- California State Courts
- District of Columbia
- Washington State Courts
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals - Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. District Court - Central District of California
- U.S. District Court - Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court - Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court - Southern District of California
- U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships
- California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section (1997-present)
- American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (1997-present)
- Federal Bar Association, Indian Law Section (1997-present)
- California Indian Law Association (1997-present)
- National Native American Bar Association (1997-present)
- District of Columbia Bar, Arts, Entertainment, Media & Sports Law (1997-present)
- District of Columbia Bar, Environment, Energy & Natural Resources (1997-present)
- District of Columbia Bar, International Law (1997-present)
Additional Publications
- Program Co-Chair, Tribal Water in California, Law Seminars International (October 19-20, 2020)
Services
Community Activities
University of California Davis School of Law, Adjunct Professor of federal Indian and Native American law
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