Legal Issues for Civil Engineers and Surveyors
Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch (On your own): 12:15 – 1:15 pm
Afternoon Session: 1:15 – 4:30 pm
Land Use Law P. Scott
Understanding land use law
• Appropriate purposes of land use planning
• Governmental bodies with the power to zone
• Development of comprehensive land use plans
Seeking zoning variances or special use permits
Seeking rezoning
Participating in zoning appeals
Reviewing recent land use case law
Understanding Access to Minerals, Oil and Gas S. Granzow
Determining who owns rights to oil, gas and minerals
Identifying who owns rights to the surface lands
Obtaining access for exploration and production
Enforcing limits on access to oil, gas and minerals
Access to Water for Public and Private Uses A. St. Lawrence
Prior appropriation doctrine vs. riparianism
How public access to water is determined
Determining public and private access to waters
Complying with water quality laws and regulations
Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law H. Lund
Understanding eminent domain powers
• Source of eminent domain powers
• Types of eminent domain “takings”
• Recent changes in Montana law
Participating in the condemnation process
Understanding regulatory “takings” and inverse condemnation
Overview of Contract Law C. Gangle
Contract formation
Standard forms
Contract documents
Scope of services
Change orders
Risk allocation
Contract performance
Contract enforcement
Credits
Montana Professional Engineers
6.5 PDHs
6.5 MSE Recommended PDHs
Montana Land Surveyors
6.5 PDHs
6.5 MARLS Recommended PDHs
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 6.5 PDHs to Montana professional engineers and land surveyors. The Montana Society of Engineers and the Montana Association of Registered Land Surveyors have each recommended the approval of 6.5 PDHs for this seminar.
Professional engineers and land surveyors seeking continuing education credit in other states will be able to apply the hours earned at this seminar, in most cases. Refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.
Attendance will be monitored and reported, as required by the course approval entities. Attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Cory Gangle
Gangle Law Firm, PCMr. Gangle’s primary areas of practice include real estate, construction, and water law. As a former general contractor, Mr. Gangle is well versed in both the practical and technical aspects of construction, including the drafting and enforcement of various types of construction contracts. Mr. Gangle has litigated dozens of cases involving contract formation, enforcement, contract performance and contractor workmanship.
Stephen Granzow
Meadowlark Search Inc.Mr. Granzow is a mineral title examiner and assists with mineral appraisals. He searches mineral rights ownership, searches and examines titles for patented mining claims, and works on access issues and railroad issues. In addition, he works on unpatented mining claims and related issues. Mr. Granzow holds a B.S. degree from Ohio University.
Hertha Lund
Lund LawMs. Lund has practiced law for more than 20 years and represents property owners in matters involving property rights, water rights, natural resources, wind energy development, administrative law, and small business and agricultural law. She has litigated cases in the state and federal Courts of Montana and has argued before the Ninth Circuit and other Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal. Ms. Lund served as law clerk to Chief Judge Loren A. Smith at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and she is listed in Owners Counsel of America as their Montana representative for condemnation law. She is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and recently helped draft an amicus brief related to the property interests in Western water rights.
Peter Scott
Scott Law in BozemanMr. Scott’s practice emphasizes government relations, land use, water rights and natural resources. Mr. Scott was previously a partner at Gough, Shanahan, Johnson & Waterman. He is licensed to practice law in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Mr. Scott is a registered lobbyist in Montana and serves as regulatory, litigation and general counsel for private, corporate, non-profit and governmental entities throughout the Columbia River Basin. Before arriving at GSJW in 2007, he worked in the Spokane office of Preston, Gates & Ellis. Mr. Scott is a US Navy veteran and worked as a hydrogeologist in Bozeman, Montana prior to attending law school.
Abigail St.
Bloomquist Law Firm, P.C.Ms. St. Lawrence practices primarily in water rights, natural resources, environmental law, administrative law, and government relations, serving a broad range of clients in regulatory and litigation matters and representing her clients’ interests before the Montana Legislature. Ms. St. Lawrence originally from Great Falls, Her law practice builds on her prior experience clerking with the Office of Counsel in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, and working on Clean Water Act permitting with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. She returned to Montana in 2004 and practiced law at Doney Crowley Payne Bloomquist PC in Helena until 2012. Ms. St. Lawrence then managed her own practice prior to joining the Bloomquist Law Firm in 2015.