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Mr. Noviello is an attorney-at-law, a professional engineer, and land surveyor who enjoys teaching. He has taught real property law, survey law and, more recently, alpine skiing. Mr. Noviello received his Master of Engineering degree, his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, with honors, and his AAS degree in Engineering, all from Rochester Institute of Technology. He received his juris doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law-Newark. Mr. Noviello has maintained a professional engineering firm and a general practice law firm since 1984, and he has practiced land surveying since 1991, with ten years in industry and six years in government. He is a licensed professional engineer in the states of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Mr. Noviello is a New York and Connecticut licensed land surveyor. He holds law licenses in New York State Courts, US Supreme Court, Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, and Federal Court for the State of New Jersey.

Ms. Hirani is a dual licensed attorney to practice law in the State of Florida and the State of New York who scored in the top 14 percent of bar takers for the New York on the MBE section. Ms. Hirani has counseled for a diverse clientele ranging from people who sleep in their cars to a client whose story was told via a major motion picture that grossed over 86 million at the box office. Beyond that, she has worked on felonies, misdemeanors, contract disputes, and large scale insurance coverage issues. Ms. Hirani has also been first chair in trials, handled multiple mediations, been in numerous hearings, and negotiated numerous settlements. She has also managed large caseloads with almost 90 claimants for one single case. An Orlando native, Ms. Hirani looks forward to helping others and spends a significant amount of time with pro bono work and charities.

Ms. Alexander, Esq. is a privacy and security subject matter expert and attorney with 6+ years of experience building out privacy and security program frameworks for financial institutions, fintechs, software and technology companies, start-ups, and social media companies. She has proven success in managing the coordination of legal, engineering, marketing, and security teams to integrate industry and regulatory compliance for privacy and security into products and services while improving customer experience and protecting consumer privacy rights. Outside her current work as in-house counsel, Ms. Alexander founded a nonprofit organization, The Center for Privacy and Digital Society, dedicated to advancing knowledge and action on privacy and technology in the digital age.

Ms. Kay assists Florida’s families as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law and Appellate Mediator and a collaborative attorney. She also extends her expertise to solo and small firms throughout Florida with freelance research, writing, and consulting services. Ms. Kay served as the chair of the Family Law Section of The Florida Bar during its 50th anniversary year (2023-2024), as president of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (2017-2018), president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association Leadership Institute Class of 2013, and the co-chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association 5k Pro Bono River Run Committee in 2013 and 2014. Ms. Kay is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law by The Florida Bar and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). She holds a J.D. degree, a master’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Dr. Mitra has represented clients in high-stakes litigation across a wide range of intellectual property, antitrust, and commercial disputes. Her clients span diverse industries, with a particular focus on the pharmaceutical sector. Dr. Mitra has extensive experience in Hatch-Waxman litigation and has represented both brand-name and generic pharmaceutical companies in complex litigation before federal courts. She also has substantial experience litigating complex antitrust matters for clients in the pharmaceutical industry, including class actions and competitor lawsuits involving various federal, state, and common law claims. In addition to her litigation work, Dr. Mitra advises clients on transactional matters, especially where technology is a key component of the deal. She has assisted clients with drafting and negotiating technology agreements and provided deal support in complex mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity matters. She also assists clients in building global patent and trademark portfolios and implementing innovative strategies to protect their intellectual property rights. Dr. Mitra is deeply engaged with emerging technologies. She has helped clients in the cannabis and psychedelic industries navigate the challenges of obtaining intellectual property rights from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, litigated cannabis-related patents in federal courts, and helped ensure compliance with FDA and DEA regulations. She is also a certified information privacy professional (CIPP) and advises clients on issues arising from the emergence of artificial intelligence. Dr. Mitra is committed to pro bono service and has handled criminal appeals and death penalty cases. Prior to law school, she pursued a career in neuroscience and obtained her Ph.D. in pharmacology from Yale University. Her dissertation focused on the effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on the developing brain. Dr. Mitra also worked as a medical writer, preparing scientific materials for major pharmaceutical companies.

Ms. Valenti is a nationally recognized leader in legal operations, compliance, and virtual law office innovation. As the Founder and CEO of Law Office Support Services, LLC (“LawSprt”), she has spent over a decade transforming how small firms and solo practitioners’ access and utilize high-quality paralegal and administrative support. Under her leadership, LawSprt became a Florida Bar Member Benefit Provider, known for delivering cost-effective, ethically grounded services tailored to the modern legal practice. With more than 35 years in the legal industry, Ms. Valenti brings unmatched depth across corporate law, securities, litigation, estate planning, guardianships, and probate. Her dual expertise as a Florida Registered Paralegal and seasoned firm administrator allows her to design systems that enhance productivity, ensure regulatory compliance, and foster professional accountability. Ms. Valenti currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Florida Bar’s FRP Compliance Committee and previously chaired the FRP Compliance Committee as well as serving at the Chair of the FRP Enrichment Committee for three years. Her involvement reflects her commitment to advancing the paralegal profession. She is also an Adjunct Professor at St. Petersburg College, where she teaches Law Office Practice and Technology, preparing future legal professionals for the operational demands of today’s firms. Her consulting work spans law firm start-up strategy, compliance, accounting, HR, and business development — with a special focus on virtual office models. Ms. Valenti holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Whether mentoring the next generation or building scalable systems for legal teams, she remains dedicated to strengthening the foundation of law firm operations across Florida and beyond.

Skillfully managing a broad, multifaceted practice, Mr. Brauer assists clients with environmental and economic development matters across many industries, including the agribusiness, automotive, manufacturing, resource-use, energy, mining, and real estate development sectors. He establishes rapport with his clients early on and forges strong relationships that enhance his ability to represent them as effectively as possible.

Mr. Brauer serves not only many Michigan- and Great Lakes region-based companies, but organizations across the country and around the world as well. Clients include developers and nonprofit environmental organizations, alternative energy producers and equipment manufacturers, transportation and logistics companies, retail centers, mining operations, and businesses in the food production, high-tech manufacturing, and aerospace industries.

His expertise encompasses all manner of environmental issues, including regulatory compliance, site investigation, cleanup and closure, solid and hazardous waste, due diligence, permitting, wetland and critical habitat protection and mitigation, and adaptive reuse. Mr. Brauer helps many clients secure brownfield redevelopment and business expansion incentives. He draws on his deep experience identifying, securing, and monetizing federal, state, and local economic development incentives to facilitate the use and adaptive reuse of properties. Particularly adept at devising creative solutions, he is always gratified to resolve both novel and standard environmental issues.

He truly enjoys guiding clients in these large public projects, which generate jobs and enhance the local tax base. Mr. Brauer views these community-investment efforts as a “win” for all parties, including the client, the municipality, state, and region.

Mr. Hall’s expertise is in environmental and water law, and his research focuses on issues of environmental governance, federalism, and transboundary pollution and resource management. He joined the Wayne Law faculty in 2005. For the 2014-15 academic year, he served as the Law School’s associate dean for student affairs. Previously, he taught at the University of Michigan Law School and was an attorney with the National Wildlife Federation, where he managed the Great Lakes Water Resources Program for the nation’s largest conservation organization. Mr. Hall also worked in private practice for several years, representing a variety of business and public-interest clients in litigated and regulatory matters. He has extensive litigation experience and numerous published decisions in state and federal courts. Mr. Hall continues to represent a variety of clients in significant environmental policy disputes. From 2016-2019, he served as special assistant attorney general for Michigan for the Flint water investigation. Mr. Hall is founder of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit environmental organization that provides legal assistance to community organizations, environmental non-governmental organizations, and local, state and regional governments. He continues to serve as the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center’s scholarship director. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment, concentrating in environmental policy. After law school, Mr. Hall clerked for the Hon. Kathleen A. Blatz, chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Ms. Harrell is a litigation attorney and strategic legal consultant. During her 30+ years in practice in Michigan state and several federal courts, Ms. Harrell’s experience ranges from multimillion-dollar disputes among multi-national corporations to neighbors involved in boundary-line disputes to trust beneficiaries’ claims to an estate and everything in between. Client goals are always the priority. Because often the best result for the client is to avoid the expense and burden of litigation, she has counseled clients on how to avoid litigation or to creatively and quickly resolve disputes.

Ms. Harrell has served as a court-appointed receiver (in commercial litigation and family/domestic matters) and has represented other receivers in fulfilling their role, seeking court approvals, and strategizing and defending against claims. She also serves as a AAA/ICDR-appointed and privately-retained arbitrator and mediator in complex commercial, construction, real estate, employment, and domestic relations/trust matters.

It can be difficult, if not impossible, to decouple real estate issues from those implicating environmental concerns. With extensive experience and deep insights into both areas of the law, Mr. Schebor is uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive counsel for clients who must address such intersecting matters, whether in the context of transactions, disputes, or enforcement actions.

Mr. Schebor’s immersion into environmental law and related issues predates his legal career. Accordingly, he focused on developing a combination of legal and scientific knowledge that now serves his clients so well. Those clients are in the energy, waste disposal, petroleum, manufacturing, and other sectors that must deal with the unique challenges of ever-changing regulatory requirements and law.

Mr. Stokan has represented Michigan municipalities on matters related to civil rights violations, local ordinance issues and reviews, land use and zoning laws, related constitutional claims, and real estate transactions for 25 years. Mr. Stokan’s work has included assisting clients in developing internal policies and procedures, municipal charter reviews, and municipal contracts, in addition to handling requests related to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act claims. His practice has also included successfully defending municipalities in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Stokan additionally has experience defending attorneys against legal malpractice claims and representing insurance carriers in first- and third-party automobile claims. He also represents physicians and health care facilities in medical malpractice actions.

While attending the George Washington University Law School, Mr. Stokan worked for U.S. Representative James Barcia. He also served as a law clerk in the appellate division for the Michigan Attorney General and as a prosecuting attorney for the Charter Township of Northville.

Mr. Stokan obtained his law degree from George Washington University and his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University.

Mr. Breedlove focuses his practice on water rights transactions and permitting, state and federal land permitting, mining, administrative law, and governmental relations. His experience includes a wide variety of water rights transactions (groundwater, surface water, and Colorado River entitlements), assured water supply permitting, consultation on compliance with active management area management plans, water rights due diligence and permitting, state land acquisition, and National Historic Preservation Act compliance. Mr. Breedlove has represented land developers, landowners, golf courses, ranchers, farmers, private water and energy utility businesses, government agencies, and private equity investment firms. He also served for five years as the legislative liaison for the Arizona Department of Water Resources, during which time he managed several bills that were enacted, including the 2007 Water Adequacy Amendments. Mr. Breedlove has experience with the Arizona legislative process, bill drafting, and government relations. He earned his B.S. degree from Western Washington University, his Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School and his J.D. degree from Vermont Law School.

Mr. Buchwalter is a senior attorney with Cark Hill. He focuses on providing effective solutions for public and private clients dealing with intricate water, energy, and environmental issues. Mr. Buchwalter represents agriculture, industry, municipalities, developers, special districts, and utilities to develop practical solutions for water resource challenges. He has extensive experience in all areas of water law, including Arizona’s assured and adequate water supply programs, due diligence investigations, and acquisition of surface water and groundwater rights, well-sharing agreements, negotiation of development agreements with municipalities and special districts, water conservation and drought planning, underground water storage and recovery permitting, federal and Indian reserved water rights, subflow issues, representing clients in the Little Colorado and Gila River General Stream Adjudication, and other complex water litigation, as well as drafting and lobbying for water resources legislation. Mr. Buchwalter earned his J.D. degree from University of Alabama School of Law and his M.B.A. from Arizona State University.

 Mr. Burnside covers water rights and water quality as part of a broad-based environmental and natural resources law practice at Snell & Wilmer. Mr. Burnside regularly counsels and represents significant water interests in the State of Arizona, with a particular focus on mining and energy. He has extensive experience litigating contested water rights claims in Arizona’s Gila River General Stream Adjudication, including multiple arguments and trials before the Special Water Master. Mr. Burnside has in-depth experience with the complex legal and technical issues surrounding Arizona water rights at the intersection between groundwater and surface water.

Ms. De Blasi is a prominent environmental and energy attorney who brings decades of experience and relationships assisting clients obtain successful results with their environmental, natural resource and energy projects. She brings her many years of government and “Big Law” experience to her own firm to provide more effective client service at a lower cost. Ms. De Blasi has the horsepower to handle big cases while providing excellent client service. She focuses on business strategy by helping clients in a broad array of industries complete their projects from start to finish, overseeing all aspects of permitting, while assessing business risks and hitting milestones on time and on budget. Ms. De Blasi advises clients how to avoid disputes, and how to resolve them efficiently and effectively when they cannot be avoided. On the state and federal environmental regulatory levels, clients consistently rely on her knowledge of hazardous waste, air quality, water quality, environmental health and safety, real property due diligence, utility regulation, natural resource damage issues, asbestos, and underground storage tank regulation. Throughout her many years of experience on the energy side of her practice, she has advised clients on due diligence, permitting, siting and contractual agreements for energy generation projects, both traditional and alternative energy, as well as carbon emissions tracking and reporting. From an early age, Ms. De Blasi knew she wanted to be an environmental attorney, so she earned a Bachelor of Science degree before going to law school. During law school, she sought out experience in the federal government where she continued working as a natural resources lawyer on large Superfund and oil spill remediation and natural resource damage assessment cases. This passion for her work is reflected in the long-term relationships she builds with her clients, helping effectively manage issues as they arise and resolving matters as quickly as possible so her clients can get back to running their businesses. Ms. De Blasi is a speaker, author, event producer and the Executive Director of the Arizona Energy Consortium, a non-profit organization.

Mr. Gold is an attorney and engineer with nearly two decades of experience in natural resources. Drawing on his interdisciplinary background, Mr. Gold guides public agencies and Tribal Nations through complex legal and regulatory environments with particular expertise in the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, other federal laws governing natural resources. Mr. Gold previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior where he played a key role in negotiating settlements to resolve water rights claims and in advancing construction of water infrastructure including the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. Mr. Gold started his career as a Water Resources engineer at Austin Water Utility in Texas. As an attorney, he has worked on regulatory compliance matters for Salt River Project in Arizona and served as a natural resources advisor to U.S. Senators on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Gold is a former National Science Foundation Research Fellow.

Mr. Larson is the Richard Morrison Professor of Water Law at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. He is a faculty fellow in the Center for Law and Global Affairs, and the Center for Law, Science, and Innovation. He is also a senior research fellow with the Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy. Professor Larson’s research and teaching interests are in property law, administrative law, and environmental and natural resource law, in particular, domestic and international water law and policy. Professor Larson’s research focuses on the impact of technological innovation on water rights regimes, in particularly transboundary waters, and on the sustainability implications of a human right to water. He works on dispute resolution and improved processes in water rights adjudications in Arizona and the Colorado River Basin with the Kyl Center for Water Policy. He is the Principal Investigator on a USAID-funded applied research project improving water supplies for refugee host communities in Lebanon and Jordan. Professor Larson was a visiting professor and Fulbright Scholar at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, a PLuS Alliance visiting fellow with the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, a Lady Davis Fellow and visiting professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author of Just Add Water: Solving the World’s Problems Using its Most Precious Resource (Oxford University Press, 2020). Professor Larson also practiced environmental and natural resource law with law firms in Arizona, focusing on water rights, water quality, and real estate transactions.

Mr. Snow represents clients in Arizona and Utah on matters related to water rights, real property, and resource development. He regularly appears before land and water agencies and in state and federal court. Mr. Snow’s clients include governmental entities, national and multi-national corporations, water companies, cooperatives, partnerships, and individuals. He has litigated numerous general adjudication claims in Arizona and Utah. Mr. Snow has also litigated quiet title, easement, right-of-way and condemnation claims in both states.

Mr. Grew is licensed as an architect in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. He is also licensed as a building official in Connecticut. For ten years, Mr. Grew was the chief building official for the Town of East Hartford. Since 1989 he has been owner of his own architectural design practice working extensively in the residential, commercial, and institutional building sectors. With his expertise in codes, he has also maintained a practice as codes consultant to other architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, and municipalities. Mr. Grew has served on the AIA national Codes & Standards Committee and various committees of the International Code Council and ASTM International.

Named by Landscape Ontario as 2020 and 2021’s Garden Communicator of the Year, gardening has been Mr. James’ hobby and profession for over 40 years. A graduate of Niagara Parks School of  Horticulture, a Master Gardener, writer, and teacher, he focuses on eco-gardening techniques, which makes sense since he grew up surrounded by nature. He has spoken from the Maritimes to Seattle and landscaped from Nova Scotia to California. Mr. James has had the honor to be part of creating the Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide, the Grow-Me-Instead guide, the Ontario Horticultural Apprenticeship Curriculum and the national Red Seal Occupational Standard, and the Master Gardeners Reference Manual. He has participated in chairing the Environmental Stewardship Committee for Landscape Ontario, the Environmental Committee for the Perennial Plant Association, moderating the Master Gardeners of Ontario Facebook page, judging the All-American Selections garden competition and Hamilton’s Monarch Awards. Mr. James has been the Ontario spokesperson for Garden Days Canada and he has appeared on many radio shows and on television and has instructed at the college level for 17 years. He owns ‘Sean James Consulting & Design’.

Ms. Cornett is a partner at the forensic engineering consulting firm Ward Cornett & Associates. She has over 20 years’ experience in the world of construction and engineering forensics, representing contractors in disputes related to contract negotiation, job site injury, defect allegations, building envelope consulting, extra-work claims, default termination, delay claims, forensic cost accounting, failure analysis, among other construction and engineering related claims. In addition to construction and engineering related disputes, Ms. Cornett also acts as an Owner’s Representative for best practices in code compliance, premises-liability exposure, and OSHA and job site safety standards compliance. She is also active in performing property condition assessments and safety audits. Ms. Cornett completed a joint Bachelors (B.S.E.) and Masters in Construction and Structural Engineering (M.S.E.) at Arizona State University in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. with emphasis on Structures and Strength of Materials. She will sit for her Professional Engineering fundamental exams in 2024. Ms. Cornett holds an Arizona KB-2 Dual General Contractor license and maintains safety certifications with both the National Safety Council and OSHA. She sits on several boards in the community: (1) the Arizona Board of Technical Registration (AZBTR); (2) the Arizona State University Engineering Department Academic Integrity Board; (3) the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee on Forensic Engineering Standards, (4) the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Committee on Forensic Engineering Standards, Forensic Reporting and Forensic Investigations, (5) The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and (6) The International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) Arizona Chapter. She is also a certified fire and explosion investigator (CFEI), certified cost estimator, and NRMCA certified concrete plant and fleet inspector. Most recently, Ms. Cornett was invited to participate in the ASCE 11-28 Structural Condition Assessment committee, which will be adopted in the International Building Code. She also instructs as adjunct faculty at both the Arizona State University Department of Engineering and University of Washington, Seattle. Ms. Cornett regularly presents at construction, safety, and engineering conferences throughout the United States. When not speaking or teaching, she provides expert witness and forensic consulting services.

Mr. Barkhurst has extensive litigation experience in business and real estate disputes. He has developed a special concentration in the area of eminent domain, representing governmental entities as well as landowners in numerous lawsuits. Mr. Barkhurst has successfully represented numerous owners in ranch power line takings. He also represents governmental entities in construction disputes, and he has represented contractors and subcontractors in private disputes. He also has extensive experience handling complex business dissolution and injunction cases. Mr. Barkhurst has a B.A. degree, with honors, from Southwest Texas State University and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Texas Tech University, and he is a former USAF Captain and F-111 Aviator. 

Mr. Cooney focuses his practice on land use and development. He clerked with Wilson Cribbs + Goren throughout his entire time in law school, where he was able to gain valuable knowledge and skills in the land use, zoning, and development areas so that he could hit the ground running once starting as a full-time attorney. Mr. Cooney brings a creative and detail-oriented approach to his work, shaped by his early interests in architecture and photography. He received a B.S. in Political Science from Texas A&M University and went on to receive a J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was his class’s valedictorian. During his time at South Texas, Mr. Cooney served as an Associate Editor of the South Texas Law Review, an Editor on the Construction Law Journal, and was actively involved in the Real Estate & Construction Law Society.

Mr. Guarino’s work with the firm focuses on identifying, assessing and resolving a wide variety of land use and traditional commercial real estate matters across all asset types. Mr. Guarino earned his B.A. degree from Southern Methodist University and his J.D. degree from the University of Huston Law Center.

Mr. Izfar represents private land owners and developers in navigating land use and zoning issues in connection local regulation of commercial and industrial developments as well master-planned communities. Previously, he was Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston where his practice focused on land development regulations within the City of Houston and public-private partnerships. Mr. Izfar earned his B.A. degree from Emory University and his J.D. degree from the Rutgers-Camden School of Law.

Mr. Pruitt has exclusively represented cities in the Texas Panhandle and the Houston Metro Region on all matters of municipal law with an emphasis in land use and economic development. He has been the lead counsel for all land use issues in roles with cities and in private practice. Mr. Pruitt has been lead counsel for the creation and operation of tax increment reinvestment zones, public improvement districts, and economic development corporations. He has been directly involved with downtown revitalization initiatives in several cities and has provided guidance on the legal implications of such initiatives. Mr. Pruitt has an undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a law degree from Texas A&M University School of Law.

Mr. Wison is recognized as a preeminent Texas real estate and land use attorney. A Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), he is one of few practicing Texas real estate attorneys holding the Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) designation. Board-certified in commercial real estate law and property owners association law, he brings to his practice a long history of relationships and reputation with governmental and POA lawyers and officials throughout southeast Texas. As the chairman of Wilson Cribbs + Goren, he led the firm to become one of the go-to real estate boutiques in Texas. An adept critical thinker, problem-solver and creative strategist, as well as a skilled negotiator, Mr. Wilson advocates for the interests of a wide array of private and institutional clients, including residential, commercial and industrial developers, property owners, Fortune 500 companies, and other owners and operators. He also has unique knowledge of the laws on land use rights of religious organizations; specifically, the constitutional and statutory exceptions granted to them under state and federal law. Mr. Wilson’s practice involves a broad array of work related to both public and private land use regulations, such as deed restrictions (restrictive covenants), easements, development agreements, platting, economic development incentives, permitting and denial of permits, zoning, statutory vested rights, and traditional land use matters. As a trusted partner to his clients, he also counsels businesses proactively on land use and real estate matters to help avoid costly missteps before they occur. Mr. Wilson is past chair of the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law (REPTL) Section of the State Bar of Texas, the second-oldest and largest section of the State Bar of Texas, with more than 9,200 members. He is a director of the Texas Real Estate and Probate Institute (T-REP), which reviews and lobbies changes to real estate and probate laws to keep them current and effective. A former District Council Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Houston chapter, he has been a long-term contributor to the growth of that Council and is a long time full ULI member. Mr. Wilson has held the position of adjunct professor at the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University, teaching Real Estate and the Law and Best Practices in Real Estate Development. Recently, Texas Lawyer magazine selected him to receive its Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes lawyers who have made their mark on the state’s legal profession, and RED News named him a Real Estate Icon. As a leader of Wilson Cribbs + Goren, he leverages his extensive experience in land use and real estate law to mentor the firm’s attorneys.

Ms. Seidman served as assistant director of International Affairs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2020 through 2022 following 20 years as a wildlife law practitioner and director of Litigation and International Affairs with SCI in Washington, D.C. In 2023, Ms. Seidman founded Two Right Shoes LLC. to provide meaningful and enjoyable continuing legal education courses to lawyers throughout the country, with special emphasis on professional ethics and subjects of interest to environmental law practitioners and those who practice in multiple jurisdictions. Throughout her career, she has focused on providing legal education for lawyers, law students and laypersons. Ms. Seidman has prepared and presented numerous courses on professional ethics and environmental law to both domestic and international audiences including the Legal Committees of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and attendees of the International Wildlife Law Conference 2019, held in Barcelona, Spain. Prior to her work as a wildlife lawyer, Ms. Seidman practiced personal injury law and specialized in medical malpractice and products liability cases. She also consulted for the Nonprofit Risk Management Center and for the federal government on liability issues arising from volunteer activities provided by nonprofit entities. Ms. Seidman is the author and/or co-author of several publications, including Kidding Around? Be Serious: A Commitment to Safe Service Opportunities for Young People. She received a juris doctor with honors from the National Law Center of George Washington University Law School in 1982 and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Brown University in 1979. Ms. Seidman is admitted to the courts of the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Virginia and has practiced pro hac vice in many courts around the country, including on multiple occasions in Alaska. In 2019 she received the Gary Taylor Award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for her outstanding achievement in the field of public conservation policy.

Ms. Seidman served as assistant director of International Affairs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2020 through 2022 following 20 years as a wildlife law practitioner and director of Litigation and International Affairs with SCI in Washington, D.C. In 2023, Ms. Seidman founded Two Right Shoes LLC. to provide meaningful and enjoyable continuing legal education courses to lawyers throughout the country, with special emphasis on professional ethics and subjects of interest to environmental law practitioners and those who practice in multiple jurisdictions. Throughout her career, she has focused on providing legal education for lawyers, law students and laypersons. Ms. Seidman has prepared and presented numerous courses on professional ethics and environmental law to both domestic and international audiences including the Legal Committees of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and attendees of the International Wildlife Law Conference 2019, held in Barcelona, Spain. Prior to her work as a wildlife lawyer, Ms. Seidman practiced personal injury law and specialized in medical malpractice and products liability cases. She also consulted for the Nonprofit Risk Management Center and for the federal government on liability issues arising from volunteer activities provided by nonprofit entities. Ms. Seidman is the author and/or co-author of several publications, including Kidding Around? Be Serious: A Commitment to Safe Service Opportunities for Young People. She received a juris doctor with honors from the National Law Center of George Washington University Law School in 1982 and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Brown University in 1979. Ms. Seidman is admitted to the courts of the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Virginia and has practiced pro hac vice in many courts around the country, including on multiple occasions in Alaska. In 2019 she received the Gary Taylor Award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for her outstanding achievement in the field of public conservation policy.

With over 20 years of industry experience, Mr. Pakatar specializes in home performance, energy efficiency, and construction-related training and consulting. Mr. Pakatar holds professional certifications from the International Code Council (ICC), the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), the Building Performance Institute (BPI), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), PHIUS and RESNET. He is a certified Code Enforcement Officer in New York State and holds ICC credentials as an Energy Code Inspector and Plans Examiner. Throughout his career, Mr. Pakatar has played an active role in the development and implementation of building codes, contributing to the creation of policies and protocols that support energy efficiency and code compliance. Over the past two decades, he has designed and delivered training programs for code officials, design professionals, and construction industry stakeholders across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and nationwide. Recognized as a subject matter expert, Mr. Pakatar continues to support the evolution of codes and standards through education, technical assistance, and policy engagement.

Named by Landscape Ontario as 2020 and 2021’s Garden Communicator of the Year, gardening has been Mr. James’ hobby and profession for over 40 years. A graduate of Niagara Parks School of  Horticulture, a Master Gardener, writer, and teacher, he focuses on eco-gardening techniques, which makes sense since he grew up surrounded by nature. He has spoken from the Maritimes to Seattle and landscaped from Nova Scotia to California. Mr. James has had the honor to be part of creating the Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide, the Grow-Me-Instead guide, the Ontario Horticultural Apprenticeship Curriculum and the national Red Seal Occupational Standard, and the Master Gardeners Reference Manual. He has participated in chairing the Environmental Stewardship Committee for Landscape Ontario, the Environmental Committee for the Perennial Plant Association, moderating the Master Gardeners of Ontario Facebook page, judging the All-American Selections garden competition and Hamilton’s Monarch Awards. Mr. James has been the Ontario spokesperson for Garden Days Canada and he has appeared on many radio shows and on television and has instructed at the college level for 17 years. He owns ‘Sean James Consulting & Design’.

Mr. Fisher has been serving the legal needs of a wide variety of clients for almost 20 years. His clients range from the individual facing their first legal concern, to multi-million-dollar organizations and government agencies. Mr. Fisher’s litigation experience includes negotiations, arbitrations, mediations, administrative proceedings, County Courts, Federal Courts, Bankruptcy Courts and Appellate Courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as numerous other jurisdictions where he has been admitted to handle specific cases. His experience also allows him to assist clients in navigating their business activities through the myriad of legal issues facing today’s businesses. Mr. Fisher’s business clients include charitable and religious organizations, construction and trade organizations, financial and banking institutions, professional firms and agencies, real estate investors, manufacturers, health services, wealth advisors, auctioneering and the services industry. He is a member of the Pennsylvania, Cumberland County and Dauphin County Bar Associations, as well as a Council Member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Real Property Probate & Trust Law Section. Mr. Fisher is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He earned his law degree from Widener University School of Law-Harrisburg, in 2005, and his undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. 

Mr. Lee practices in construction law, government contracts, construction litigation, real estate law and municipal law. He represents owners, contractors, subcontractors and surety providers in all fields of the construction industry. During his more than 35 year career, Mr. Lee has handled litigation (including Mechanics’ Liens) matters in numerous state and federal courts including certain states’ specialized courts such as the Pennsylvania Board of Claims and the West Virginia Court of Claims. In addition, he has tried cases before the American Arbitration Association, the Federal Mediation Service and “private” dispute panels. he redrafted the Contracts Section of the Pennsylvania Standard Jury Instructions (2003 Ed.), published by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. Mr. Lee received his B.A. degree from Gettysburg College, his M.A. degree from Villanova University and his J.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and he is a graduate of The Mercersburg Academy. Every year since 2005 he has been selected by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and for inclusion in The Best Lawyers In America. Mr. Lee previously was a member of the Surety and Contract Committees for the Associated General Contractors of America; the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors; and the Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania; and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the Allegheny, Dauphin and Cumberland Bar Associations. He is a Charter Fellow and Barrister (Order of Maximus) of the Construction Lawyers Society of America as well as a Member of both the Diversity Law Institute and Trial Law Institute.

Mr. Hartsig, joined WasteCap Resource Solutions in 2017 as the Director of Project Management and took over as Executive Director in 2020.  When he joined WasteCap, he brought over a decade of experience in sustainable building design, construction and business operations around the world.  Mr. Hartsig now focuses on guiding local facility and construction managers through waste reduction efforts by providing analysis, tracking, reporting and recognition through zero waste certifications. WasteCap Resource Solutions is an environmental non-profit dedicated to turning waste into resources.  Founded in 1996, WasteCap assists organizations in their zero waste journey, providing solutions and oversight for construction & demolition teams seeking to increase their material reuse and waste diversion efforts. 

Mr. Messmer has over 30 years of engineering experience in analysis, design, plan/specification development, and project management/personnel supervision for geotechnical, foundation and structural engineering projects in the transportation, industrial, municipal and commercial fields of civil engineering. Throughout his career he has placed an emphasis on quality control and staff training. Mr. Messmer is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Concrete Institute, the American Society of Highway Engineers and the Society of American Military Engineers. He earned his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Messmer was accepted into the Academy of Geo-Professionals in 2013.

Over the past twenty-five years, Mr. Gibbons has gained vast experience in architecture through designing, developing construction documents, construction administration and working with clients, consultants & contractors through all aspects of a project’s life cycle. He has worked on projects big and small, and has gained experience in small business ownership through developing his own consulting business in both architectural and technological services, specifically in BIM and Revit. Mr. Gibbons has been in project management for over fifteen years, and this experience provides him with crucial input regarding BIM-related development and procedures. As a BIM manager, he works with company leadership to provide support, training, and assistance for staff, consultants and clients to maximize the development of all projects. Mr. Gibbons has consulted and led BIM/Revit efforts of various architecture and engineering firms throughout Michigan, Ohio, California, and Utah. He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Michigan where he went on to initiate and teach the Revit and BIM classes for both students and faculty there. His experience gives him a rounded approach to the best practices in assisting firms work with their clients while also helping projects reach their fullest potential. Personally, every chance he gets, you’ll find Mark working on a home improvement project, helping a friend build their house, or out in his workshop building.

Mr. Evans represents innovative companies in trade secret cases and large-scale federal false advertising, privacy, and antitrust class actions. Mr. Evans also helps leading technology companies navigate complex data and information governance issues, including the use of generative AI tools in their businesses. His advice to clients on generative AI and information governance is informed by his experience as an information technology professional. Before law school, Mr. Evans was associate director of instructional technology at Denison University, where he lived through the dot-com boom as Denison’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act agent. In that role, he also enforced and redrafted the university’s Acceptable Use Policy for Network Resources during the heyday of peer-to-peer filesharing. He maintains an active pro bono practice and has represented clients in high-profile voter suppression matters, as well as in a successful class action that brought relief to victims of the Trump administration’s travel ban that disproportionately affected Muslim families. Mr. Evans speaks Arabic and French and has some skill in Persian and Turkish.

Swanson & McNamara LLP is a trial and appellate law firm specializing in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory defense and internal investigations. Prior to joining Swanson & McNamara, Ms. McGuigan worked for the Federal Public Defender in the Northern District of California for 15 years where she assisted in several trials including four complex death penalty cases, one of which resulted in an acquittal. She is a certified eDiscovery specialist holding multiple ACEDS eDiscovery certifications, as well as certifications in Cellebrite mobile forensic fundamentals (CMFF), and digital forensics, and she has over 21 hours of digital forensic training in FTK. Ms. McGuigan is the acting president of San Francisco Paralegal Association, chair of the San Francisco Bar Paralegal Section, and the director of the San Francisco Chapter of Women in eDiscovery. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time crafting and hanging out with her four dogs. She will be presenting at the NALA Boston conference in July, on ethical considerations in criminal law cases, text and smartphone evidence for paralegals – how to identify, preserve, collect, and produce and assisting at trial.

Ms. Montoya is a legal technologist and eDiscovery practitioner most recently with O’Melveny & Myers LLP and the California Department of Justice. She also serves on the Paralegal Planning Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF). Ms. Montoya is a Certified E-Discovery Specialist and Relativity Certified Administrator, and holds multiple ACP credentials from NALA, including e-Discovery and the California Advanced Specialization in Discovery. She will soon sit for ISC2’s Certified in Cybersecurity exam via a WiCyS scholarship. A UCLA alumna and lifelong learner, she enjoys reading, writing, audiobooks, podcasts, and spending time with her dog, Penny.

Ms. Salehpour is an experienced business and technology lawyer with over fifteen years of experience in representing entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses. She specializes in creating and negotiating strong contracts and tech transactions to help clients scale and protect their startups and businesses. Her expertise includes counseling clients on product launches, intellectual property licensing and protection, open source issues, and data rights and privacy. She also helps her clients navigate mergers and acquisitions and successfully close such deals. She is a prolific speaker and writer on business and technology law and she and Salehpour Legal have been recognized as a 2024 top 100 Bruin Business by UCLA.

Mr. Starrett is founder of Starrett Law and Advisory, a firm specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and AI governance. He has extensive experience in law, risk management, and technology. He has served as general counsel and chief risk officer for an international AI and data management corporation, overseeing global legal operations and risk management. A seasoned educator, he teaches AI governance and law at Santa Clara University School of Law and the University of the Pacific’s Masters in Data Science program. With a background in software engineering, electronic discovery, and cybersecurity, Mr. Starrett holds multiple certifications, including CertifiedFraud Examiner (CFE) and former EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE). He earned an M.S. degree in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University and an LL.M. degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law.

Mr. Flack has earned his designations, among select thousands in the world, as a Certified Professional in Erosion & Sediment Controls (CPESC) as well as his designation as a Certified Erosion, Sediment and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI), lending his experience and training to his customers to consult them in all their stormwater needs. He has also earned his status as a Qualified Compliance Inspector of Stormwater (QCIS) and as a Qualified Preparer of Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (QPSWPPP. He also earned the Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL), which is a 17.5-hour certificate program as required by Washington State for all construction stormwater management. He is a subject matter expert and lead instructor for StormwaterONE, which has established itself as the leader in stormwater management training and credentialing, the school’s mission is to provide their students with the most comprehensive and up to date training of individual stormwater permits, online or in-person.

Brad has been invited to speak in-person on storm water and erosion control issues in many locations, including California, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, Ohio and New Mexico, as well as internationally in Antigua, Guatemala, and in San Jose, Costa Rica. Furthermore, he has provided virtual online training for wide variety organizations across the country, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Stadium Authority, and more.

Additionally, he served as president and administrative vice president for the South-Central Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association. Furthermore, he directed the IECA Region 1 Education Committee: Stormwater Management Track as co-chair, which encompasses North America, South America and Europe. Brad also sat as the Region 6 Chapter President for EnviroCert International (ECI) and was a member of the Policies and Procedures Committee for ECI. He has served as the Region 7 representative for the CPESC, Inc., group as well as the technical vice-chair for the Council. He has been an IECA Mentor and served as a TCEQ EnviroMentor.

Brad has been involved with Stormwater Quality Management since 2004 where he learned about permitting, turf establishment, erosion control and detention pond maintenance and has continued to be a student of the industry throughout his career. His attention to detail and depth of knowledge about structural control devices, vegetative stabilization and best management practices are a valuable asset to his clients and students.

His wife is his high school sweetheart, and they have been married for over 20 years and have three sons. Brad has also actively served at his church and has ventured on over a dozen mission trips, from drilling for water in rural villages in Honduras to assisting in hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. Brad was the Director of Hands and Feet Honduras/Puerto Rico, a 501(c)3 organization for over eight years.

After working in engineering and design management with award-winning structural and construction firms for nearly 10 years, Mr. Woods founded his own firm, Woods Residential Engineering & Inspection. Mr. Woods is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states, and he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering (with a focus on structures) from Washington University in St. Louis. He has earned “Accredited Professional” status from the U.S. Green Building Council. Mr. Woods is a member of the Woods Educational Enrichment Foundation, The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) (director of programs for the Chicago professional chapter), The American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois.

With more than four decades of legal experience, Ms. Sigmond focuses her practice on construction and real estate industry matters, including arbitration, appeals, bid protests, contract preparation, mediation, litigation, receivership and suretyship. She represents clients in construction defect litigation relating to issues that arise when adjacent owners develop their properties, as well as expediting a builder’s construction project by ensuring that the proper contracts are in place.

As a seasoned practitioner, Ms. Sigmond has a history of litigating construction disputes for public works and buildings in both the public and private sectors. She also has extensive knowledge of preparing contract documents, including design-build, construction management, guaranteed maximum price, and fixed-price contracts. Additionally, Ms. Sigmond is an experienced mediator and arbitrator handling construction or real estate cases for the New York County Supreme Court Commercial Division Roster of Volunteer Mediators and the American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Construction Industry Arbitrators.

For several years, Ms. Sigmond has taken an active role in shaping the construction law community in New York. She is a former Vice President of the New York State Bar Association and a former President of the New York County Lawyers Association. Ms. Sigmond is also a frequent speaker and has authored a number of legal publications relating to construction law and publishes “The Co-Op Condo Help Line” in the monthly Mann Report. Furthermore, she was a member of Law360‘s 2020 Construction Editorial Advisory Board.

As a recognized leader, Ms. Sigmond was presented with the Boris Kostelanetz President’s Medal in 2024 by the New York County Lawyers Association, named among the Crain’s New York Business “Notable Women in Law” list for 2022, and the New York State Bar Association’s 2020 “Real Estate Section Award for Professionalism. In addition, she also received the Albert Nelson Marquis “Lifetime Achievement Award” by Marquis Who’s Who in 2019. She is also listed as “Top Rated” by New York Super Lawyers for Construction Litigation.