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Mr. Adelson practices throughout Florida and consults nationwide on property and property rights law, natural resources (especially water) and environmental law; property title and boundary issues, easements, shoreline property rights and submerged lands; public lands, resource conservation, agriculture, protected species; fisheries resources; boat ramps, docks, marinas, and waterway access; local, state and federal regulatory agency licensing, permitting, compliance, and remediation; firearms ownership and firearms business laws; inheritance estates and trusts; business entity formation and operation; professional ethics; and administrative and judicial trial and appellate litigation. Mr. Adelson is a certified mediator, a member of The Florida Bar, and is admitted in the Florida federal courts. He served in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Natural Resources and has been in private practice since 2001. Mr. Adelson is a retired U.S. Army officer. Mr. Adelson is active in the FSU College of Law Environmental Law Society, Moot Court teams and other college and community related activities. He holds a B.A. degree from Virginia Military Institute; M.S.
and M.B.A. degrees from Florida Institute of Technology; and J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Florida State University College of Law. Mr. Adelson’s LL.M. dissertation studied shoreline property rights and associated access/egress easements.

Mr. Gaylord practices in the field of eminent domain and property rights. He has successfully represented property owners statewide in jury trials, bench trials, and administrative and Value Adjustment Board proceedings. Prior to joining Gaylord Merlin Ludovici & Diaz, Mr. Gaylord served as an officer in the U.S. Army where he was deployed in both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Kuwait) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). He is also the chairman of the Eminent Domain Committee of The Florida Bar, a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has been recognized by numerous trade publications for his accomplishments in the field of eminent domain law. Mr. Gaylord earned his J.D. degree from John B. Stetson University College of Law.

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. 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. Bowles began working in the field of land surveying in 1978 and is certified as a registered professional land surveyor in the State of Texas. He has given seminars to lawyers, real estate professionals and other land surveyors on land surveying principles, practice and codified standards. Mr. Bowles has been an expert witness in a number of legal actions centering around boundary disputes and land surveyor negligence claims. He has given expert testimony regarding boundary resolution, minimum standards and minimum content regarding land surveys. Mr. Bowles is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and a former member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Allie Bohannon is an associate attorney at Howard Mobley Hayes & Gontarek, PLLC. Ms. Bohannon concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, tax reduction planning, asset protection planning and business succession planning. She also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries with regard to trust and estate administration and in dispute resolution involving estates. Ms. Bohannon attended Belmont University – College of Law where she earned her J.D. degree in 2015. Prior to attending law school, Allie attended the University of California-Los Angeles, as an undergraduate, where she was a member of the UCLA Cross Country and Track and Field teams, earning All-American honors and All Academic honors as a student athlete, and attended Vanderbilt University as a graduate student where she earned a Master of Public Policy degree.

Caroline L. H. Bradshaw joined the Cumberland Trust team in 2007. As senior vice president and managing director of trust administration, Ms. Bradshaw is responsible for relationship management and account administration, with a focus on high-net-worth families and their needs. Additionally, she mentors trust officers and their teams, building connections between Cumberland Trust’s relationship managers, external advisors, and clients. Ms. Bradshaw also serves as the business development liaison, representing Cumberland externally and working closely with the Business Development team in evaluating new business opportunities. Her previous experience includes working in the investment banking division of JP Morgan in the firm’s New York, Hong Kong, and Sydney, Australia offices and then in the managerial roles of Vice President and Senior Client Manager for JP Morgan’s Private Client Group in New York. Here she provided comprehensive investment management and trust services, while representing individuals and families in Texas and Louisiana. Ms. Bradshaw holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Ms. Bradshaw serves as a board member of the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. She is also an active supporter of Cheekwood and the annual Swan Ball. Ms. Bradshaw is a regular speaker for industry events nationwide and has been a guest of the Wealth Matters radio show. She focuses on topics related to family governance structures, succession planning, and working with a corporate trustee.

Shelby Carpenter joined Cumberland Trust in 2016 and currently serves as vice president and trust officer in the Personal Trust division. In this role, she administers personal trust accounts and is dedicated to delivering personalized service with a high level of responsiveness and care to her clients. Ms. Carpenter brings a diverse financial background to her position, with prior experience at a national mortgage lender, a Nashville-based real estate team, and a local stock brokerage firm, where she held Series 7 and 66 licenses. She earned a B.S. degree in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Carpenter holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation and is a graduate of Cannon Trust School through Cannon Financial Institute.

Stephen Crofford joined Cumberland Trust in 2016. In his role as vice president and senior fiduciary counsel, Mr. Crofford reviews and drafts documents relating to trust and estate accounts. Previously, Mr. Crofford served as fiduciary counsel and special assets officer – reviewing and preparing documents and working with unique, illiquid, and hard-to-value assets held in trust. Mr. Crofford received a B.S. degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and J.D. degree from Belmont University College of Law in Nashville. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee.

Emily Harvey is an associate attorney at Mobley & Gontarek, PLLC. She concentrates her practice in the areas of estate and trust administration, estate planning, and estate and trust litigation. Prior to joining Mobley & Gontarek, she served as Senior Law Clerk to the Honorable Frank G. Clement, Jr. on the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Ms. Harvey earned her J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law in 2016. She currently serves on the faculty at Nashville School of Law.

Ally M. Hicks is a Nashville-based attorney focusing her practice on estate and tax planning. In this role, Ms. Hicks works with families, business owners, and advisors to craft tax-efficient estate plans tailored to the needs of each client. She also represents fiduciaries in probate, guardianship, and conservatorship matters, and assists local entrepreneurs with business formation and governance issues. With a deep commitment to personalized service, Ms. Hicks is passionate about ensuring her clients feel seen, understood, and taken care of. She began her legal career in trust and estate administration, serving as both fiduciary officer and trust officer at a Nashville-based trust company. In this capacity, Ms. Hicks worked with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their advisors to oversee the administration, legal compliance, and tax reporting of various testamentary instruments. After seeing the immeasurable benefits of a well-drafted estate plan, Ms. Hicks felt called to shift her practice into estate and tax planning.

Beth Lee joined Cumberland Trust as a Trust Officer in Estate Administration in 2022. In this role, Ms. Lee works with the Estate Administration team to support families and professional advisors in the administration of estates and administrative trusts. She focuses on being responsive, attentive, and understanding in order to build relationships with the clients and families she serves. Previously, Ms. Lee served as vice president and in-house counsel for a nationwide franchise. She also previously practiced entertainment law and employment litigation. Ms. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with minors in Political Science and English from Middle Tennessee State University. She received a J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law. Ms. Lee is a Certified Mediator and is licensed to practice law in Tennessee.

Jeff Mobley is a member of Mobley & Gontarek, PLLC, and he concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, wills, trusts, estate administration and related matters. Mr. Mobley is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2001-2023 editions) and Mid-South Super Lawyers (2005-2023 editions). He has the AV highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review ratings system. Mr. Mobley is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a co-author of Pritchard on the Laws of Wills and Administration of Estates, a three-volume treatise on the laws pertaining to wills and probate in Tennessee. Mr. Mobley teaches Estate Planning at Belmont University College of Law and Wills and Estate Planning at Nashville School of Law. He has served as president of the Nashville Estate Planning Council, as chair of the Probate Court Committee of the Nashville Bar Association, and as an officer and director of the Nashville Bar Association. Mr. Mobley graduated with High Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Kentucky. Mr. Mobley received his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law, Order of the Coif (top 10%), and served on the Law Review. Mr. Mobley is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Mr. Morales works with our partners in estate planning. He earned his law degree in California and is licensed in Tennessee and California.

Mr. Tillman has been recognized as an estate planning specialist by the Tennessee Board of Certification and Specialization and holds the Accredited Estate Planner and Estate Planning Law Specialist designations with the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils. Mr. Tillman advises clients on estate planning matters as well as closely held business owners regarding business succession.

Ethan Ward counsels clients on estate planning and the administration of trusts and estates. In this capacity, Mr. Ward works with high-net-worth individuals, families, and businesses on the implementation of tax-advantaged generational wealth transfer and business succession plans utilizing advanced estate planning techniques such as family limited partnerships, charitable entities, sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and charitable split-interest trusts, as well as drafting wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. He also works with trust companies, family offices, and fiduciaries on the administration of complex trusts and estates. Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Mr. Ward was an associate at Husch Blackwell LLP and Holton & Mayberry P.C. and focused on estate planning.

Mr. Cohn focuses his practice on counseling individuals and families on estate and tax planning, philanthropic planning, trust formation, and preparation and review of prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements, among various other related matters. Mr. Cohn also advises a wide array of clients in planning and establishing foundations and charitable trusts. He represents charitable organizations in connection with the receipt of gifts and bequests, as well as in their administrative affairs, including issues regarding formation. Mr. Cohn graduated from the University of Florida in 1981 with a B.S. degree in Accounting, with honors. Following his graduation from the University of Florida Law School in 1984, he proceeded to earn his Master of Law degree in Taxation from the University of Florida in 1985.

Ms. Groover has over 30 years of experience in fiduciary, legal, wealth management, business, and personal finance services. Among her strengths are innovative problem solving, strategic foresight, and conflict resolution. An amiable relationship builder, she engages clients with expert written and verbal communication skills. She is recognized for her exceptional proficiency in estate planning, trust administration, and fiduciary litigation support. Ms. Groover is an adjunct professor at Florida A&M School of Law. She is currently teaching an upper-level Trusts and Fiduciary Administration course. Ms. Groover most recently served as the vice president and senior fiduciary advisor for PNC Bank in Orlando. During her tenure, she was responsible for engaging in fiduciary decision making by executing the terms of any plan or document in which PNC served as trustee. She successfully managed complex, litigious relationships involving various assets, multiple internal departments, and outside counsel. Ms. Groover is currently a member of Orange County Bar Association, where she served as a past chair of the Estate, Guardianship, and Trust Committee. Additionally, as a member of The Florida Bar, Ms. Groover serves on the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law (RPPTL) Section, including the Estate and Trust Tax Planning Committee and the Attorney Trust Officer (ATO) Conference Committee. She is on the board of directors at the Central Florida Estate Planning Council. Ms. Groover received a B.S. degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in banking and finance, from Wilkes University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida. She also obtained her J.D. degree with the Florida A&M University’s College of Law, where she graduated cum laude and earned the highest score in Estates and Gift Taxation, Business Associations, and Contract Drafting. She was awarded an intern position for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Orange County Probate and Guardianship.

Mr. Hermes focuses his practice on estate planning, tax issues, real estate, business law, and elder law. His primary focus is assisting high net-worth families with estate and succession planning, wealth transfer tax, and asset protection. He also frequently acts as co-counsel to other attorneys on advanced tax and estate planning concepts. Raised in rural Wisconsin, Mr. Hermes moved to St. Augustine to attend Flagler College, where he graduated with honors with a B.A. degree in Political Science. He then accepted a full scholarship to study at Wake Forest University School of Law, obtaining both his Juris Doctor and a Master of Studies of Law with a concentration in Taxation. Mr. Hermes also serves on the Florida Probate Rules Committee, which develops and recommends probate rule amendments to the Florida Supreme Court. He is licensed in Florida and Wisconsin, and is recognized as a Board Certified Specialist in Wills, Trusts, and Estates law by The Florida Bar (a certification attained by less than 1% of Florida-licensed attorneys).

Mr. Hernández’s practice includes corporate law, international tax and estate planning for domestic and foreign high net-worth individuals, and assisting with fully compliant structures, both domestically and abroad, as well as providing succession planning solutions considering tax challenges of global wealth. He has experience advising high net-worth individuals and their families on cross-border wealth, investments, and estate planning concerns with particular focus on issues arising from civil law and common law application. Mr. Hernandez also has significant experience advising individuals and fiduciaries in estate, trust, and probate administration, and representing clients on tax controversy matters before the IRS, including streamlined filing compliance procedures. He earned his Abogado LL.B. equivalent from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela, his LL.M. degree and certificate in business administration from Northwestern University School of Law and Kellogg School of Management, his LL.M. degree in Taxation from Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, and his J.D. degree from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Hernandez is a member of The Florida Bar (member, Tax Law Section), American Bar Association and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Mr. Spinks is a distinguished attorney specializing in elder law, with a wealth of experience and a commitment to advocating for the elderly and their families. As a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney, Mr. Spinks brings expertise in the legal issues that impact seniors, including estate planning, longterm care, guardianship, veterans’ pensions, and Medicaid planning. Before practicing law, he joined the military at 17 years old, serving in the Gulf War. He was also certified as a Florida firefighter/EMT and was employed by the Polk County Fire Department. After graduating from the University of South Florida, he returned to military service as a Marine Corps officer and graduated from Florida State University College of Law. Mr. Spinks retired from the United States Marine Corps after over 25 years of service. He is admitted to the Florida and Hawaii bar associations and has been practicing law since 2000. Beyond his legal practice, Mr. Spinks is an active member of the community. He frequently conducts seminars and workshops to educate seniors and their families about their legal rights and options in estate planning, elder law, and special needs planning. He serves with the Buddy Baseball League as a coach for the Pirates, a team his son plays on. Mr. Spinks also serves on the Hillsborough County Superintendent Advisory Committee and is active in the American Legion and VFW. He serves on the elder law and military affairs committee for The Florida Bar, and he is a member of the vestry at St Mark’s Episcopal Church. With a career spanning over two decades, Mr. Spinks has established himself as a trusted advisor and advocate in the elder law community.

Mr. Davidson is partner with Hummel, Lewis & Davidson, LLP, in Bloomsburg, where his practice emphasizes real estate, boundary disputes and land use. He serves as solicitor for several municipalities and planning commissions. Mr. Davidson previously served as Chief of Land Use and Natural Resources for the Department of Agriculture, where he worked with the permitting of agricultural facilities, Clean and Green, and Agricultural Conservation Easements. Prior to joining the Department, he worked in zoning, planning and code enforcement for local government and as a surveyor and project manager for a civil engineering firm. Mr. Davidson is a Pennsylvania resident title insurance agent, Pennsylvania sewage enforcement officer (SEO), and Pennsylvania licensed land surveyor (PLS).

Ms. Lathrop is licensed as a professional land surveyor in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and as a professional planner in New Jersey. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and has been involved in surveying since 1974 in projects ranging from construction to boundary to environmental land use disputes. Ms. Lathrop is also a certified floodplain manager through the Association of State Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) and a certified floodplain surveyor through the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. A former adjunct instructor at Mercer County College in New Jersey, she has also taught as part of the team for the licensing exam review course at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lathrop has been teaching seminars for surveyors since 1986 and has been writing articles for surveyors since 1983. She is a contributing editor for The American Surveyor magazine, and she has four articles included in the American Bar Association’s text, Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals. She and Stephen V. Estopinal, PLS, PE co–authored a book entitled Professional Surveyors and Real Property Descriptions: Composition, Construction, and Comprehension, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2011. She is also on the faculty of GeoLearn, a web-based educational provider. Ms. Lathrop is a past president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and she has served on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Geodetic Surveying.

Mr. Johns has over 50 years of increasingly complex technical and policy experience in water resource management issues for the State of California, including 28 years for the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), and about 10 years for the Department of Water Resources and 13 years as an independent consultant on water rights and water transfer issues. Mr. Johns has demonstrated the ability to interpret complex scientific information and communicate conclusions in the development of comprehensive policy decisions by both regulatory and implementing agencies. Mr. Johns has extensive experience in developing, planning and resolving complex natural resources issues through the management of staff resources and technical consultants under contract. After retiring from State service in December 2010, Mr. Johns is now serving as an independent water issues consultant assisting various clients with review of historic water rights, current water right issues before the SWRCB, water and resource management issues, serving as an expert witness in litigation and assisting the Sites Project Authority with water rights and operational issues for the proposed Sites Reservoir.

Before attending law school, Mr. Turner served in the U.S. Navy, completing an eight-month deployment on the U.S.S. Nimitz Aircraft carrier, and traveling around the world. Mr. Turner graduated from UC Davis School of Law, King Hall, in 2021 with a concentration in environmental law. While in law school, he was the president of the Water Association of Law and Policy, hosted the Water Law Symposium at King Hall, and he was the co-president of the Veterans Association. While in law school, Mr. Turner pursued his passion further for environmental law taking courses such as administrative law, land use, water law, climate change, natural resources, food and farming law, and energy law. Mr. Turner worked at the California State Water Resources Control Board, where he became familiar with the administrative process and public entity laws, and he was a teacher’s assistant for an Undergraduate Water Law course at UC Davis. Driven by his passion and experience in environmental law, including but not limited to mining, mitigation and conservation banking, land use, oil and gas, farming, and water law, Mr. Turner works to ensure that Mitchell Chadwick’s clients get the best possible results.

Dr. Wang has 14 years of experience in academia, consulting, and government, specializing in flood warning systems, harbor engineering, hydropower and fish migration facilities, water supply and allocation, and water quality compliance. At the California Department of Water Resources, she contributed to CalSim 3.0 hydrology development for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, and led hydrology development to implement Salton Sea Management Program Phase I. She also worked at the State Water Resources Control Board, focusing on water rights administration in the Legal Delta, developing new water data reporting system architecture, and supporting storm water permit investigations and economic benefit estimates for the Regional Boards. She is a registered professional civil engineer in California.

Mr. Fleischer is the founder and principal of Capital Environmental Consultants, Inc. He is an environmental scientist and professional wetland scientist with more than 15 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. Mr. Fleischer has conducted wetland and ecological investigations at properties throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, and the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley. His areas of expertise include all aspects of federal, state, and local wetland analysis including freshwater and tidal delineation, specializing in comprehensive determinations for routine, atypical, and problem wetlands. Mr. Fleischer has extensive experience developing solutions and providing strategic advice for a wide range of clients and projects. He holds a BS degree in Biology from SUNY New Paltz and an MS degree in Environmental Science from Pace University.

Austin T. Scarborough joined Young/Sommer in 2023 and focuses his area of practice on energy, environmental, and land use law. Prior to joining, Austin worked at other law firms in the Capital Region, where he assisted clients on various energy, environmental, land use, and cybersecurity matters. He provides counsel on matters such as environmental compliance, due diligence, and obtaining permits and approvals at local and state levels. He also regularly presents on wetlands issues and updates at the state and federal level. Mr. Scarborough graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and received his J.D. degree from Vermont Law School, where he concentrated his studies on environmental, energy, and regulatory law.

Dr. Schultz’s research focuses on the interaction between ecosystem functioning and plant community (diversity and composition). Her specialties include wetland ecology, ecosystem ecology, plant functional traits, and carbon cycling dynamics. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University.

Mr. Sturm has been a practicing wetland scientist since he joined the firm in 2012 and has been a partner since 2019. He has delineated and/or assisted with delineating hundreds of acres of freshwater and tidal wetlands and has managed and conducted numerous surveys for endangered/threatened flora and fauna. In addition, Mr. Sturm conducts or assists with conducting environmental analyses such as air quality and sound level studies on a wide range of projects. He is a project manager in his own right but frequently provides technical assistance in terms of AutoCAD drawings and data collection. A graduate from Stony Brook University, Mr. Sturm obtained a B.S. degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and a B.A. degree in German Language and Literature. He currently holds the designation of Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS #3470). While not working he enjoys his time outdoors, often found birding and hiking throughout Long Island, as well as looking for owls and moths at night.

Mr. Ash, CRE, joined Carlin & Ward in 2019 bringing 15 years of experience in real estate law for public projects to the representation of property owners in eminent domain acquisitions. Now a partner at Carlin, Ward, Ash & Heiart, LLC, his practice focuses on real estate litigation and trial advocacy in eminent domain matters and tax appeals. He collaborates with experts in various disciplines including real estate appraisers, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants. Mr. Ash is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a certified civil trial attorney, handling all aspects of condemnation valuation jury trials, commissioner hearings, and tax appeals in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Court, Tax Court, Supreme Court, and United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Southern District of New York. In 2018, he was awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which only about 50 are practicing attorneys. Mr. Ash has been recognized as “Rising Star” and Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain 2012 through 2022. He earned his B.A. degree from Rutgers University and his J.D. degree from New England School of Law.

Ms. Baillie’s practice focuses on land use in all its variety, including development applications, redevelopment plans and projects, affordable housing, land preservation, objector work, planning and zoning, and land use-related litigation. She represents both municipal clients (land use boards) as well as private clients, uniquely positioning her to understand both the public and private sides of the land use process. Before discovering her passion for land use, Ms. Baillie worked for many years as a transactional corporate attorney in New York City. Ms. Baillie holds law degrees from the University of Chicago Law School and Cambridge University in England, from where she originally hails.

Mr. Chou is a member of the Corporate, Foreign Direct Investment, Life Sciences, Renewable Energy & Sustainability, Real Estate, Land Use, Environmental and Commercial Leasing practice groups at Hill Wallack LLP. He concentrates his practice in areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate, environmental permitting, renewable energy projects, commercial real estate transactions, commercial leasing, construction contracts and land development matters. Mr. Chou has represented domestic and foreign companies, public entities and non-profits in a wide variety of commercial, environmental, renewable energy, leasing and land use matters. He has also represented foreign entities in various corporate matters related to their investments and transactions in the United States. Mr. Chou is admitted to practice in the State Courts of New Jersey (2000) and Pennsylvania (2000) and the U.S. District Court of New Jersey (2000). He received his law degree from Rutgers Law School. Following law school, Mr. Chou served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Lawrence M. Lawson, Assignment Judge of Monmouth County. He is a graduate of the Honors College of the University of Georgia. Mr. Chou is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.

The main focus of the Condemnation, Redevelopment, and Eminent Domain Group is property valuation litigation and representing private property owners in challenging the government’s right to take private property by the use of the power of eminent domain (also known as condemnation) and prosecuting inverse condemnation claims. Mr. Duggan regularly represents clients whose highway access and property rights have been revoked or taken by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, county agencies and utility companies, and has experience in handling all aspects of eminent domain, including relocation assistance, modification of highway access, and litigating the amount of just compensation. He represents property owners in urban redevelopment projects and pipeline cases, and he has experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Duggan also prosecutes real estate tax appeals for banks, developers, automobile dealerships, condominium and homeowners’ associations, shopping centers, and commercial property owners and is a member of the Firm’s Flood Litigation, Development & Mitigation Group. He has been awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which less than ten percent are practicing attorneys (www.cre.org). Mr. Duggan is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to bankruptcy, eminent domain and tax appeal matters. He earned his M.B.A. degree from Seton Hall University and his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Mr. Krauser is actively engaged in a wide range of commercial, industrial and vacant land assignments. He specializes in appraisals for tax appeals, condemnations, litigation and open space/land preservation. Mr. Krauser also provides corporate clients and institutional investors with an array of real estate consulting services for properties located throughout New Jersey and New York. He prepares and reviews appraisals, market studies and feasibility assignments to evaluate acquisition and disposition opportunities as well as for financing, tax appeals, bankruptcy proceedings, condemnation and asset management purposes. In addition, Mr. Krauser reviews large portfolio assignments throughout the U.S. pertaining to office, multifamily, industrial and retail properties. He joined Newmark Valuation & Advisory in 2017, when the firm acquired several affiliate offices of Integra Realty Resources (IRR). At the time of the acquisition, he was serving as a senior managing director in IRR’s Whippany office. Additionally, Mr. Krauser is qualified as an expert witness before the New Jersey Tax Court, New Jersey Superior Court, Federal Bankruptcy Court and various planning boards, commissioner hearings and county tax boards.

Mr. McNally has extensive experience in land-related litigation and transactions. Mr. McNally has been retained by a number of title insurance underwriters to litigate title claim matters on behalf of owners and lenders. He has also been retained by individual and corporate clients to address boundary line disputes. Mr. McNally has been appointed by the Superior Court of New Jersey to act as a boundary line commissioner. He has handled all aspects of commercial real estate transactions including but not limited to preparation and negotiation of contracts, assistance with due diligence, negotiation of loan documents, compliance with lender instructions and analysis of insurable and marketable title. Additionally, Mr. McNally focuses on the representation of industry professionals, such as architects and engineers. Mr. McNally is well-versed on the organization of legal entities and provides counsel to clients about the responsibilities of directors and officers. He is also a Rule 1:40 Qualified Mediator included on the roster of court-appointed mediators in the State of New Jersey. In July 2021 he joined with Paige M. Bellino, Esquire to form McNally & Bellino, LLC. Mr. McNally has been a speaker on title claim issues for New Jersey Land Title Association as well as having served as a panelist for several seminars concerning complex real estate transactions, title insurance coverage and claims and boundary issues. He has been an adjunct professor at Villanova Business School teaching a course in real estate law since the Spring 2024 semester. Mr. McNally appeared as a panelist at the 2023 and 2024 Survcon events in Atlantic City sponsored by the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. During the 2024 Survcon event, he spoke on two separate panels; one on preparing and negotiating contracts and the other on surveyors serving as experts in litigation. Mr. McNally and his partner Paige M. Bellino successfully argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in Green Knight v. Calderon, 252 N.J. 265 (2022) which resulted in an interpretation of the tax sale law favorable to their client. Mr. McNally is a member of the New Jersey Land Title Association, the Pennsylvania Land Title Association, the Cape May County Bar Association, an affiliate member of the Cape May County Association of Realtors and an affiliate member of the NEXUS Board of Realtors.

Erica Costa is a descendant of the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sherwood Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians. She is a senior associate at Berkey Williams LLP, a firm that represents exclusively Native American tribes and tribal organizations throughout the United States with its home office in Davis. Her interest in the intersection between law and Native American rights stems from her childhood growing up on the reservation and her family’s participation in tribal government and community improvement. Ms. Costa earned her B.A. degree from UC Davis and her J.D. degree from UCLA School of Law, where she received her specialization in Critical Race Studies with an emphasis on Native American rights. In law school she was the executive editor of the Indigenous People’s Journal of Law, Culture & Resistance and the vice president and recruitment coordinator of the Native American Law Students Association (NASLA). She formerly served as president of the California Indian Law Association, Inc., and currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the California Truth and Healing Fund, a fund established to support the engagement of California Native Americans in the work of the California Truth and Healing Council. Ms. Costa previously worked for the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, the Wishtoyo Foundation, and the Yurok Tribe’s Office of the Tribal Attorney. As a senior associate at Berkey Williams LLP, Ms. Costa serves tribal clients in many areas of the law, including water rights, natural and cultural resources protection, governmental affairs, litigation, and Indian child dependency.

For over 15 years, Mr. Fite has supported clients in the natural resource and energy sectors as they manage the complexities of environmental regulation, compliance, and permitting, as well as related litigation. He has significant experience helping clients navigate the legal intricacies required in renewable energy development, forestland management, and endangered species and public lands concerns. His clients include resource owners, developers, and associations who pursue responsible use of these resources. Mr. Fite is a seasoned litigator who has argued numerous cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts, including ten cases before the Ninth Circuit. He has also testified before Congress on matters concerning proposed reforms to resource management, the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Prior to joining Schwabe, Mr. Fite practiced at a boutique law firm that specializes in environmental, energy, and natural resource issues. He began his legal career at the U.S. Department of Justice working on endangered species and wildlife matters. Mr. Fite earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Harvard University and his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School.

Jeffrey Holth works closely with tribal governments and enterprises on a daily basis to resolve problems, mitigate risk, and advance tribal sovereignty in decision making. His practice is centered on providing tailored, accessible, and timely advice to clients on all areas of the law impacting tribes, including tribal governance, natural resources protection and management, land tenure, code development, cultural resource protection, jurisdiction, transactions, employment, and grant compliance. He also engages in a robust litigation practice, having secured several victories for tribal clients on matters involving sovereign immunity, application of federal laws, treaty rights, and tribal exhaustion. Mr. Holth prides himself on building long-lasting client relationships in Indian Country built on trust, mutual respect, and zealous advocacy. He earned his J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law.

Laura Matson practices in LGN’s environmental, political, business, antitrust, employment, mediation, government representation, and complex litigation practice groups, representing numerous public entities, businesses, tribal governments, and individual plaintiffs in complex litigation and transactional matters in state and federal court. Ms. Matson earned her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School. She also holds a PhD degree in Geography, Environment, and Society from the University of Minnesota and an MS degree in Development Studies from the University of London. Her PhD research focused on expansions of American Indian Tribal jurisdiction over resource policy and water regulation. While in law school she served as Lead Outside Articles Editor for Law & Inequality: A Journal of Theory and Practice and as a clinic director for the Human Rights Litigation and International Legal Advocacy Clinic. Ms. Matson currently serves as a council member for the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law Section. She has taught courses at the University of Minnesota Law School and College of Liberal Arts and has published in the areas of treaty law, environmental law, international law, and natural resource policy.

Doug Thompson is a tribal attorney focused on resolving complex real estate, natural resource management, and environmental matters. After a successful career working with The Nature Conservancy and working in private practice in New York and the lower Midwest, he received a Masters of Law in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy from the University of Arizona and began a practice with a concentration in Federal Indian Law and tribal natural resource management. Mr. Thompson is sought after as a speaker and lecturer. Early in his career, he served as an adjunct faculty member at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and in recent years, he has routinely spoken and lectured on Federal Indian Law and tribal natural resource management at conferences and in the university setting. He uses his unique blend of experience to assist tribes in positioning themselves to achieve optimal outcomes in existing and developing natural resource management projects and partnerships. Mr. Thompson helps obtain funding for tribal natural resource enterprises, navigates regulatory challenges in Indian Country, and assists tribes in defending against activities that encroach upon tribal interests and rights. He also advises corporate clients who wish to understand and respect tribal rights, and who are committed to adhering to the highest standards of corporate social responsibility in their interactions with tribes. Mr. Thompson operates with the utmost level of integrity and is respectful, focused, and responsive in his representation of clients.

Sara Van Norman has been in private practice for 20 years, working almost exclusively in Indian Country. She handles diverse business, construction, environmental, and regulatory matters for tribes and people doing business with them. Ms. Van Norman also represents tribal governments in matters involving treaty rights, governance, elections, intergovernmental relations, and more. She has worked for and with over 50 federally recognized Indian tribes. In addition, Ms. Van Norman is a mediator and arbitrator, and a former tribal court judge for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate in South Dakota.

Arielle Wagner practices primarily in LGN’s antitrust, generative AI, data breach, and tribal government representation groups, representing consumers, small businesses, and tribes in complex litigation throughout the United States. Her tribal government representation practice includes experience in the areas of federal Indian law, tribal sovereign immunity and environmental law and regulations. Ms. Wagner is the treasurer and past president of the Minnesota Native American Bar Association. She sits on the Foundation Board for the National Native American Bar Association and on the Executive Board of Twin Cities Diversity in Practice. She is from the Lake Vermilion Reservation in Tower, Minnesota. Ms. Wagner is an enrolled citizen of the Bois Forte Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Samah (“Sam”) T. Abukhodeir was born and raised in Lake Wales, Florida. Following high school, Ms. Abukhodeir moved to Tallahassee, Florida, to pursue a B. S degree in Psychology with a minor in Arabic and Child Development at Florida State University. Ms. Abukhodeir obtained her J.D. degree from Florida International University College of Law, where she was on the Dean’s List and earned two CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in Islamic/Sharia Law and Judicial Externship. While in law school, Ms. Abukhodeir worked as a graduate assistant to law professor Cyra Choudhury and was a judicial intern for the Honorable Marisa Tinkler Mendez, Circuit Court Judge in the Criminal Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade, Florida, and the Honorable Maria M. Korvick, Circuit Court Judge in the Probate Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade, Florida.

Ms. Daddino focuses her practice on elder law, estate planning, and guardianships. She developed her passion for assisting the elderly due to her upbringing surrounded by aging family members, including being raised with the help of not only a great-grandmother, but also her maternal grandparents. Ms. Daddino attended Wake Forest University School of Law and is licensed in both North Carolina and South Carolina. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and serves on the board of the North Carolina Chapter. She is also a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section and serves as a council member for the North Carolina Bar Association Elder Law Section. In South Carolina, she is a member of the South Carolina Chapter of NAELA and serves on the South Carolina Bar Elder Law Committee.

In 2024, Ms. McKinney officially launched the Garlock & McKinney, P.C.’s beach office where she spends most of her time. Although she still takes on clients in the mountains, she now offers legal services in her practice areas to the residents of the Greater Topsail Island, Sneads Ferry and surrounding areas. In her more than 20 years of practice, Ms. McKinney has very unique experience as an attorney. She was a probate clerk in both Wake and Buncombe Counties where she audited and approved estate filings, assisted attorneys, and presided over hearings as an “ex officio Judge of Probate” as an extension of the elected Clerk of Court’s authority in those counties. She also served as assistant legal counsel to all the Clerks of Court and their staffs statewide in her practice areas. Ms. McKinney attended Univeristy of North Carolina Wilminton to obtain her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies. She received her law degree from North Carolina Central School of Law and was licensed to practice law in 2004. Ms. McKinney is a member of The Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce and ANEW, A Network Empowering Women. She is also a trained Christian mediator and conflict coach. She offers those services through PeacePoint Ministry.

Ms. Simpson started Simpson Law Firm because she wanted to create a premier estate planning firm that was unique and stood apart from the pack. Her main strategies were to call clients back (attorneys are notoriously bad at this), treat clients with as much kindness as they receive at Chick-fil-A (my pleasure!), and to provide outstanding, smart, efficient legal services so that families can protect their assets and their loved ones. With plenty of elbow grease and some great mentors, Ms. Simpson is accomplishing her goals with the help of the most amazing attorneys and outstanding law firm staff in all of North and South Carolina. Simpson Law Firm continues to grow and strives to be the kindest and largest premiere estate law firm in the Carolinas.

With a robust legal career spanning across litigation in various legal areas, probate, estate planning, and in-house counsel roles, Ms. An offers a wealth of experience and practical expertise. She has previously represented numerous clients in high-stakes commercial disputes, personal injury cases, complex probate cases and estate planning matters, and she now focuses her practice in probate and estate planning. Ms. An received her J.D. degree in 2017 from the University of Houston Law Center. She also received her B.S. degree in Psychology, summa cum laude, from the University of Houston in 2011. She is a current member of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and the Asian American Bar Association in Houston. She is admitted to practice before all Texas State Courts.

Ms. Barr founded Barr Law, PLLC, after serving as managing attorney of RMO LLP’s Houston office for almost two years. After seeing how she could run a satellite office of another firm, she decided to venture out on her own and hang her shingle. As a seasoned litigator, her areas of practice include defending and prosecuting causes of action against fiduciaries in probate, trust, guardianship, and power of attorney proceedings. Ms. Barr also handles guardianship, probate, and trust administrations to stay abreast of any statutory changes and court requirements. As a part of this type of litigation, she has experience handling several commercial real estate transactions (including acreage), commercial and dram shop liability litigation, equitable and statutory bill of review proceedings, and appeals. Ms. Barr defends fiduciaries wrongfully accused but she also prosecutes fiduciaries who have abused their positions. Her extensive experience in discovery disputes, either defending privilege and objections to prevent production of certain documents and compelling documents, allows her to advise clients on the pitfalls of discovery. Ms. Barr earned her J.D. degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

Mr. Coufal is a Texas licensed attorney and his areas of practice are elder law, estate planning, and Medicaid planning. His goal in practicing law is to make complex legal challenges easier to understand and provide the support and education his clients need to relieve the financial and emotional stress associated with long-term care expenses. Mr. Coufal is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). He is also a member of the Elder Counsel, a group of attorneys dedicated to the elder law practice. In addition, Mr. Coufal is a full member of the Texas Bar College, an honorary society of lawyers who are among the best trained attorneys in Texas. Members are qualified attorneys who are interested in both high ethical standards and improved training for all Texas attorneys. He has a J.D. degree and an LL.M. degree from the Duke University School of Law. He is also a graduate of Texas A&M University Mays Business School and Dallas Baptist University. He and his family are actively involved in church ministry in north Texas.

Ms. Hoggatt concentrates her practice in estate planning and probate law, business planning and tax law. Her practice includes estate planning, providing estate administration and probate services to executors, trustees, heirs and beneficiaries in matters involving probate, estates, and trusts, general business matters, formation and financing of business ventures, entity choice and formation considerations for business entities, asset protection, and tax planning for businesses and their owners. Ms. Hoggatt received her LL.M. degree in Taxation in 2012 and her J.D. degree in 2008, both from the University of Houston Law Center. She received a B.A. degree in Government from The University of Texas at Austin in 2005.

Ms. Pierson’s main areas of practice are estate planning and probate. She realizes that a well-planned estate can mitigate a lot of the burdens families face when they lose someone they love. Ms. Pierson believes her clients deserve a plan that goes beyond the legal documents and ties up both legal and non-legal loose ends in order to give her clients’ families a path forward through their grief. She helps her clients create estate plans that do not just transfer assets. The wills and trusts she creates take a load off the survivors, prevent familial conflict, and protect future generations. Whether clients need a will, a trust, or a vehicle to protect their assets, Ms. Pierson can prepare a customized plan that will help them to achieve their goals. She enjoys counseling her clients on how to use their estate plan to protect their legacy and provide for loved ones in the event of death or incapacity. Ms. Pierson graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law.

Ms. Sarah E. Sibley joined Ford + Bergner in 2024. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Sibley was with the Office of Chief Counsel for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission where she primarily focused on guardianship law. Ms. Sibley has also represented mortgage lenders and servicers in mortgage-related litigation on both the plaintiff and defense side. Ms. Sibley has gained wide ranging experience in the areas of real estate, probate, mortgage litigation, and creditor bankruptcy over the course of her career. Ms. Sibley graduated with a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University in 1999 and received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 2002. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is licensed in the United States District Courts and the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas. Ms. Sibley also has her guardianship certification from the State Bar of Texas.

Mr. Anderson has been an engineer in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Water Supply Engineering Section since 1984, and a senior engineer since 1995. He is the lead engineer responsible for water allocation review, policy analysis of water rights, and planning aspects of Iowa water law. He is also IDNR’s aquifer storage and recovery technical expert, from both a technical and a regulatory perspective. He has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, both in Civil Engineering, and both from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He has a Hydrogeology minor, and he is also an assistant professor of Practice in Iowa State University’s Geology Department, teaching Hydrogeology.

Mr. Erbe is a graduate of the Drake University Law School. He has practiced law in Iowa since 1999 and is a sole practitioner in Des Moines. He exclusively handles civil trial and litigation matters, including boundary disputes. Mr. Erbe is a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Litigation Counsel of America.

Mr. Helfrich has been principal land surveyor with Craig R. Knoche & Associates, P.C. and its successor Koru Group PLLC in the Chicago area for the last 30 years. Mr. Helfrich first picked up a plumb bob in 1971 for Webster & Associates. From tape-and-transit to GPS, mortgage surveys to shopping centers, he has his seal on billions of dollars of commercial, residential and institutional developments and transactions in 23 counties in Illinois together with consulting and managing projects in 15 other states. Mr. Helfrich has enjoyed working with countless prominent developers, attorneys and other professionals in the field and the office. His specialties include real estate law, boundaries and boundary law, easements, rights-of-way and other encumbrances and servitudes, statutory and common-law plats, ALTA surveys, topography, building and site layout, construction- and project-management as well as land development consulting. He has presented classes and co-written manuals with the Illinois Institute For Continuing Legal Education along with classes at the University of Illinois and HalfMoon Education. Mr. Helfrich is a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association.

As an attorney for government bodies, Mr. Hinders has substantial experience in advising boards on legal matters, interpreting ordinances and statutes, writing policies, reviewing and recommending modifications to ordinances, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and representing municipalities in court, and he has tried numerous jury and non-jury trials. Mr. Hinders has represented clients on cases involving a wide variety of municipal law issues, including: statute and ordinance issues, open records and open meetings issues, contract interpretation issues, zoning issues, takings issues, and writs of certiorari and mandamus. He has represented municipal boards of adjustment, zoning commissions, and drainage districts. Mr. Hinders has been named a “Best Lawyer” in the State of Iowa since 2020 in the areas of employment benefits law, employer and employee labor and employment law, and as and as a litigator in the areas of labor, employment, and municipal law. He is a graduate of Simpson College, Drake University College of Business and Public Administration, and Drake University Law School.

As the conservation easement director for Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), Ms. Van Waus acquires new conservation easements and oversees monitoring and enforcement of 240 conservation easements protecting 28,000 acres across the state. INHF is a statewide conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. Celebrating 45 years as a non-profit, INHF has protected over 200,000 acres of Iowa’s prairies, woodlands, wetlands and family farms. Ms. Van Waus has completed 80 new conservation easements during her 15-year tenure at INHF. Her other duties have included invasive species management, prescribed fire and farm management. Prior to INHF, Ms. Van Waus worked at Iowa State University and Iowa Learning Farms focusing on soil conservation and residue management in agricultural systems. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology: Ecology and Systematics and her professional science masters degree in Ecosystem Management, both from University of Northern Iowa.

Dave Christensen is the Washington State Department of Ecology Water Resources Deputy Program Manager. He has been with Ecology for 12 years working on legislative proposals, regulations, and policies on water resource management. Mr. Christensen has worked for state agencies, local government and non-profit organizations, with more than 30 years of professional experience in water resources, public health and environmental management.

Wyatt Golding is an attorney with Ziontz Chestnut in Seattle. The firm serves the wide-ranging legal needs of Indian tribes and other Native American entities and individuals, as well as non-profit conservation and community groups. In addition to defending treaty hunting and fishing rights, the firm’s work involves tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction, taxation, land and water rights, federal government contracting, and natural and cultural resource protection. Mr. Golding specializes in litigation involving the intersection of environmental law and federal Indian law, Washington state water law, and administrative environmental appeals.

Dr. Sasha Richey McLarty is an assistant professor at Washington State University. Her main interest is in identifying and quantifying the interaction between human and physical systems, with a focus on groundwater and large-scale hydrologic systems. Currently, Dr. Richey’s research combines satellite and in situ observations of hydrologic systems into modeling and decision support frameworks over large regional scales, including in the Columbia Plateau Aquifer in the Pacific Northwest (USA) and in Central Asia. She mainly focuses on complex groundwater systems, where interdisciplinary approaches are necessary to understand both natural and anthropogenic drivers of aquifer change. She enjoys working at the interface of research and water resources management and has contributed to multiple “science diplomacy” efforts in the United States and internationally to advance the role of scientific research in decision making. Dr. Richey earned her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering – Hydrology and Water Resources Specialty from the University of California, Irvine.

Mr. Aschauer represents clients on matters related to litigation, environmental regulation, and agency enforcement of permit and regulatory criteria. His practice involves federal matters governed by the Clean Water Act (CWA) and state matters involving environmental resource permits, coastal construction, coastal grant programs and water and wastewater. Mr. Aschauer serves as chair of LLW’s Transportation and Infrastructure Industry Group and vice chair of the firm’s Business Development Committee.

Mr. Kelly is a professional geologist with 28 years of experience in water resource and water supply planning, both in private consulting and public regulatory agencies. He has worked extensively within all five Florida Water Management Districts, guiding clients through the water use permitting process. Mr. Kelly’s expertise includes water supply planning, sustainable yield evaluations, water quality data collection and interpretation, and hydrogeologic investigations. He manages projects such as mine water balance modeling, total maximum daily load (TMDL) evaluations, minimum flows and levels (MFL) impact analysis, and aquifer storage and recovery projects. Mr. Kelly leads multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, geologists, and environmental scientists to complete complex, multi-year projects.

Mr. Riley is dedicated to helping businesses, from highly regulated industries and across Florida and beyond, to solve their problems with and through government. Mr. Riley’s clients range from investor-owned utilities, oil and gas exploration companies and mining operators to commercial real estate developers and telecommunications companies. He advises on governmental relations and administrative law matters and advocates client objectives before local, state and federal regulatory agencies, as well as in judicial courts and administrative proceedings. With a focus on serving as the catalyst for getting client initiatives approved at all levels of government, Mr. Riley brings a deep bench of earned skills to projects involving land use and environmental issues, with a particular emphasis on oil and gas law matters. He navigates clients through obtaining permits and entitlements and in executing development projects by securing environmental permits, local and state development approvals, and proprietary real property interests.

Ming Ye is a professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, and the Department of Scientific Computing at the Florida State University in Tallahassee. His research interests are groundwater numerical modeling, uncertainty assessment, karst hydrogeology, and environmental data science. He received a B.S. degree in Geology from the Nanjing University, China, in 1997. In 2002, he earned his Ph.D. degree in Hydrology from the University of Arizona, Tucson. After graduation, he worked as a post-doc research associate in 2002-2004 at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Portland, OR; in 2004-2006, he worked as an Assistant Research Professor of the Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas. He joined Florida State University in 2007 as an assistant professor, and was promoted to associate professor in 2011 and to full professor in 2016. He was elected as a Fellow of the Geological Society of America in 2012, and received an Early Career Award in 2012 from the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2015, he received a Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers. He served as an associate editor for Water Resources Research and Journal of Hydrology, and is serving as an associate editor for the Journal of Hydrologic Engineering and Groundwater.

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.

Professor Hanemann was a Chancellor’s professor of environmental and resource economics in the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics and Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley from 1976 to 2011 before going to Arizona State University where he is a professor in the Department of Economics and holds a Wrigley Chair in Sustainability in the School of Sustainability. He is still a research professor at UC Berkeley. Professor Hanemann served on the California water rights agency’s economic staff from 1986 to 1990 and as a consultant to that agency through 1993 working on several of its major water right decisions including the Mono Lake Decision. He designed the water rates that LA used successfully for 25 years. Professor Hanemann consulted with state and federal water agencies in California and elsewhere on water issues and served as an expert witness in major litigation on natural resource damages for oil spills as well as for eminent domain cases in California involving the public versus private supply of water. He has taught the economics of water at Berkeley and Arizona State University since 1982 and he has many academic publications on water. He has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University, a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics, and a Ph.D degree in economics from Harvard. He was elected a member of the US National Academy of Sciences in 2011.

Mr. Hicks is a California water law, real property, and conservation attorney who represents a variety of public interest organizations, landowners, and others on select public policy, transactional, administrative, regulatory, and litigation matters. Before law school, he was an energy and water policy analyst at the Natural Heritage Institute and the founder and executive director of the Headwaters Institute. He has interned at the San Francisco Office of the City Attorney, California State Water Resources Control Board, and American Rivers. Mr. Hicks founded and chaired the inaugural California Water Law Symposium sponsored by leading northern California law schools and is a Board member. He is the author of the Water Education Foundation’s 2020 Layperson’s Guide to Water Rights Law, recognized as the most thorough explanation of California water rights law available to non-lawyers. He is a former whitewater raft guide, kayaker, and Colorado Outward Bound School instructor. Mr. Hicks holds a J.D. degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law and a B.A. degree from the University of Vermont.

Mr. Hubbard specializes in environmental and land use law, with particular emphasis on issues arising under CEQA, NEPA, the federal and state Endangered Species Acts, the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the federal Clean Water Act, the California Coastal Act, the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, and the California Planning and Zoning law. In the environmental and land use fields, Mr. Hubbard routinely addresses matters involving traffic, air quality, water quality, hydrology, water supply, noise, hazardous materials, land use compatibility, aesthetics, sensitive biological resources, including threatened and endangered species, marine resources, and historical resources. His expertise in these areas includes both planning, administrative and litigation matters. A significant portion of his practice includes assisting clients in preparing environmental impact reports, environmental impact statements, and supporting technical studies for complex or controversial projects.

Mr. Wance is a shareholder and former chair of Buchalter’s Land Use Practice Group. He has built a cross-disciplinary practice involving land use and entitlements, water resources, environmental compliance, natural resources, and public law through the representation of both public agencies and private businesses throughout California. Mr. Wance has handled all aspects of these substantive areas, from advising clients regarding the applicability of the law, to guiding clients through a permitting or entitlement process, or defending clients subject to enforcement actions. He successfully represented businesses and public agencies in sophisticated financial, real estate, water resource, environmental compliance, and land development matters in court and before administrative agencies. Mr. Wance’s land use and entitlement background includes representation of residential developers, public entities, major industrial facilities, and other commercial businesses in all phases of project development before local and state agencies, city councils, and county board of supervisors. He has assisted clients in obtaining development and environmental permits and project approvals for power plants, schools, mixed-use, and industrial development projects.

Mr. Ashwell practices in the areas of criminal defense and civil litigation, land use and zoning, domestic relations, estate planning and real estate. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio, and his B.A. degree from Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, Virginia. Mr. Ashwell was named a Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017-2021. He has served as a frequent speaker at CLE classes and seminars related to land use, zoning, easements and ethics in boundary law.

Mr. DiStanislao’s practice is focused on residential and commercial contract and closing negotiations, construction and permanent financing, negotiating leases, easement agreements, covenants, land use and zoning, and civil trial work, including real estate litigation, contract litigation, landlord/tenant law, and personal injury. He also handles traffic defense cases, gun rights restoration cases, and municipal law. Mr. DiStanislao earned his B.A. degree from Hampden-Sydney College. After college, he worked as the Director of Business Development for Bon Air Title Insurance Agency before earning his law degree from Campbell University School of Law.

Mr. Gooch is a clean energy lawyer who helps clients develop, build, and sell solar projects and battery storage facilities. He regularly advises clients regarding leases, land use issues, environmental regulation, and transactional matters such as construction contracts and asset purchases. Mr. Gooch frequently represents Virginia landowners in negotiations with electric utilities and renewable energy developers. He advises clients on key terms of solar lease and option arrangements such as the contract term, liability provisions, and compensation. His industry experience allows him to evaluate project sites and negotiate maximum compensation for his landowner clients. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Gooch was an Assistant Attorney General of Virginia and served as counsel to a number of state agencies, including the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Renewable Energy Division. He is an expert on Virginia’s Permit By Rule process and other regulations affecting renewable generators and storage developers. Mr. Gooch is a graduate of the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. After law school, he clerked for two years at the Supreme Court of Virginia for Justice William C. Mims.

Mr. Murphy is a real estate and zoning lawyer who focuses on real estate development and transactions in Virginia as a principal in the firm’s Land Use and Zoning Group in Tysons. His practice also extends to general civil litigation, local government law, administrative law, and eminent domain. Mr. Murphy has secured complex land use approvals for clients throughout Virginia, while also successfully representing clients before trial and appellate courts. He has also played a key role in the establishment or relocation of corporate headquarters for many of Northern Virginia’s most successful businesses. His clients have included Fortune 500 companies, homebuilders, hospitals, retailers, public utilities, and institutional users. In addition to his focus on real estate development and transactions, his practice also includes general civil litigation, local government law, administrative law, and eminent domain. Mr. Murphy often draws on his extensive background in public policy, having held key positions with elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels. Most recently, he was a partner in the Tysons office of Reed Smith LLP. Mr. Murphy earned his B.A. degree from George Mason University and his J.D. degree from George Mason University School of Law.

Bryan Peeples is a Pender and Coward shareholder and focuses his practice in the areas of maritime and riparian law, eminent domain/right of way law, and worker’s compensation. A prolific author, he has written articles on Virginia aquaculture and maritime law, including the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, the Virginia Primary Sand Dune and Beaches Act, and the Virginia Tidal Wetlands Act. He has been published in a number of professional journals on a variety of topics, ranging from Virginia real property law to the Anti-Terrorism Act. Mr. Peeples is a member of the firm’s waterfront law practice group, and writes blog articles regularly on the group’s website devoted to waterfront (riparian) property rights law, maritime and admiralty law, and environmental law. Before joining the firm in 2018, he retired from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service as a pilot. He completed seven combat deployments and served as the Commanding Officer of a helicopter squadron. His last assignment was Lead Rotational Planner for the Joint Staff, where he provided strategic advice to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense.

Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

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. 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 earned his B.S. degree from Texas A&M University. Mr. Cooney is a J.D. candidate at South Texas College of Law Houston.

Mr. Guarino’s work at at 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 Houston 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 as 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. Joeckel is a member of Winstead’s Business Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Joeckel has experience in a range of civil and commercial matters in state and federal courts, including industry experience in real estate, construction, technology, and financial services. He earned his B.B.A. degree from Texas A & M University, his M.L.A degree from Texas Christina University and his J.D. degree from Texas Tech University 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.

ForeSight Consulting, LLC, a professional services firm established in 2004 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. ForeSight offers comprehensive civil engineering and land surveying services to the construction and building sectors. He manages the firm’s operations, directs its growth strategy, mentors team members, and continues to oversee engineering and surveying projects of various sizes throughout Indiana. A graduate of Purdue University, Mr. Bauer holds a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering Technology. He is a licensed professional engineer and professional surveyor in Indiana and has previously held professional licenses in several other states. In addition, he has served as an adjunct faculty member at Purdue University Fort Wayne, where he taught courses in elementary surveying, route survey and design, land survey and subdivision, and hydraulics and drainage. Mr. Bauer has played an active role in the Indiana Society of Professional Surveyors (ISPLS), serving on its board of directors from 2006 to 2015 and again from 2018 to 2020. He was honored with the President’s Award in 2010 for his contributions to the society, and the profession of land surveying. He served as president of ISPLS in 2019 and continues his involvement with the society on the Government Affairs Committee. Additionally, Mr. Bauer has served in leadership positions within the Northeast Chapter of ISPLS, including serving as chapter president on three occasions. He is regularly called upon to handle complex surveying cases and has served as an expert witness in matters involving boundaries, easements, and riparian rights. Known as a trusted resource for developers, title companies, and real estate attorneys, he has delivered continuing education presentations on professional surveying topics, including “Professional Surveyor’s Reports,” “Locating Land Boundaries: On Paper and On the Ground,” and “Conducting Due Diligence for a Purchase-Sale Agreement” through the American Bar Association.

Ms. Davisis a research hydrogeologist at Indiana Geological and Water Survey, working to understand and share information of surface and ground water resources in Indiana. She previously worked at Soil and Water Conservation Districts, as a hydrogeologist with DNR Division of Water, as
a consultant along with a geology professor at IvyTech. Ms. Davis has her master’s degrees in both Geology and Civil Engineering from Indiana University and Norwich University, respectively, focused on water resource management, treatment, characterization, and modeling. She currently sits on the AWWA Source Water Protection Committee and holds professional certifications in sediment and erosion control, floodplain management, watershed leadership, and natural resource training.

Ms. Schroeder brings a variety of skills to the complexities of today’s agriculture. She grew up on a farm in Northeast Indiana, so her insight is grounded in experience. Ms. Schroeder works with the agricultural industry as she provides expertise such as litigating complicated environmental matters, drafting contracts for agribusinesses, and helping livestock farms navigate regulatory compliance. She has a diverse group of clients including farmers, rural landowners, agricultural companies, and industry groups. Ms. Schroeder has worked at firms in Indianapolis and Chicago, with her perspective including experience in complex litigation, civil defense, property liability, environmental law, and insurance coverage. She is licensed in Indiana and Illinois. Along with her thriving law practice, Ms. Schroeder is committed to sharing insight with the industry as a sought-after speaker and author. She has authored numerous articles and given presentations on a variety of agricultural, environmental, and legal topics, including the Right to Farm Act, zoning, renewable energy, sustainability, the Clean Water Act, employment law, agritourism, farm security, and insurance coverage. Ms. Schroeder earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Carthage College, her M.S. degree from Valparaiso University and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Valparaiso University School of Law.

Mr. Schroeder is an attorney who helps people with environmental law-related issues or have had their insurance claim denied. He helps clients who have environmental law issues, including those arising from Indiana statutes (ELA, Flood Control Act, etc.), federal statutes (RCRA, CERCLA, etc.), regulatory bodies (IDEM, EPA, etc.), common law (negligence, trespass, nuisance, etc.) and more. Mr. Schroeder earned his J.D. degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

Mr. Walker has been working for or with the State of Indiana since 2012. He started working in the Groundwater Section in 2015 and became Section Chief in 2021. Mr. Walker helped develop and provide the Surface Water Threat Minimization and Response Plans for all the community drinking water systems that use surface water as their source. He orchestrated a voluntary PFAS sampling project for all community drinking water systems, ahead of an expected EPA rule. Mr. Walker graduated with a BA in Geography (Geographic Information Science) and Anthropology (Physical Anthropology) from Indiana University.