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Ms. Lam’s responsibilities include investigating and prosecuting ethical violations of the Hawaii Rules of Professional Conduct, providing informal verbal opinions, and coordinating and presenting legal education seminars. Previously, Ms. Lam worked at Dentons US LLP, the world’s largest global law firm, where she focused her practice on commercial litigation and real estate transactions. She graduated, cum laude, from the William S. Richardson School of Law and received her B.A., cum laude, from Georgetown University. Prior to law school, Ms. Lam worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and the U.S. Senate Democratic Leadership.

Mr. Howell specializes in complex litigation involving toxic and environmental torts, class actions, mass torts, and related matters. He litigates environmental citizen suits and permit challenges and disputes involving chemical exposure, groundwater contamination, air emissions, personal injury, stormwater, water rights, and property rights. Mr. Howell has counseled and represented clients in litigation related to most of the major federal environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, CERCLA, and others as well as many counterpart state laws. He also frequently provides counsel on OSHA compliance and other process safety issues. Mr. Howell combines this subject matter expertise with substantial courtroom experience, having tried multiple cases to verdict in federal and state courts and administrative agencies. He is a state-wide officer in the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. Mr. Howell serves as the President of the University of Georgia School of Law Young Alumni Committee. He also serves on the board of the Atlanta Children’s Shelter, Young Professionals Advisory Committee. Mr. Howell is a member of the 2020 class of the Conservative Policy Leadership Institute and a graduate of the State Bar Young Lawyers Division Leadership Academy (2017).

Ms. Liberman has broad experience handling real estate-related disputes. She represents individuals, associations and businesses in matters such as real estate contractual disputes, fraud claims, construction-defect claims, boundary disputes, adverse possession, equitable partition, and contested trusts and estates. Based in the Atlanta area, Ms. Liberman is an experienced real estate dispute attorney handling cases throughout metropolitan Atlanta and the State of Georgia. She is a trained litigator with more than 20 years of experience who understands the value of resolving disputes before they escalate whenever possible.

Mr. Power has more than 30 years of professional legal experience focusing on eminent domain and real estate litigation. He has represented numerous state and local governments in their acquisitions, and he has represented property owners against various local governments as well as against the United States of America. He has tried over 60 eminent domain jury trials, has handled numerous mediations, and has served as a mediator in eminent domain matters. Mr. Power is admitted to practice law in Georgia and Virginia. Mr. Power holds a JD degree from Mercer University’s School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta Lawyer’s Club, and the State Bar of Virginia, where he grew up and went to college. Mr. Power has been recognized as a Georgia Super Lawyer as published in Atlanta Magazine. He has been named by Georgia Trend as among Georgia’s “Legal Elite,” and holds the highest rating possible (AV) by Martindale-Hubble. Mr. Power, and his firm, have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Tier 1 “Best Lawyer & Law Firm” for Eminent Domain. He has lectured numerous times over the past 20 years.

Ms. Snell has practiced almost exclusively in eminent domain since she began practicing law in 2015. She is appointed a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Georgia and represents the Georgia Department of Transportation in that capacity across the state. Ms. Snell also represents Henry County in condemnation litigation as well as multiple other local government agencies. She also has experience representing property owners in condemnation actions. Ms. Snell received her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Convergence Journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas in 2010. She received her Juris Doctor from Georgia State University in 2014.

Ms. Bowman Bowman currently teaches water law, administrative law, natural resources and property at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Her work has been cited in the New York Times, and she is a sought after expert in infrastructure, water, energy and regulation who has been interviewed by PBS, CNN, and Democracy Now.  Ms. Bowman has extensive law and policy experience in local, state and federal government, as well as in the non-profit sector. Ms. Bowman has published widely on infrastructure, telecommunications and regulatory issues. She has consulted for the Kenyan Government, USAID, the United Nations, and the U.S. State Department. Before joining The University of New Mexico, she taught at the University of Tulsa, the American University in Cairo, Egypt during the revolution of 2011, as well as at the University of Mississippi, the University of Arkansas and Kabarak University in Kenya. In 2023, she published a book with Palgrave McMillan Digital Development in East Africa: The Distribution, Diffusion, and Governance of Information Technology.

Ms. Jones draws on extensive environmental compliance and enforcement experience to provide strategic counsel to energy and natural resources clients on environmental litigation and regulatory enforcement matters. Ms. Jones represents energy and natural resources clients in environmental litigation and regulatory compliance matters. She helps clients navigate complex environmental issues ranging from New Mexico water law matters to defending against government enforcement actions and counseling clients on regulatory compliance strategies.

Having served for nearly a decade as a trial attorney with the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Ms. Jones gained unique insight into federal agency decision-making processes and enforcement priorities. This perspective allows her to anticipate potential regulatory hurdles and develop practical, collaborative approaches that align with clients’ legal requirements and business objectives. Ms. Jones’s experience spans the full spectrum of federal litigation and includes multiple oral arguments and complex e-discovery matters. She has worked on matters affecting the energy sector, including oil and gas operations, mining projects, and infrastructure development. She brings extensive experience negotiating resolutions among diverse stakeholders through consent decrees and settlement agreements.

Ms. Russo Baca is the staff attorney and Ombudsman Program Director at the Utton Transboundary Resources Center at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In both roles that she fulfills, her mission is to support and represent constituents in a fair and unbiased manner. As the Ombudsman Program Director, she guides the activities of the Joe M Stell Ombudsman Program, a statewide program that provides impartial adjudication information and procedural guidance to unrepresented water rights claimants in the State of New Mexico. Ms. Russo Baca also manages the Native American Water Right Settlements E-Repository. She contributes significantly to the Utton Center’s overall mission of providing objective research-based public service to New Mexico’s communities on energy, climate change, ecological conservation, food systems, and international natural resource management issues. Ms. Russo Baca undergraduate degree is in agroecology, and she holds both Indian Law and Natural Resources and Environmental Law Certificates from the UNM School of Law. She has also served on the Tribal Law Journal as a staff member and editor and received the Dean’s Award upon graduation. During the Spring 2024 semester, she taught the inaugural Agricultural Law class at the UNM School of Law. Ms. Russo Baca is currently the Chair of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Board of Directors, holding Position No. 1, At-Large.

Rin Tara began working at the Utton Center as a staff attorney in the fall of 2023. They graduated cum laude from the University of New Mexico School of Law in May 2023, where they earned a certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Law. Upon graduation, Rin received the Honorable Pete Domenici Award for Environmental Excellence. In addition to their studies, they served as both an editor and a staff member for the Natural Resources Journal and a board member for the Environmental Law Society.

During their time as a law student, Rin worked as a research assistant for the Utton Center, as well as a legal intern in positions with the United States Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office Water Resources Division, the United States Department of Agriculture Office of General Counsel, and the nonprofit organization, American Rivers. As staff attorney specializing in water policy and governance, Rin is primarily interested in questions of water management in the face of climate change. They have done work in riparian restoration, river connectivity, tribal water sovereignty, climate change adaptation, and water rights. Rin is delighted to continue research on these topics in the service of the state of New Mexico, through the Utton Center.

Ms. Barter is an Oregon-based water lawyer and policy expert with more than a decade of combined non-profit, private sector, and federal experience. A strategic and pragmatic advisor, she has spent her career working to create balance among complex environmental, agricultural, municipal, and cultural water needs. In helping clients through wicked water challenges, Ms. Barter also draws on her background in coalition facilitation, conservation program implementation, natural resource management, and environmental science. She is a former chair of the Oregon State Bar’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section, a frequent speaker at conferences and legislative hearings

Ms. Bayer is a seasoned environmental attorney, regulatory specialist, and litigator at Tonkon Torp, where she serves as Chair of the firm’s Environmental & Natural Resources Practice Group. Her practice is focused on representing clients facing environmental issues related to regulatory compliance, site contamination, and business transactions. Clients value Ms. Bayer’s deep understanding of complex environmental challenges and her ability to provide creative solutions for the best possible outcome. She is adept at approaching her practice through a combination of science and law. No matter what issue her clients face, she puts their best interests first and provides practical advice and counsel all along the way.

Ms. Bayer has significant legal and technical experience remediating contaminated property and managing all stages of environmental litigation. She guides landowners through the appropriate steps when they suspect their property may be contaminated, assists clients with reporting obligations, works with consultants to ensure proper documentation of investigation and cleanup activities, and helps recover costs from responsible parties. Ms. Bayer also regularly assists businesses nationwide in complying with Extended Producer Responsibility laws.

She has represented clients from a variety of industries at some of the largest Superfund sites in the country. Ms. Bayer has experience obtaining stormwater, wastewater, and air emissions permits, negotiating settlements and resolving non-compliance issues with regulatory agencies, and transferring permits to new entities following change in ownership. When buying or selling a piece of potentially contaminated property, understanding environmental risk is key to avoiding major issues down the road. She works with environmental consultants and transactional attorneys to identify and appropriately shift environmental risk so that her clients can close their business transactions with peace of mind. 

Mr. Greene represents clients on matters related to the clean energy transition in the Northwest, providing advice to nonprofits, trade associations, and electricity generators, among others. Prior to joining Sanger Greene, Mr. Greene spent several years at Renewable Northwest, finishing as the organization’s Deputy Director. In that role he supervised work on regulatory matters such as utility resource planning and procurement, and on policy matters including clean energy legislation and renewable energy siting. He has engaged with all Northwest investor-owned utilities’ recent integrated resource plans, worked on the development of Oregon’s and Washington’s competitive procurement rules, helped to negotiate utility voluntary renewable energy programs, participated in writing and passing Oregon’s 100% clean electricity law (HB 2021), engaged deeply with the implementation of Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, and advocated before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on matters related to Open Access Transmission Tariffs, particularly with regard to interconnection processes. He also helped to write and pass a suite of clean energy siting laws in Oregon and Washington, has served on several Oregon and Washington agency advisory committees relating to energy siting, and has authored amicus briefs on siting and permitting law before the Oregon Court of Appeals and Oregon Supreme Court.

Before working at Renewable Northwest, Mr. Greene served as a staff attorney in the Providence, Rhode Island office of the Conservation Law Foundation, where he appeared before the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and Energy Facility Siting Board, as well as various state and federal courts; earlier in his career, he worked in the Law Department for the City of Providence, Rhode Island and represented indigent clients at Rhode Island Legal Services. Mr. Greene earned a B.A. in Latin from Carleton College and a J.D. from Roger Williams University, graduating cum laude from both institutions and finishing law school with an award for Natural Resources Law. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable O. Rogeriee Thompson on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. More recently, Mr. Greene has completed significant coursework in Electrical Engineering at Portland State University. 

Mr. Jaeger’s teaching includes graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental and resource economics, institutional economics, and sustainability. His research has a policy focus in the areas of environmental and resource economics, agriculture ,and sustainability with an emphasis on interdisciplinary research on human-natural systems. His work has involved the economics of water, climate change, fisheries and conservation, land use and land use change,  environmental taxation, the “environmental Kuznets curve”, and agriculture. Previously he taught for 12 years at Williams College. He has been a Visiting Fellow at the European University Institute, Florence Italy in 2016, a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Venice, Italy, and the University of Strasbourg, France 2023-24. He has also taught at the University of Washington and the University of Oregon.

Growing up in southwestern Oregon, Mr. Matteo spent seven summers from high school through college working on a blueberry farm near Roseburg. This work experience, his rural background, and his coursework at OSU led him to pursue a legal career serving the natural resource industries. Before attending OSU, Mr. Matteo served as a state officer for the Oregon Future Farmers of America (FFA) Association, and he continues to be involved with the FFA in Oregon.

Mr. Sanger’s legal and consulting practice focuses on energy, administrative, and public utility law. He represents energy trade associations, municipalities, electric cooperatives, irrigation districts, end-use industrial and commercial consumers, investor owned natural gas and water utilities, and renewable and cogeneration electricity producers. Mr. Sanger advises hydro, biomass, geothermal, wind, solar, cogeneration, and other electricity generators on a wide variety of transactional matters, including negotiating power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, wholesale power sales, resource development and sales, and other matters. He has a lengthy background representing end[1]use industrial, commercial, and irrigation customers in all facets of retail rates and service quality. Mr. Sanger represents clients in energy and utility matters before state and federal courts, state public utility commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Bonneville Power Administration. Mr. Sanger is also an adjunct instructor at Lewis and Clark Law School, and in Portland Community College’s Paralegal Program. Mr. Sanger graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon in 2000 with cum laude honors and an Environmental Law Certificate, and from World College Institute of New College of California in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in the Humanities with an emphasis in International Environmental Studies.

Ms. Siltanen is a land and natural resources attorney, with a practice focused on land use, permitting, and water rights law. She helps commercial, industrial, and residential clients entitle their projects and defend their land use entitlements against challenges before the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals and Oregon Court of Appeals. She also helps water suppliers and water users acquire, change, and protect their water rights. Ms. Siltanen has counseled private individuals, clients in natural resources industries, including agribusinesses and energy companies, and municipal and special district water providers on matters related to water supply and compliance with water right laws and regulations. She also regularly advises property owners and prospective buyers regarding water rights associated with agricultural, commercial, and industrial properties.

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.

Mr. 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.

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.

Ms. Currotto began her career working in the halls of United States Congress in Washington D.C., where she focused on a wide array of issues including policy impacting Floridians. Her practice now focuses on first party, insurance coverage, and personal injury litigation. She has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell and serves as the incoming chair of the YLD Federal Bar Association Board of Directors. Ms. Currotto earned her J.D. degree from the University District of Columbia School of Law.

Mr. Fay is a Shareholder at Colodny Fass and a member of the firm’s Insurance Regulatory and Corporate & Transactional practice groups. He is ranked in the Chambers USA Guide, a leading legal industry rankings publication, for Insurance Transactional & Regulatory. Mr. Fay represents insurance industry clients nationwide on regulatory compliance, licensing, corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and other matters affecting the formation and operation of insurance companies. He advises both start-ups and established insurers on entity formation, expansion into new jurisdictions, financing transactions, and ongoing regulatory obligations. He regularly prepares regulatory filings, drafts and negotiates insurance-related agreements, and represents clients in administrative proceedings involving licensing, rate hearings, and rule challenges. He works closely with insurance regulators across the country and has extensive experience guiding property and casualty insurers through the licensing and regulatory approval process.

Ms. Grice is a litigation attorney in Baker Donelson’s Fort Lauderdale office and a member of the Complex Litigation and Class Actions Group. Ms. Grice represents clients in commercial and homeowner’s first-party property cases in both state and federal courts. She earned her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Florida State University College of Law.

Ms. Hahn focuses her practice on representing homeowners, business owners, and condominium associations in a wide range of property insurance claims and disputes. Ms. Hahn brings a distinct advantage through her prior experience as a defense attorney representing insurance carriers. Her background provides her with valuable insight and enhances her ability to navigate complex claims and pursue favorable outcomes for policyholders. Ms. Hahn’s knowledge of insurance company policies, tactics and procedures allows her to anticipate and counter the strategies often used to delay or deny valid claims. With this unique perspective, Ms. Hahn is a powerful advocate for her clients. She is committed to securing fair outcomes in their time of need and ensuring that her clients are treated with the respect and diligence they deserve. Ms. Hahn received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, with a minor in Spanish, from the University of Lynchburg in her hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. She then relocated to Florida and received her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 2018. Upon graduating, she was awarded the William F. Blews Pro Bono Award, for her exceptional work with the Florida Guardian ad Litem program as a court-appointed volunteer child advocate for children in dependency cases. Ms. Hahn is licensed to practice in the state and federal courts of Florida.

Mr. Haynes was born in Nashville, Tennessee but has called Tampa his home since 1972. He was admitted to the bar in 1998 in Florida and has been dedicated to helping the citizens of Florida with their insurance claims ever since. Mr. Haynes was inspired to help people with their insurance claims by his father who was an all lines adjuster and eventually a public adjuster for many years. He started his career with Wilson and Terrana P.A. in Tampa handling residential and commercial claims for building damage including but not limited to sinkhole, hurricane, fire, lightening, theft, collapse, water damage, vandalism and any other issue that causes damage to buildings that was covered by an insurance policy. He opened his own practice in 2004 continuing to represent the citizens of Florida with insurance claims in both state and federal court until joining Christopher Logori and Associates in 2018. Mr. Haynes has focused his practice on property insurance claims ever since and handled hundreds of losses, claims, and lawsuits in an effort to protect people and to do his best to make sure they receive what they deserve in both state and federal court across the state of Florida. Mr. Haynes has assisted people through all aspects of the claims process from the submission of the claim, through examinations under oath, through the appraisal process if it is demanded, through mediation and ultimately through trial. He has been a Florida Civil Court mediator and has mediated many claims for the Florida Department of Financial Services when individuals have problems with their homeowner’s insurance claims. Mr. Haynes is also a member of the Florida Justice Association, has participated on multiple committees with this association involving insurance issues and has been a constant advocate for the citizens of Florida testifying in front of the Florida legislature against proposed laws that would take away our rights and in support of fair laws that hold insurance company’s accountable.

Mr. Levin is a Shareholder with Baker Donelson’s Fort Lauderdale office and has developed substantial experience successfully representing a broad range of private and institutional clients in state and federal court, and has tried cases throughout the state, including to jury verdict as a first chair. He has developed particular experience in property and general liability litigation, defending both insurers and insureds in all aspects of the claim and litigation process, as well as advising on coverage matters. Mr. Levin recently obtained two defense verdicts, one for an insurance carrier and another for a policyholder. He regularly defends financial institutions in consumer protection claims, and prosecutes and defends complex commercial and residential foreclosures. Mr. Levin has become a trusted advisor to insurance and banking professionals, providing guidance and recommendations in pre- and post-suit matters, and has served as an expert witness in various capacities.

Mr. Montgomery is a Partner and Business Unit Leader at Kelley Kronenberg, focusing his practice on first-party property insurance defense. He serves as a Team Lead on the firm’s Fraud Fighters Team. Mr. Montgomery handles all aspects of first-party property defense, including coverage disputes, pre-suit investigations, fraud investigations, and CRN responses. Additionally, clients frequently engage him to assist with the development of claims processes and procedures. Mr. Montgomery’s practice is also focused on the highly-specialized areas of first-party property appeals and auto glass defense. Prior to joining Kelley Kronenberg, he worked as an Associate Attorney with an Am Law 200 firm, focusing his practice on first-party auto coverage and litigation, general liability litigation, and appellate law. Mr. Montgomery also practiced as an Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, in Jacksonville, where he litigated a variety of criminal proceedings through trial and served as a liaison for UVISA Certifications. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude, with a Certificate of Crime Scene Investigation, from Colorado Technical University. Mr. Montgomery then went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, graduating cum laude. Since Law School, he continued his education by obtaining a Master of Science, summa cum laude, from Florida State University, with a Certificate in U.S. Intelligence.  He also acquired an additional LL.M. in Executive Litigation Management from Baylor Law School. 

Mr. Valle is a Partner at Colodny Fass whose practice focuses on insurance regulatory matters and coverage issues affecting the property and casualty insurance industry. He represents insurers, managing general agents, and other industry participants in matters involving regulatory compliance, licensing, and insurance-related transactions. Mr. Valle regularly advises clients before the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and the Florida Department of Financial Services on regulatory strategy and compliance issues. He also works with insurers and trade associations on regulatory-driven transactions and agreements within the insurance marketplace. In addition to his regulatory practice, he has experience handling insurance coverage disputes and related real property matters, providing practical insight into how property insurance policies are interpreted and applied when issues arise. Mr. Valle is also a certified Continuing Education Instructor with the Florida Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services.

Mr. Wank is Chair of Kelley Kronenberg’s First-Party Property and Insurance Coverage Division. In his own practice, he focuses on defending first-party claims, coverage, and bad faith matters. He also handles the defense of a wide array of third-party insurance defense claims. Mr. Wank assists insurers in all aspects of coverage disputes, including responses to civil remedy notices of insurer violations, pre-suit investigations and coverage evaluations, declaratory judgment and bad faith litigation. He defends property insurers throughout Florida in first-party coverage matters, where many of the claims involve sinkhole, windstorm, fire, mold, theft and water losses. In addition, he serves as coverage and bad faith counsel in third-party actions, including monitoring the defense of litigation. As part of this role, he is often asked to draft detailed coverage opinions, reservation of rights letters, declinations, and prosecute declaratory relief actions. Mr. Wank also has experience in handling complex civil and commercial matters, including the defense of personal injury, premises liability, employment discrimination, medical malpractice, nursing home liability, homeowner and condominium association claims, and construction defect cases. He has been named a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star since 2014. In 2011, he was elected to the Broward Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Board of Directors, where he served as Secretary on the organization’s Executive Board and moved up to President in June 2015. Mr. Wank was also named the Chair on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid Service of Broward County & Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida for the 2019 term and previously served as the Vice Chair for the 2018 term. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Florida State University and went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center.

Mr. Wyatt is a Boca Raton native and co-founding partner of Wyatt & Schwebel, P.A., a civil litigation firm devoted to standing up for homeowners when their own insurance companies fail them. Mr. Wyatt has built his practice around first-party property insurance disputes, representing homeowners whose claims for wind, water, and fire damage have been wrongfully denied, undervalued, or delayed by the very insurers they trusted and paid premiums to for years. Florida’s property insurance landscape has undergone dramatic transformation — driven by sweeping legislative reforms, aggressive industry lobbying, and policy language increasingly engineered to limit carrier exposure at the homeowner’s expense. Mr. Wyatt has developed a litigation approach that is both aggressive and strategically efficient: moving quickly to lock in favorable evidence, deploying the right experts before insurers can shape the narrative, and leveraging a deep command of evolving case law and policy language to close off the defenses carriers rely on most. Mr. Wyatt has litigated first-party property insurance claims across virtually every loss type and coverage dispute a homeowner can face. His case experience spans hurricane and windstorm damage, water intrusion from roof failures and plumbing losses, fire and smoke damage, and mold remediation disputes. He has handled losses where insurers have invoked late-notice defenses, disputed replacement cost value entitlement, and failure to comply with any of an insured’s other seemingly endless post-loss obligations as tools to reduce or eliminate coverage. Recently, Mr. Wyatt has been fervently litigating disputes over the payment terms that carriers are attempting to strong-arm both public adjusters and attorneys into accepting. As carriers attempt to dictate their payment terms in contradiction to basic ethical and contractual obligations, it is crucial to understand your rights and responsibilities for properly accepting and distributing client funds.

Mr. Gardner is a hydrologist and geophysicist who studies how water moves underground through mountains and landscapes. As an Associate Professor at the University of Montana, his research focuses on understanding where water comes from, how long it stays underground, and how it connects to rivers and ecosystems. By combining field measurements, natural chemical tracers, GPS-based earth measurements, and computer modeling, his work helps shed light on these hidden groundwater systems and improve predictions of water availability. His research is supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Geological Survey, and his findings have been published in leading Earth science journals.

Ms. Ols brings to her legal work years of experience working as a biologist throughout Montana and Latin America, in which she led projects to preserve wildlife habitat and improve landscape connectivity. She utilizes this experience in her legal career to guide clients through complex transactions and to craft innovative solutions in what can often be an adversarial process. At KLH Advisors, Ms. Ols represents a variety of clients including individuals, farms and ranches, and small businesses in a variety of transactional matters, including real property transactions, water rights adjudication, and water rights permitting. She received her J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law in 2023. As a law student, Ms. Ols completed a clinical externship in the United States District Court for the District of Montana, clerked for the Montana Water Court, and served as the Publication Editor for the University of Montana Public Land and Resources Law Review.

After years of practicing in larger firms, Mr. Scott returned to Bozeman to start Peter G. Scott, Law Offices, PLLC to continue representing a broad range of clients and better serve them throughout the Columbia Basin. He is well known for his in-depth knowledge of land use, water rights and environmental law. Mr. Scott has published articles and lectured extensively on a broad range of related topics. After 11 years in the U.S. Navy, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Massachusetts. Mr. Scott worked as a hydrogeologist for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho and then for Fluidyne, Inc. in Montana. He then earned his Juris Doctor with Environmental Law Certificate from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon in 1999.

Ms. Weisz is a water law attorney with more than a decade of specialized experience in Montana’s statewide water rights adjudication. Before entering private practice, she spent eleven years at the Montana Water Court, where she began as a law clerk and advanced to Senior Water Master. In that role, she presided over status conferences, set scheduling orders, and managed the adjudication process in complex and often contentious cases. Ms. Weisz also served as a mediator for many Water Court cases, including the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Water Compact Case, which involved several hundred parties. In her role as mediator, she strived to be accessible, helping parties understand the Water Court’s role and procedures. Ms. Weisz is known for her straightforward, honest, and transparent approach. She prioritizes setting realistic expectations and ensuring clients are well-informed so they can make educated decisions about their property and resources.

Mr. Noviello is an Attorney-at-Law, a Professional Engineer, and a Land Surveyor who enjoys teaching. In addition to teaching continuing education courses for Attorneys-at-Law, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Architects, he has taught real property law, survey law, alpine skiing, and, more recently, adaptive skiing. Mr. Noviello received his Masters 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 has practiced land surveying since 1991 including 10 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 licensed Land Surveyor in New York and Connecticut. He is an Attorney-at-Law in New York and New Jersey State Courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, and the Federal Court for the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Klaas is a partner at Friedman + Huey Associates, LLP. He specializes in fiduciary, estate and individual income taxation and working with large family groups. Mr. Klaas taught as an undergraduate/graduate tax instructor at Purdue University Northwest. He received his B.S. degree with concentrations in Accounting and Finance from Purdue University Northwest and received his M.S. degree in Taxation from DePaul University. He has spoken on various occasions presenting on taxation of decedents, estates and trusts. Mr. Klaas serves as a 1041 subject matter expert for a national tax software development firm, has edited various professional publications and is an active member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council, Illinois CPA Society, and AICPA.

Mr. Wirtz is a partner at Friedman + Huey Associates, LLP. He specializes in fiduciary, charitable and individual income taxation and working with large family groups. Mr. Wirtz received his B.S. degree in Accounting from Purdue University Northwest and received his M.S. degree in Taxation from DePaul University. He also is member of the Illinois CPA Society.

Mr. Dixon is a highly regarded attorney in Cleveland, Ohio, specializing in construction litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and real estate law. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer for 2012 – 2026, reflecting his expertise and reputation in the legal field. Mr. Dixon graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1997 and has been practicing law since then. He is a member of the American Bar Association’s Construction Law Forum and the Founding Chair of the Cleveland Metro Bar Association’s Construction Law Subcommittee, showcasing his commitment to professional development and community service. Mr. Dixon’s practice focuses on helping clients manage risk, resolve disputes, and navigate complex legal challenges in the construction and real estate sectors.

Mr. Pannett is a seasoned attorney with more than 25 years of practice in Ohio’s transportation industry. Joining Kegler Brown after more than 31 years of public service in state and local government as a lawyer and manager, he is also a registered Professional Engineer in Ohio, holds an MBA, and is a Certified Public Purchasing Officer (in retirement status). Mr. Pannett focuses his practice primarily in the areas of construction, real estate, litigation, and issues involving state and local governments. With an extensive practical background and education in engineering, and previous work experience with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), he leverages his unique perspective to provide useful insights for the benefit of his clients. At ODOT, Mr. Pannett worked in a multitude of capacities, including as a transportation engineer, as the Administrator for the Office of Contract Sales and Estimating, and as Deputy Chief Legal Counsel. He also spent four years as an Assistant Attorney General in the Transportation section of the Ohio Attorney General’s office. Mr. Pannett is a frequent presenter on engineering ethics and regularly defends professional engineers before the Ohio Board of Professional Engineer and Surveyors.

Mr. Pempus has been a risk manager for more than 18 years, with experience in architecture, engineering, land use, law and professional liability insurance, and a unique and well-rounded background in the construction industry. Prior to risk management, he has 25 years of experience in the practice of architecture and engineering, and as an adjunct professor teaching professional practice courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the last 37 years. As a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and AIA National Ethics Council 2021 chair, he has demonstrated his impact on architectural profession. He is a licensed architect, attorney and property and casualty insurance agent.

Mr. Truax’s practice includes counseling and representing contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, owners, and developers in the negotiation and review of contract forms and front-end project documents, as well as bidding and bid protest matters. His previous experience working in the field for general contractors and specialty trades provides him with a depth of practical construction knowledge in advising and counseling clients in the management, prosecution, and defense of claims during construction projects. These claims range from extra work scope claims and insurance coverage issues to claims for differing site conditions, extended general conditions, lost productivity, acceleration and delay. Mr. Truax also routinely files and defends against mechanic’s lien, public lien, and payment bond claims in Ohio and other states. He’s spent the bulk of his career pursuing and defending construction cases in litigation and arbitration.

Mr. Young is an accomplished attorney with a diverse range of legal expertise. He has worked in construction law, civil litigation, contract law, and criminal law. Currently, Mr. Young serves as Construction and Commercial Transactions Counsel for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), where he advises on all legal matters related to construction and commercial transactions. His role involves developing, negotiating, and finalizing complex agreements, ensuring the interests of COTA are protected. Additionally, he provides expert counsel on federal, state, and local laws and regulations, guiding staff through contract modifications and offering strategic advice on risk mitigation and liability concerns. Mr. Young’s career includes serving as Legal Counsel for the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, where he provided legal guidance on multimillion-dollar public infrastructure projects. He also worked as an Assistant Attorney General, representing the Ohio Department of Transportation and managing eminent domain litigation. Mr. Young previous role as an Assistant Prosecutor involved handling juvenile criminal cases and child protective services matters, collaborating with law enforcement and social workers to drive fair and just outcomes. He earned his Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mr. Young has been admitted to the Ohio Bar since 2019.

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. Golding’s 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.

Mr. Jones is a federal Indian law attorney whose practice focuses on advocating for tribal sovereignty through litigation, contract negotiation, and legislative support. Mr. Jones has litigated in federal, tribal, state, administrative, and alternative dispute resolution forums. He has experience with Treaty rights, gaming, economic development, cultural and natural resources, land use, environmental protection, water rights, construction, taxation, and federal contracting, as well as forestry and wildfire, hunting and wildlife, and fishing and fisheries management. Before joining Galanda Broadman, Mr. Jones worked in-house as lead attorney for a tribal government. He has served in leadership roles for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Washington State Courts Board for Judicial Administration, Washington State Bar Association Indian Law Section, and the Yakima County Bar Association.

Mr. Schlosser represents Tribes in fisheries, timber, water, energy, cultural resources, contracting, tax and federal breach of trust. He is a director of Morisset, Schlosser, Jozwiak & Somerville, where he specializes in federal litigation, natural resources, and Indian tribal property issues. He is also frequently involved in tribal economic development and environmental regulation. In the 1970s, Mr. Schlosser represented tribes in the Stevens’ Treaty Puget Sound fishing rights proceedings. Mr. Schlosser is a founding member of the Indian Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association and also served on the WSBA Bar Examiners Committee. He is a frequent CLE speaker and moderates an American Indian Law discussion group for lawyers at http://forums.delphiforums.com/IndianLaw/messages. Mr. Schlosser is a part-time lecturer at the Seattle University School of Law.

Mr. Sexton’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation defending indigenous rights and litigating tribal environmental and cultural resources disputes in federal, tribal, state, and administrative forums. He has litigated indigenous civil rights matters on behalf of individuals and represents tribal governments outside of the courtroom in economic development and natural resources matters. Mr. Sexton has also successfully represented individuals in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases against private parties and governments. He has argued before the Washington State Supreme Court and the Washington Court of Appeals, and he has litigated in Washington State, Oregon, and United States District Courts in both states, and he has represented clients before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mr. Sexton was named a Rising Star for the years 2016-2018 by Super Lawyers® magazine. Before joining Galanda Broadman, he worked in-house for a tribal government. His legal advocacy there resulted in the development of tribal government programs, including a first-of-its-kind tribal vehicle licensing program and associated tribal code revisions. Mr. Sexton also successfully fought in courts and administrative forums to protect his client’s tribal sovereignty, the rights of Tribal citizens, and threatened cultural resources. In addition, he negotiated contracts and worked to close the purchase and sale of businesses and lands. His experiences before practicing law—including service in the United States Marine Corps and working on human rights issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina—equipped him to thrive in diverse communities, work efficiently and effectively under pressure, relentlessly pursue his clients’ objectives, and serve American indigenous communities.

Mr. Smith exclusively practices federal Indian law. Mr. Smith advises Indian tribal clients on all aspects of federal, state and tribal law, including tribal sovereignty, economic development, natural and cultural resource protection, taxation, and gaming. He is dedicated to helping Indian tribal governments achieve their goals. Whether as general counsel or special litigation counsel, Rob Roy consistently finds the best legal and business solutions to benefit tribal communities. Mr. Smith has successfully represented Indian tribal governments, individual Indians and tribal businesses in high-stakes litigation before tribal, state and federal courts, including numerous appellate courts, and the Washington and Idaho Supreme Courts, on issues ranging from protecting tribal sovereign immunity to securing treaty rights.

He has filed briefs before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Federal Claims on a variety of issues, including tribal jurisdiction, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and fiduciary duty. Mr. Smith also has extensive experience litigating tribal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) cases to protect Tribal decision makers and in obtaining valuable taxable and tax-free financing for tribal economic development and diversification. He has experience in helping tribal clients manage public health issues, including COVID-19, and all aspects of land acquisition and management.

Mr. Smith was listed by The Best Lawyers in America® for Native American Law in 2026 and the 12 years immediately preceding. He was also named a 2023 “Seattle Lawyer of the Year” for Native American Law by The Best Lawyers in America®. Mr. Smith was recognized as a Washington “Super Lawyer” for Native American Law in 2025 and the 11 years immediately preceding by Super Lawyers magazine. He was named a 2016 “Rising Star” by Law360 for Native American Law.

Mr. Smith was listed in the 2025 and nine years immediately preceding editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for Native American Law. He was also ranked nationally as a “Recognized Practitioner” for Native American Law in 2025 and the five years immediately preceding and ranked nationally as “Up and Coming” for Native American Law in 2016 and 2017 by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Mr. Smith is a recipient of the firm’s Pro Bono Collaboration Award in 2017 for his work on a federal civil rights litigation case for a Native Hawaiian father and his two young sons against the boys’ elementary schools, their principal, and superintendent.

Mr. Cassidy regularly represents general contractors, subcontractors, and surety companies while both prosecuting and defending their interests in contract, delay, labor, equitable adjustment and surety bond claims. He has also led presentations on developments in the construction law industry. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Cassidy served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Michael F. O’Neill J.S.C. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hunterdon County. After his clerkship, Mr. Cassidy spent four years as an associate at an Am Law 200 firm. He graduated from Providence College in 2010, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and in 2014, he received his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law. During his time at Seton Hall, Mr. Cassidy served as Editor in Chief for the twenty-fourth and final volume of the Seton Hall Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law.

Mr. Haftek prides himself on assisting a broad base of clients with a variety a business and legal needs. From years of handling development projects and contract drafting and negotiation to experience in complex commercial disputes, with a focus on construction law, he aims to be the attorney firm clients can rely on to efficiently and effectively address a wide range of concerns. Mr. Haftek handles all phases of commercial and construction law and litigation, including construction defects, construction/municipal mechanics’ liens, public bid protests, delays, extra work, collections, and contract negotiation and drafting. His work has been recognized with selection as a New Jersey Super Lawyers’ Rising Star and Super Lawyer in the area of Construction Litigation, and he is a frequent speaker for attorneys and business professionals on topics ranging from contract drafting to government procurement.

Mr. Lavin focuses his practice on litigation, especially commercial and construction litigation. He comes from a construction family and worked as an electrician from high school through law school. Mr. Lavin’s personal understanding of construction projects and passion for building things gives him perspective that other attorneys do not have. He has the knowledge and experience to interpret contract provisions and provide practical guidance to see the project through while best protecting his client’s interest. Mr. Lavin has represented clients in both private and public projects, including claims involving the Federal Government. In addition to construction law, he handles the firm’s commercial litigation practice. Mr. Lavin also is highly familiar with the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and has served as special litigation counsel for municipalities on topics from construction disputes to negotiation of labor contracts.

Mr. McDonough specializes in the areas of complex business disputes and construction law. He represents owners, contractors and subcontractors in a wide range of construction matters including, construct defect disputes, construction contract disputes, bid protest and surety claims. Mr. McDonough also represents businesses in shareholder/member disputes, business torts and breach of contract actions. He served as a moderator and lecturer on numerous construction law programs and has been selected for inclusion on the list of “New Jersey Super Lawyers,” which was published by New Jersey Monthly in its New Jersey Super Lawyers magazine, in 2025 and 2026.

Mr. Natale concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, business torts, shareholder and partnership disputes, breach of contract actions, construction disputes, municipal litigation, real estate and land use litigation, employment disputes, and the defense of professional liability actions. His work on behalf of clients encompasses all aspects of pre-trial, trial, chancery and appellate litigation at both the state and federal levels, as well as in private arbitration and administrative law forums. Mr. Natale provides representation to a diverse range of clients, including large and middle market businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate developers, construction contractors, professional services firms and local government entities.

Mr. Nudelman has represented members of the construction industry across a broad spectrum of matters for over 25 years. He works with owners and developers, construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors and design professionals to prepare and negotiate contract documents for construction in the New Jersey and New York metropolitan area. Mr. Nudelman drafts, modifies and negotiates customized contracts, as well as contracts based on standard industry forms from groups such as the American Institute of Architects, Consensus Docs and Design Build Institute of America. His construction contracting work helps his clients manage the risk inherent in construction projects so they may adequately protect their interests now to avoid claims and disputes in the future. When claims and disputes are unavoidable, Mr. Nudelman draws upon his wide-ranging experience in construction litigation, representing clients in state and federal courts throughout the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area, as well as in local and international mediations and arbitrations.

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. Bunch is a lead consultant with 5 Lakes Energy, where he leads a team of expert witnesses and analysts representing public interest clients in utility regulation proceedings. He also serves as Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal Association for Utility Issues (MI-MAUI), which provides technical support and a collective voice to local governments to improve utility services, reduce costs, and influence utility regulatory processes.

Previously, Mr. Bunch was Executive Director of the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office, assisting municipalities in the Detroit metro area with identifying, financing, and implementing clean energy projects. He has 20 years of experience in sustainable enterprise research and education, having served as Managing Director of the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan from 2008 to 2013. Prior to that, he was a senior fellow with the Business and Society Program at The Aspen Institute, developing corporate social responsibility and sustainability programs at business schools in China.

From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Bunch served as Executive Director of the Bainbridge Graduate Institute near Seattle, Washington, the first independent graduate school of sustainable business in the United States. From 1996 to 2003, he was Business Education Director at the World Resources Institute in Washington, DC, supporting the development of teaching and research programs on environment and sustainability at business schools worldwide. Between college and graduate school, he worked with Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) organizations in DC, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington State, culminating in a three-year tenure as Executive Director of WashPIRG. He continues to serve on the boards of WashPIRG and the WashPIRG Foundation.

Mr. Bunch chairs the Planning Commission in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan, which recently completed its updated master plan, including updates to transportation, infrastructure, open space, agriculture, and water goals, as well as strengthened provisions to reduce nuisances related to noise, light, and traffic.He holds an MBA with an Environmental Management certificate from the University of Washington and a BS in Political Science from Yale University. Mr. Bunch and his family reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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.

With more than three decades of combined environmental regulatory and consulting experience, Mr. Eshraghi brings a seasoned perspective to the investigation, remediation, and risk-based closure of sites formerly impacted by petroleum, chlorinated solvents, and metals. Mr. Eshraghi takes a “go slow to go fast” approach to environmental challenges; he collaborates with clients to truly understand their needs and goals, then teams with Haley & Aldrich experts across the country to find the right solutions. He also draws on his insights as a former regulator to advocate on behalf of clients, developing cost-effective, innovative approaches that fit within the regulatory framework. Mr. Eshraghi’s versatility in applying federal and state laws has qualified him to serve as an expert witness in technical and administrative hearings, as well as in negotiations on behalf of clients with federal and state agencies. The governor of Arizona also selected him to serve as the chair of the Arizona Underground Storage Tank Technical Appeals Panel. Within Haley & Aldrich, Mr. Eshraghi appreciates opportunities to mentor more staff members, both in the field and in the office, nurturing the next generation of company leaders.

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. 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.

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.

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.