Best Best & Krieger News Feed

Bringing Water Together

29 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Join Best Best & Krieger LLP at the ACWA 2016 Fall Conference & Exhibition in Anaheim, Calif.

BB&K Speakers:

Kelly Salt
“Groundwater Sustainability Agency Funding Options”
A discussion of possible groundwater sustainability agency funding options, including Proposition 26, Proposition 218 and other tools being used by those currently forming GSAs. Hear about what the drafters intended possible funding options to be when writing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Get the latest update on how courts interpret the use of Proposition 218 and Proposition 26 for imposing fees and charges. Finally, learn about what current GSAs are contemplating to raise money to form GSAs and prepare groundwater sustainability plans.
Wednesday, Nov. 30
10 - 11:30 a.m.

John Freshman
“ACWA’s Hans Doe Past Presidents’ Breakfast in Partnership with ACWA/JPIA”
After the Elections: What Now? As the dust settles on the 2016 elections, come hear what political insiders have to say about the results. What does it all mean, who are the new players on the scene, and how can you navigate the results?
Friday, Dec. 2
8:30 - 10 a.m.

When
Tuesday, Nov. 29 - Friday, Dec. 2

Where
Anaheim Marriott Hotel
700 West Convention Way
Anaheim, CA 92802

For more information or to register, click here.

25th Annual Oregon Water Law Conference

16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Best Best & Krieger LLP Partner Paeter Garcia will serve as a panelist on the "What’s on the Horizon? Water Law and Oregon’s Neighbors" session at the 25th Annual Oregon Water Law Conference.

When
Wednesday, Nov. 16 - Thursday, Nov. 17

Where
Embassy Suites Portland - Downtown
319 SW Pine Street
Portland, OR 97204-2726

For more information or to register, click here.

All Hands on Deck! Collaborative Approaches to Water Sustainability and Resiliency

15 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Best Best & Krieger LLP Managing Partner Eric Garner will serve as a panelist at Coro's 2016 Innovate x Water Conference. The topic will be "All Hands on Deck! Collaborative Approaches to Water Sustainability and Resiliency."

When
Tuesday, Nov. 15
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Where
LA CIeantech Incubator (LACI)
525 S. Hewitt Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

For more information and to register, click here.

The Future of U.S. Infrastructure and Local Control Amid Post-Election Uncertainty

15 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Last week, the nation experienced an election unlike any other in history. A major party candidate broke with his party’s governing philosophies, yet led that party to the presidency as well as preserving control of both chambers of the Congress. This week, Congress returns for a lame duck session in which few major votes are expected until December. This may be a good thing as House and Senate leaders are not sure what, if anything, the rank and file are willing to support. We do know that they must fund government beyond a Dec. 9 deadline. It is also highly likely that a major water funding bill will be enacted and signed before the end of the year.

In the next six months, the federal government will remake itself in the Donald Trump promise of economic populism, proactive deregulation and America-first nationalism. The challenge for local governments and special districts will be to align their advocacy messages with these themes for successful outcomes.

Funding for Infrastructure and Job Creation
Both presidential candidates, and their respective parties, agreed that the nation needs a major investment in infrastructure and the domestic jobs such an infusion could create. Both parties also seemed to agree that the way to fund this is to change our tax code such that corporate America would repatriate billions of tax dollars currently sitting offshore. These infrastructure investments are anticipated to fund water, power, communications, and transportation (air and ground) improvements — the life blood of every community!

Opportunity to Advance Local Control
There will also be opportunities for local governments to demonstrate that some current and proposed federal regulations are exercises in preemptive overreach and should be withdrawn or repealed. But local government will have to be vigilant of efforts by corporate America to ride this deregulation wave to preempt local governments’ ability to manage their own communities.

BB&K’s Government Relations Team is Ready to Assist
Best Best & Krieger government relations professionals are well-positioned to help clients identify advocacy and funding opportunities in the year to come, frame their messages to be relevant in this new government environment, and arrange productive meetings with the new policymakers in both Washington, D.C. and Sacramento. Note that visits to D.C. should be scheduled in late-March or later to allow time for the new team to be in place.

For more information on BB&K government advocacy services, please contact the authors of this Legal Alert listed to the right in the firm’s Municipal Law and Government Relations Services practice groups, or your BB&K attorney.

Please feel free to share this Legal Alert or subscribe by clicking here. Follow us on Twitter @BBKlaw.

Disclaimer: BB&K legal alerts are not intended as legal advice. Additional facts or future developments may affect subjects contained herein. Seek the advice of an attorney before acting or relying upon any information in this communiqué.

BB&K Earns “Metropolitan Tier 1” Best Law Firm Rankings

01 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Nov. 1, 2016
Media Contact: Denise Nix • 213-787-2552 • denise.nix@bbklaw.com

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Best Best & Krieger LLP achieved several “Metropolitan Tier 1” designations from U.S. News-Best Lawyers in America® in its 2017 Best Law Firms rankings. “Tier 1” indicates that these practices were recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.

The BB&K Metropolitan Tier 1 rankings are:

Los Angeles: Water Law
Oakland (Walnut Creek): Litigation – Environmental
Orange County (Irvine): Municipal Law
Sacramento: Appellate Practice, Land Use & Zoning Law, Litigation – Municipal, Municipal Law
San Diego: Land Use & Zoning Law

One of the hallmarks of BB&K’s services is the ability to offer our municipal and public agency clients a full range of legal services, which includes litigation support. We are well-known for our long-standing environmental law practice, which includes the leading authorities in water law. We advise clients on a wide variety of zoning, planning and land use matters. These practices work closely with each other, and others in the firm, to provide a one-stop-shop law firm for our public agency clients.

The Best Law Firms rankings are based on a combination of client feedback, information provided on surveys and Best Lawyers peer review. The 2017 rankings are based on the highest number of participating firms and highest number of client ballots on record, according to U.S. News-Best Lawyers. To be eligible for a ranking, a firm must have a lawyer listed in The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the U.S. More than 10,000 attorneys provided more than 800,000 law firm assessments, and more than10,000 clients provided more than 90,000 evaluations. Ranked firms, presented in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for its abilities, its professionalism and its integrity. Learn more by clicking here.

###

Best Best & Krieger LLP is a national law firm that focuses on environmental, business, education, municipal and telecommunications law for public agency and private clients. With 200 attorneys, the law firm has nine offices nationwide, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.bbklaw.com or follow @BBKlaw on Twitter.

BB&K’s Reimagining the Cadillac Desert

27 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0800

In a three-part series, Maven’s Notebook shared a recap of Best Best & Krieger LLP’s day-long “Reimagining the Cadillac Desert” event. Held on Sept. 15, the event included gathered leaders and experts in design, municipal planning, academia, agriculture, policy, finance and technology to share their visions for the West’s water future. Click here to learn more about the event, and to watch videos of the sessions.

From Maven’s Notebook:
REIMAGINING THE CADILLAC DESERT, Part 1: Are We in a Forever Drought?
REIMAGINING THE CADILLAC DESERT, Part 2: Where Will the Water Come From?
REIMAGINING THE CADILLAC DESERT, Part 3: How are Cities Looking at Water?

25th Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite

20 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Join Best Best & Krieger LLP at the State Bar of California Environmental Law Section’s 2016 Environmental Law Conference in Yosemite, Calif.

BB&K Speakers:

Alisha Winterswyk
"Southern Sierra Tree Die-Off"
Aerial surveys by the United States Forest Service show more than 66 million dead trees in Sierra Nevada forests. Learn about drought and bark beetle impacts on forest vegetation as well as forest management approaches designed to mitigate these ongoing impacts.
Saturday, Oct. 22
1 - 5 p.m.

Kelly Salt
“Water Rights Reforms — Are Changes Needed to our Water Rights and Pricing System?”
California’s historic drought has generated debate about how water should be allocated as well as new proposals for reform. In 2015, the Legislature enacted changes beefing up water measurement requirements for surface water diverters, and strengthening the State’s enforcement authority. More expansive water rights reforms have been proposed. Litigation is also ongoing that challenges water rates created to encourage water conservation, which potentially conflict with constitutional and other limitations on rate setting. This panel explores whether major changes to our water rights and water pricing systems are desirable, and if so, what they may be.
Sunday, Oct. 23
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

When
Thursday, Oct. 20 - Sunday, Oct. 23

Where
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
1122 Highway 41
Fish Camp, CA 93623

For more information or to register, click here.

Two BB&K Partners Named Among 100 Influential Leaders in San Diego

05 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0800

For Immediate Release: Oct. 5, 2016
Media Contact: Denise Nix • 213-787-2552 • denise.nix@bbklaw.com

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Best Best & Krieger LLP partners Warren Diven and Shawn D. Hagerty were named to The San Diego Daily Transcript’s annual 100 Influential Leaders in San Diego list. The list recognizes the region’s best in the areas of real estate, construction, finance, law, nonprofit and public sector work.

Diven was recognized for his work as the lead attorney behind the development of the Home Energy Renovation Opportunity program. Thousands of San Diego-area residents, and many more in California, have used the financing program to make renewable energy, energy efficient or water conservation improvements to their homes. He is helping cities, counties and unincorporated areas throughout California battle the ongoing energy crisis with the HERO program.

The HERO program began its partnerships in San Diego less than two years ago, and it quickly became an extremely popular and effective way for property owners to make energy efficient improvements to their homes. Warren helped craft the program to ensure its public finance legal framework and compliance, and he continues to oversee of all the program’s bond financings. “This program will continue to grow for the next decade, because there’s so much demand,” Diven told the Daily Transcript. “I’ve heard of people who just want to fix their old air conditioner who end up finding out that they can get a brand new, energy-efficient air conditioner through low fixed-rate loans they can pay off in 15 to 20 years.”

Hagerty’s work as both a municipal and water quality law attorney earned him accolades. Hagerty represents cities, counties and special districts in San Diego County in both advisory and litigation roles. In addition to being the city attorney of the City of Santee for the past 13 years, Hagerty is the corporate counsel for Civic San Diego and is a national leader in the area of water quality regulation.

Hagerty is leading the way both in San Diego and throughout California in ensuring that water quality standards are crafted and implemented in a fair, yet effective manner, by way of his work with multiple agencies. He discussed with the Daily Transcript tough new guidelines for local water and storm water agencies under the federal Clean Water Act. Hagerty knows that local agencies are committed to improving water quality, and, to help achieve this goal, federal, state and local entities must work together with local communities to change longstanding behaviors. Everyone must recognize that we are all part of the problem and can be part of the solution, Hagerty advises.

###

Best Best & Krieger LLP is a national law firm that focuses on environmental, business, education, municipal and telecommunications law for public agency and private clients. With 200 attorneys, the law firm has nine offices nationwide, including Indian Wells, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.bbklaw.com or follow @BBKlaw on Twitter.

Agua Caliente v. Coachella Valley Water District, et al.

29 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Best Best & Krieger LLP Of Counsel Roderick Walston will discuss Agua Caliente v. Coachella Valley Water District, et al. at CLE International's Tribal Water Law's 5th Annual Conference.

Rod will discuss differing perspectives of this case with Mark Reeves of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton of Washington, D.C.

When
Thursday, Sept. 29
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Where
Caesars Palace
3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109

For more information or to register, click here.

IMLA’s 81st Annual Conference

28 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0800

Join Best Best & Krieger LLP at IMLA’s 81st Annual Conference in San Diego, Calif.

BB&K Speakers

Greg Rodriguez and Steven DeBaun: "Autonomous Cars & the Future of Transportation: Not a Horse and Buggy, but Not Quite the Starship Enterprise…Yet"
Thursday, Sept. 29
10:45 - 11:45 a.m.

Shawn Hagerty (Tour Guide): "Code Enforcement & Land Use Tour"
Thursday, Sept. 29
2 p.m.

Andre Monette (Speaker) and Shawn Hagerty (Moderator): “The Safe Drinking Water Act and the Nation’s Aging Water Infrastructure & Liability for Lead Contamination of Water Supplies - Is It Covered by Insurance?”
Friday, Sept. 30
12:10 - 1:10 p.m.

Gene Tanaka: “Health and Environment Section Meeting”
Friday, Sept. 30
2:40 - 3:40 p.m.

Greg Rodriguez and Steven DeBaun (Leading Table Discussion): "WONK Breakfast"
Saturday, Oct. 1
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Gail Karish and Gerry Lederer (Speakers), Joe Van Eaton (Moderator): “Telecommunications - New Challenges for Local Counsel in a Broadband World: Why Public Safety, Economic Development, Planning and Zoning and Elected Officials Will Be Knocking On Your Door”
Saturday, Oct. 1
9 - 10:30 a.m.

When
Wednesday, Sept. 28 - Sunday, Oct. 2

Where
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
1 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101

For more information or to register, click here.