Environmental and Water Law

In the West, no natural resources practice is complete without legal knowledge in that precious and scare resource, water.  Our water law attorneys have experience in handling a wide range of administrative, transactional, and litigation matters regarding water, including advising clients, assisting clients in perfecting water rights, obtaining permits, negotiating with government agencies and other parties, and complying with the regulatory requirements of federal, state, and local agencies.  We prepare water rights declarations and applications for water rights permits, provide advice concerning wetlands and endangered species protection, and help acquire or sell water rights.  In addition, we represent clients in small and large-scale litigation and stream adjudications throughout New Mexico.

We handle matters such as regulatory compliance and permitting, representation during civil or criminal enforcement actions, counseling on air and water quality regulations, and toxic tort litigation.  We can also assist clients in matters of remediation, closure, and cleanup of waste disposal sites; actions concerning air emissions and water effluent discharge; suits concerning the sale of allegedly contaminated property; suits on behalf of policyholders seeking to enforce insurance coverage for environmental damages; and in the negotiation of complex consent decrees with federal and state environmental authorities.

Land Use and Zoning Law

We have extensive experience in environmental/land use law and zoning matters, including the drafting of complex and routine land development regulations, and the successful defense of these regulations in state and federal courts.  We guide land developers and property owners through New Mexico’s regulatory process, including obtaining permits, land use and zoning approvals, variances or special exceptions thereto.

Oil and Gas Law

Our oil, gas and natural resources attorneys advise clients on all phases of public land use, leasing, exchange and development, right-of-way acquisitions, oil and gas, mineral, coal, geothermal, and energy law.  We work with clients operating throughout New Mexico, representing their interests on federal, Indian, state and fee lands.

We are available to represent coal and hard rock mining companies, and major and independent oil and gas companies and pipeline companies in all aspects of their operations.  Whether the business plan calls for expansion or acquisition, our attorneys have the best interest of our clients in mind and are committed to assisting them with achieving their business goals.

Mineral Rights

We are well-versed in the complexities of mineral law.  We have been involved in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties; operations permitting; taxation of mineral properties; mineral interest financing; transportation and pipeline operations, and mineral royalty valuation and management.