| Michael’s practice focuses on environmental and land use regulation, as well as business transactions involving energy, agriculture and natural resources. Michael works on many emerging legal issues involving the assessment, minimization, and mitigation of environmental impacts. He also has a range of land use experience, from state legislative and policy matters to local permitting and appeals.
Practice Highlights
- Water Rights and Water Quality: Experience includes analysis of the scope and priority of municipal, industrial and agricultural water rights. Michael has also participated in contested case proceedings to secure and defend municipal water rights, and has helped draft and analyze state water resources legislation. He also has experience with water quality issues, including permitting, compliance, and enforcement.
- Energy Development: Assists with real estate leasing and land use and environmental permitting for wind projects and other energy facilities.
- Agriculture: Represents vineyard and winery owners in securing land use approvals and water rights. Michael also advises the Oregon Winegrowers Association on legislative and policy matters related to land use, water resources, and pesticide use.
- Hazardous Substances: Experience includes analysis of potential liability and participation in negotiations regarding remediation and natural resources restoration in Portland Harbor. Michael also evaluates environmental risks in business transactions.
Selected Experience Outside general counsel. Negotiate agricultural conservation easements with farm and ranch owners. (Ongoing) Representation of client in the potentially responsible party group for the Portland Harbor Superfund site. (Ongoing) Represent farm business owner and other neighbors seeking to protect local water quality through land use proceedings. Successfully obtained remand of Lane County decision from the Land Use Board of Appeals. (Ongoing) Representation of power company in two-state water quality certification proceedings, under ยง 401 of the Clean Water Act, associated with relicensing of the 1,200 MW Hells Canyon Complex on the Snake River. (Ongoing) Representation before the Oregon Water Resources Department of cities and municipal utilities in fast-growing communities in Central Oregon, Southern Oregon, and the Portland metro area related to obtaining, extending and protecting municipal water rights. General Counsel to the Oregon Water Utilities Council and special water counsel to the League of Oregon Cities. (Ongoing) Developed grass seed supply contracts for lawn and garden supply company. (2011) Successfully challenged county destination resort eligibility designations before the Land Use Board of Appeals on behalf of large ranchland owners. (2011) Local development counsel on a 909 MW wind energy project to be constructed in Eastern Oregon, assisting the client on siting, electric transmission and interconnection, legislative matters, environmental issues, tax credits and property tax abatements. Additional Qualifications
- Legal Extern, Hon. John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle
- Legal Extern, Office of Regional Counsel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10, Seattle
- Three years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications
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Professional and Community Activities
- Federal Advisory Committee, Oregon Water Resources Congress
- Executive Committee, Agricultural Law Section, Oregon State Bar
- Board of Directors, Portland Fruit Tree Project
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Education J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 2008
- Executive Notes & Comments Editor, Washington Law Review
- Speaker Award, Judson Falknor Appellate Advocacy Competition
B.A., Political Science, Environmental Studies, Macalester College, 2002
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Hubert H. Humphrey-Walter Mondale Prize in Political Science
- Gifford Pinchot Prize in Environmental Studies
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