A well known expert on western water law, Steve focuses on water related litigation, appeals, administrative and transactional matters.

In Colorado, Steve represents the City of Aurora in its $700 million Prairie Waters Project. This work involves complex water rights transactions, water court representation as well as state and local permitting. He also represents Nestle Waters North America on water and land use matters involving their Chaffee County bottling plant. His transactional experience includes representation for investors, lenders and water rights developers in water right purchase transactions.

In Nevada, Steve represents the Southern Nevada Water Authority on its Clark, Lincoln and White Pine Counties Groundwater Development Project, a 300 mile pipeline carrying 122, 755 acre foot of groundwater from area north of Las Vegas.

In California, Steve represents the Westlands Water District on Endangered Species Act litigation involving the Bay-Delta in California, a case widely considered one of the most complex ESA litigations in the country.

In New Mexico, Steve is under contract to represent the Interstate Stream Commission on Endangered Species matters.

In addition to the above matters, Steve has extensive experience in general water litigation. He has represented clients in over 500 water litigations and over 20 Supreme Court Appeals in his 30 + year career. 

Steve has extensive experience on matters surrounding ground water and surface water conflicts, including the 1996 Amended Arkansas River Groundwater Rules litigation, the 2002 Amended South Platte Groundwater Rules litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court original jurisdiction litigation between Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado the Ogallala aquifer in the Republican River Basin. Steve also represents the Yuma County Water Users in the acquisition of surface water rights to settle claims arising out of the Republican River litigations.

In addition to current work for Westlands Water District, Steve has significant prior experience with the Endangered Species Act, NEPA, 404 and associated federal permitting. Steve served as the lead negotiator for Colorado on the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program concerning four endangered species. He was lead counsel in litigation concerning recharge water rights for Platte River endangered species. 

Steve is the former senior water counsel and first assistant attorney general for the Water Unit of the Colorado Attorney General's Office, where he acted as the primary water law advisor for the State and Division Engineers, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Division of Wildlife, the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, and other state agencies with water rights issues.