Municipalities & Governments

Keeping municipalities and local governments thriving

Evolving pressure from constituents, state and federal governments. Insufficient funding. Competing interests. Municipalities and government agencies must find ways to confront these issues while continuing to meet the needs of key stakeholders. Legal and government relations counsel that understands the matters at stake is paramount.

From advising on the day-to-day business of governing to anticipating multijurisdictional, complex challenges, to handling high stakes litigation, Brownstein gets results. We meet challenges at the local, state, federal or international levels with the creativity, know-how and tenacity needed to succeed. A single political decision at any level of government—from the smallest municipality to the U.S. Congress—can have a significant downstream effect. And that is why for decades, clients have turned to the bipartisan government relations team and experienced legal advisors at Brownstein to navigate the maze of politics, policy and law at state and local levels.

Conserving 12,000 Acres of Critical Habitat in Colorado

Brownstein tackles big challenges at the intersection of law and policy. In 2019, Colorado Parks and Wildlife identified Buffalo Horn Ranch as its top priority for protection of a critically important wildlife migration corridor. We led the legal effort to conserve 12,000 acres of land on the ranch with two conservation easements after an effort over several years by multiple public and private stakeholders, including state agencies, Great Outdoors Colorado, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. A premier hunting destination with the largest migratory elk herds in Colorado, the Buffalo Horn Ranch provides important habitat for elk and mule deer as well as greater sage-grouse, bald eagle, ferruginous hawk and burrowing owl. The conservation easements will protect this habitat for generations.

Guiding Water Supply on the Central Coast

We serve as counsel to the Central Coast Water Authority, a joint powers authority comprised of eight public agencies, that delivers imported State Water Project water to water providers and end users serving more than 80% of Santa Barbara County and also contracting parties in San Luis Obispo County. The Authority also owns and operates the delivery and treatment facilities that make State Water Project water available to California’s central coast. Brownstein advises the board and staff on public agency matters, including compliance with open meeting, state and federal laws, the Public Records Act, CEQA and conflicts. We represent the Authority in public agency meetings, transactions with the California Department of Water Resources and the county regarding the implementation of a long-term water supply contract, as a member of the State Water Contractors, and in litigation.