We invite you to keep virtual tabs on Somach attorneys with this roundup of our news and events heading into the new year.

#SomachSpeaks – Events & Activities in Q1 2021

• January 27 – Virtual Event: Bobbi Larson facilitates a roundtable discussion on the “Clean Water State Revolving Fund” during the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) 2021 Winter Conference.
• January 28 – Invitation-Only Virtual Event: Ramsey Kropf and fellow members of the Ad Hoc Coordinating Group will host the 2021 National Water Forum Virtual Program. The topics for discussion at the 2021 Virtual Forum will cover two cases. First, the extraordinary Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which recognized the sovereignty of the Muscogee Creek Nation over crimes committed by a member of the tribe on Reservation lands created by Congress. The case may have implications for water law, as well as more broadly for legal matters related to businesses and other civil actions that would fall under tribal rather than state regulations. Second, a discussion about the County of Maui, Hawaii v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund, and the fallout from this important Supreme Court case about the interface of surface water and groundwater.
• Spring Term, McGeorge School of Law – Virtual Program: Bobbi Larson is serving as an alumni mentor for the current McGeorge 1L/Alumni Mentor Program. Designed to enrich the student experience in conjunction with a required  “Legal Profession” class, the program helps future lawyers begin to shape their professional identity and bring their career goals into focus.

In Case You Missed It

• We’re pleased to report that Sarah Klahn and Ramsey Kropf have been named among Denver’s Top Lawyers 2021 by 5280 Magazine.
• Shareholders Nick Jacobs and Aaron Ferguson hosted a conversation on the intersection of SGMA and groundwater adjudication for the Third Annual Western Groundwater Congress. Read Full Transcript
• Congratulations to Sacramento-based attorney Michelle Chester, who recently passed the Colorado Bar Exam (during a pandemic!)
• Colorado Shareholder Sarah Klahn has been appointed to the Board of the Colorado Water Trust, a statewide nonprofit that has since 2001, restored nearly 12 billion gallons of water to 444 miles of rivers and streams across Colorado. According to Sarah, “the Colorado Water Trust is the only non-profit of its kind in Colorado, and it’s devoted to working on creative ways to keep water in streams to enhance natural resource values such as fisheries and habitat. It works closely with the State and many other governmental entities, as well as farmers and ranchers, to build relationships and find opportunities for win-win solutions on water supply issues.”
• Somach attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 in Sacramento and Denver and the firm has been ranked among the “Best Law Firms” in water law.
• Our firm is pleased to be a Founding Member for California and Colorado with the Western Water Market, an independently owned, online listing service helping to connect water right buyers and sellers in communities across the West. The service aims to create a comprehensive, publicly available database of water rights for sale and lease, and water right buyers.
• STAY CONNECTED and SUBSCRIBE. SSD publishes Policy Alerts on case decisions, legal trends, and key developments within the fields of water, natural resources, environmental, public land, public agency, toxics, and hazardous waste, and land development law. We typically post twice monthly and whenever we can add value to timely events in our communities.

Published January 1, 2021