Combination to go after 'untapped' water law market
BY VALERIE MILLER
Perhaps the only thing changing faster than Southern Nevada skyline are the names on law firms' doors. The latest office merging might seem like deja vu: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
Brownstein, a Denver firm with Las Vegas offices, is joining forces with Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Hatch & Parent. The latter is the Golden State's largest water and natural resources law firm. This past summer, Lewis and Roca merged with Beckley Singleton, beefing up its intellectual property division.
But wait, didn't Brownstein already merge? The answer is "yes." Not even 10 months ago, in fact, the Denver-based office combined with the prominent Las Vegas gaming-law firm Schreck Brignone. The combination now has 185 attorneys and lobbyists. After the Jan. 1 completion of the merger with Hatch & Parent, Brownstein's ranks will grow to more than 210.
Rob Saperstein is the managing partner of Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Hatch & Parent, the state’s largest water and natural resources law firm.
Bruce James is the managing partner and CEO of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a Denver-based law firm with offices in Las Vegas.
Hatch & Parent also has a powerful top-20 lobbying group in Washington, D.C.
The latest legal marriage of Brownstein means the law firm will become the most prominent water rights and natural resources practice in the West -- one of the nation's top such firms, said Rob Saperstein, Hatch & Parent's managing partner.
The addition of Hatch's water practice to Brownstein's real estate practice makes for a formidable force.
"In defending a real estate project, an endangered species (issue), or any other aspect of making a real estate deal, we have the ability to compete with international firms," Saperstein said. "There are 1,000-lawyer firms in the U.S. and the world. We think that we can compete with the best in class."
Hatch & Parent already has its eye on major water-supplier clients in the Silver State, the attorney said. He declined to comment on the possibility that the postmerger firm would try to woo the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Hatch has represented some of California's largest water suppliers, including Golden State Water Co. and San Diego County Water.
Noting that mostly boutique firms in Nevada have handled water rights, Bruce James, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck's managing partner and CEO, saw a golden opportunity for his practice. "For big firms, it is a relatively untapped market. I wouldn't be surprised to see other firms follow us."
Saperstein said Hatch's practice is well suited to Nevada, where concerns continue over the state's allotment of the Colorado River water. Earlier this month a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce delegation visited Washington, D.C., and discussed the possibility of allowing California alfalfa farmers to sell some of their Colorado River water supply to Nevada.
"It's become a selling market on the Colorado River, those who have use of the water can make better uses of their water supply," Hatch said.
The combined firm will have offices in states with rights to the river's water, including Colorado, California, and now, Nevada.
The 33-lawyer Hatch firm has contemplated opening offices in the Silver State in the past.
"We have lawyers that are licensed in Southern Nevada, and we do work in South Lake Tahoe, and we have thought of adding lawyers in Reno and Carson City, so this made sense," Hatch said.
The deal certainly made sense to James. He said water will be the No. 1 determinant of growth in the next 20 years.
"This is a major issue in Nevada and we are looking forward to making the expertise available. The primary driver will certainly be water," he said.
Saperstein likes to call Brownstein's earlier merger with Schreck and the latest deal with Hatch "the trifecta." James calls the Schreck merger the model for the follow-up performance with Hatch.
"Schreck was the pre-eminent gaming firm in Nevada," James said. "We learned we should only merge with a firm if we could attract the top people in our field."
Schreck's gaming-law practice could get a boost in the process, Sapertein said.
"We might be able to create some opportunities in the political world for the Schreck lawyers. Tribal gaming has a monopoly in California and we can open some doors."