Attorney Profiles
Lawrence Jones Custer Grasmick LLP has a team of five experienced attorneys.
Kim R. Lawrence
E-mail: Kim@ljcglaw.com
AV
Kim has practiced water law since 1978. He represents numerous ditch and reservoir companies, water districts, designated basins, towns, corporations and individuals in water right matters. He has decreed numerous surface, groundwater and non-tributary groundwater rights. He represents the largest well augmentation plans in the State of Colorado, which are located in the South Platte Basin, and has decreed augmentation plans for over 2000 irrigation wells since 2002. Kim is a lecturer at continuing legal education seminars on water rights. As the demand for water rights, changes of water rights and augmentation plans has increased, this area of the law has become more litigious. The firm pioneered the application of electronic documents, exhibits and presentations in the court room in Water Division No. 1, as well as in filings with the State Engineer. Lawrence Jones Custer Grasmick LLP continues to serve its clients efficiently by electronic communication and transmission of electronic documents. Lawrence Jones Custer Grasmick LLP provides full electronic litigation and litigation support which provides the best representation and service to our clients.
Areas Of Practice:
Applications for New Water Rights, Change of Water Rights.
Plans for Augmentation, Substitute Water Supply Plans.
Alternate Points of Diversion and Well Permits.
Statements of Opposition to protect water rights.
Purchase and Sale of Water Rights.
Representation of Ditch and Reservoir Easements and Rights of Way.
Representation of Ditch and Reservoir Companies, and Water User's Associations Towns, Cities, Water Districts and Conservancy Districts.
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 1977
U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1977
Education:
University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, 1977, Juris Doctor.
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1976, Master of Public Administration.
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1973, B.A., Magna Cum Laude.
Associations and Memberships:
Colorado Bar Association, Water Law Section, 1977 - Present
Weld County Bar Association, 1977 - Present
First Presbyterian Church, Greeley, Colorado, Elder and Commissioned Pastor, 1983 - Present
Classes &Presentations:
Colorado Water Law Conference, “Conflicts in Groundwater Administration” March 8, 2007.
Colorado Water Law Conference, “Current Developments in Water Division No. 1” March 7, 2005.
“Update on the South Platte River-Dealing with the Shortage of Supply” March 11, 2004.
“Groundwater Use in the South Platte River” February 26, 2004.
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P. Andrew Jones
E-mail: paj@ljcglaw.com
Legal Advocacy:
Mr. Jones is an experienced legal advocate. His litigation practice concentrates on water rights issues, with particular emphasis on groundwater matters and legal issues arising out of the interaction between surface and ground water systems. A graduate of Vermont Law School, one of the nation's leading environmental law schools, he has extensive experience representing water districts, individuals, and corporate clients in litigation at trial and appellate levels in cases ranging in size from individual water rights matters to complex, basin-wide, multi-party litigation. In the water court context, he has 13 years of experience adjudicating augmentation plan applications, change of water rights applications, applications for absolute and conditional water rights, and applications for findings of diligence. He appears frequently before the Colorado Ground Water Commission on designated ground water matters. He is extensively involved in Colorado Water Conservation Board funded studies of developing alternatives to traditional “buy and dry” water transfers, including fallowing, deficit irrigation, and the use of reduced consumptive use crops. His experience extends to legislative, administrative, and policy forums, where he represents clients' interests in the development of water law and policy.
Mediation and Facilitation:
A trained mediator, Mr. Jones’ offers mediation and facilitation services to individuals and organizations seeking a collaborative approach to conflict resolution. His experience in complex, technical, multi-party litigation and negotiation enhances his ability to facilitate creative, value added solutions in natural resources, environmental and land use settings.
Education:
Mr. Jones teaches classes on water rights issues in public and private forums, and is a frequently requested guest speaker. His first book, Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers, written in cooperation with Thomas V. Cech, was published in 2009 by the University Press of Colorado. Mr. Jones is available as a speaker for events or in-house water law training.
Substantive Areas of Practice:
- Water Rights
- Real Estate
- Appellate Practice
- Special Districts and Mutual Water Organizations
- Mediation and Facilitation
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 1997
U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1997
Education:
Colorado CLE 40 Hour Mediation Training
Instructor: Judy Mares-Dixon
Public Policy Dispute Resolution
CDR, Boulder
Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont, May, 1997
Juris Doctor
Honors: National Dean's List: 1994-95, 1995-96
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award: Criminal Law
Honors: Class Rank: Top 1/3. Focus of Specialized Course Work: Environmental Law
Law Review: Vermont Law Review, Notes Editor
University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Denver, Colorado
Visiting Student Spring 1996 - Focus on Water Law, Oil & Gas Law
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, May, 1994
B.A. Major: History
Appointments and Awards:
Nominated for District Court Judge vacancy, 19th Judicial District. June, 2009.
Water Court Committee, Colorado Supreme Court, December 2007- . Appointed by Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey to serve on a Committee charged with reviewing Colorado's Water Court process, identifying possible ways through rule and/or statutory change to achieve efficiencies in water court cases, and ensuring the highest level of competence in water court case participants.
Andrew Borg Pro-Bono Award, Weld County Legal Services, 2002.
Weld County Deputy Public Administrator, 2000-2003.
Publications:
South Platte Well Crisis, 2002-2010, The Water Report, Issue #78, August 15, 2010.
Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers, University Press of Colorado, 2009.
Statutory and Rule Changes to Water Court Practice, co-authored with James Witwer, Colorado Lawyer, June 2009.
Water Court Case Management, co-authored with James Witwer, in Colorado Water Law Benchbook, Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., 2009.
Interstate Testimony by Child Protective Agency Workers in the Child Custody Context, 21 VT.L.Rev. 633, 1996
Associations, Boards and Memberships:
Colorado Bar Association
Weld County Bar Association
Southgate Church, Board of Elders
Windsor Charter Academy, Windsor, Colorado: Former President, Board of Directors
Weld County Legal Services, Former Director
Classes &Presentations:
“Water Court Training Series - South Platte River Basin Program,” Colorado CBA/CLE, 2011.
“Water and Poudre River Public Education Series,” Fort Collins, 2011.
“Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers,” Colorado Housing Now! Conference, 2010,
“The Nuts and Bolts of Complex Augmentation Plans,” 2009 Steamboat CLE Conference.
“Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers,” 19th Judicial District Nuts & Bolts CLE, 2009.
Childrens’ Water Festival, Greeley, 2008-2010.
"Law Hydrology, and Reality" AIMS Community College, Greeley, Colorado; 2005 to 2008
"Well Augmentation Subdistrict Augmentation Plan Trial" Colorado Bar Association CLE, 2008
Guest Lecturer: Colorado State University, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado Ground Water Association.
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Kelly J. Custer
E-mail: Kelly@ljcglaw.com
Kelly has more than fifteen years of experience representing clients adjudicating new water rights, changes of water rights, and plans for augmentation. She has represented clients in water court and before administrative boards including the Colorado Ground Water Commission and the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. Her practice includes transactions involving land and water rights which require review of water court decrees and other evidence of title to water rights and historical uses, and the subsequent preparation of deeds and necessary documents. Representative clients include water conservancy districts, well owners, and small municipalities.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ms. Custer worked as a biologist and environmental project manager on wetlands and water quality matters. As a result of that work she is familiar with state and federal water quality laws and standards.
Areas Of Practice:
Water Rights, Applications, and Oppositions
Surface Rights, Ground Water Rights, and Well Permits
Purchase and Sale of Water Rights
Ditch and Reservoir Easements and Rights of Way
Ditch and Reservoir Companies and Water Users Associations
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 1996
Education:
University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, 1996, Juris Doctor
Law Review: Staff Editor, Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 1985, Master of Science, Marine Ecology
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 1981, Bachelor of Science, State of Iowa Scholar, Dean's List, Major: Biology, Minor: Chemistry
Professional Associations and Memberships:
Colorado Bar Association
Weld County Bar Association
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Bradley C. Grasmick
E-mail: Brad@ljcglaw.com
Prior to entering the legal field, Brad worked on his family’s irrigated farm in the Arkansas Valley near Lamar, Colorado. Through this experience, he has acquired a practical knowledge and appreciation for Colorado water law that assists him in the representation of all his water clients. His clientele is varied and includes, Water Conservancy Districts, Designated Groundwater Management Districts, Ditch and Reservoir Companies, Special Water Districts, Water Users Associations, Towns and Municipalities, and individual and corporate agricultural and industrial water users.
In addition to a specialized water practice, Brad has provided general representation to ditch and reservoir companies, water conservancy districts and special water districts. He has represented clients before the Water Court, Designated Groundwater District Court and the Colorado Groundwater Commission. He has assisted clients in the purchase and sale of water rights, storage facilities and other water related infrastructure in simple transactions involving a few thousand dollars as well as complex transactions involving over ten million dollars. Brad has also helped clients with the legal aspects involved in developing and implementing a variety of water systems including both potable and non-potable systems. Brad has also testified before the Colorado Legislature, has tried cases before the water court, has attended meetings of and participated as a member of the Colorado Water Congress and has argued before the Colorado Supreme Court.
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 2003
Education:
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
Graduation: May, 2003
Degree: Juris Doctor
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
Graduation: December, 1999
Degree: Bachelors of Science
Major: Business Administration
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David P. Jones
E-mail: David@ljcglaw.com
Mr. Jones’s practice focuses primarily on water rights law, adjudication and related matters. He has over seven years of experience in water court adjudication of surface and groundwater rights, recharge projects, exchanges, changes of water rights and plans for augmentation in the South Platte River and Colorado River Basins, as well as experience before the Colorado Ground Water Commission. He is experienced in matters ranging from complex multi-party litigation to assisting individuals with well permitting, ditch and pipeline easements and simple augmentation plans. His related practice areas include water rights lease, purchase and sale, easements, and real property law. Representative clients include water conservancy districts, ditch companies, municipalities, groundwater management districts, small and large businesses, developers and individual surface and well owners. Mr. Jones was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 2002. He is a graduate of the University of the Idaho College of Law where he served as the Symposium Edition Editor of the Idaho Law Review. He has published for the Idaho Law Review and the National Environmental Enforcement Journal.
Areas Of Practice:
Water Rights Law
Real Property Law
Special Districts
Easements
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 2002
Education:
University of Idaho College of Law, Moscow, Idaho, Juris Doctor, 2002.
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Master of Arts in Sociology, 2000.
University of Colorado at Boulder, Bachelor of Arts in Economics, 1992.
Published Works:
Comment: Meeting Idaho's Water Needs Through the Water Right Transfer Process: A Call for Legislative Reform, 38 Idaho L. Rev. 213, 2001
Furthering Environmental Compliance with the Continuing Violations Doctrine, Vol. 16, No. 10
National Environmental Enforcement Journal, National Assoc. of Atty's General, ed., 2001
Professional Associations and Memberships:
Colorado Bar Association
Weld County Bar Association
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