Somach Simmons & Dunn

Profile

Ms. Larson is the firm's managing shareholder. She joined the firm as a shareholder in November 2002. She had been an associate attorney with the firm from September 1997 to October 1999. Prior to assuming her current position, Ms. Larson served as Director of Legal & Regulatory Affairs for the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), a statewide association of local public wastewater agencies. Ms. Larson's practice emphasizes water quality law including Clean Water Act citizen suit defense, NPDES permitting, total maximum daily load (TMDL) issues, and environmental litigation. Ms. Larson continues to represent CASA, as well as the California Section of the Water Reuse Association. Ms. Larson is a past Vice Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. She earned her J.D. at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1997, and she is a member of the State Bar of California.

Areas of Practice Emphasis

Clean Water Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), litigation in state and federal courts, NPDES permits, water quality and recycled water.

Prior Positions

Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs: California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Sacramento, CA, 1999-2002.

Associate Attorney: Somach Simmons & Dunn, Sacramento, CA, 1997-1999.

Legislative and Regulatory Advocate: Michael F. Dillon Associates, Sacramento, CA, 1993-1997.

Administrative Services Officer: City of Sacramento, Department of Public Works, Sacramento, CA, 1985-1991.

Education

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (J.D., 1997).
California State University (M.A., 1991).
University of California (B.A., 1978).

Bar Admissions

State Bar of California, 1997.

Academic Positions

Publications

Presentations

Speaker, Association of California Water Agencies Spring Conference, Sacramento, California, Salinity Management: Regulatory Changes Drive Creative Solutions, May 10, 2007.
Speaker, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Boston, Massachusetts, Clean Water Act Citizen Suit Trends and Proposals for Reform, November 14, 2006.
Speaker, California Water Environmental Association Government Affairs Conference, Chino, California, Getting a Permit You Can Live With (Even Though Life Isn't Fair...), June 6, 2006, and Martinez, California, June 12, 2006.
Speaker, WateReuse Conference, San Francisco, California, Does Anti-Degradation Mean Anti-Reuse?, March 14, 2006.
Speaker, California Association of Sanitation Agencies Mid-Year Conference, Palm Springs, California, Citizen Suits for Sanitary Sewer Overflows: Avoiding Traps for the Unwary that Can Cost Millions, January 20, 2005.
Speaker, Western Water Law Conference, Denver, Colorado, When Water Supply and Water Quality Collide, September 13, 2004.
Speaker, League of California Cities Mayors and Council Members Executive Forum, Monterey, California, Wastewater Regulation in California: Collaboration or Confrontation, July 29, 2004.
Speaker, Sacramento, California, Stormwater Regulation in California: A Legal Overview, February 18, 2004.

Reported Cases

City of Los Angeles v. County of Kern, 462 F.Supp.2d 1105 (C.D. Cal. 2006); Calif. Sportfishing Protection Alliance v. Lake Wildwood Assn., 2006 U.S. Dist. Lexis 68852 (E.D. Cal. 2006); County Sanitation Dist. No. 2 v. County of Kern, 127 Cal.App.4th 1544 (2005); Oregon Natural Res. Council v. Keys, 2004 U.S. Dist. Lexis 13043 (D.C. Or. 2004); Oregon Natural Res. Council v. Keys, 2004 U.S. Dist. Lexis 9149 (D.C. Or. 2004); Calif. Assn. of Sanitation Agencies v. County of Kern, 2004 U.S. Dist. Lexis 30168 (C.D. Cal. 2004); Waterkeepers Northern Calif. v. SWRCB, 102 Cal.App.4th 1488 (2002); Util. Cost Mgmt v. Indian Wells Valley Water Dist., 26 Cal.4th 1185 (2001).