Michele Staples
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Michele Staples has over 22 years experience advising and representing agricultural businesses, water suppliers, large landowners and developers in CEQA, land use entitlement, subdivision mapping, water resources, endangered species, and habitat conservation plan proceedings. Ms. Staples is a shareholder and a member of the Land Use Development and Environmental Services Groups.
Ms. Staples represents clients before state and federal courts, federal, state and regional regulatory agencies, and local city and county advisory boards and decision-making bodies.
She has successfully negotiated many agreements resolving high-profile disputes, including securing land use entitlements, revamping development projects, defending private property rights, and protecting private and public water supplies.
She also has extensive CEQA and endangered species litigation experience, and recently successfully defended the Orange County Water District in CEQA proceedings challenging the North Basin Groundwater Protection Project.
Ms. Staples has provided water rights and water quality advice and representation throughout Southern California, including the Santa Margarita River, Chino Basin, Hemet/San Jacinto Groundwater Management Area, West San Jacinto Groundwater Management Area, San Luis Rey River, and Warren Valley Basin.
Ms. Staples serves as an Adjunct Professor of Water Law at Chapman University School of Law. She has authored numerous articles published in legal and trade journals, and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the California Water Law & Policy Reporter.
Ms. Staples also regularly lectures on emerging water, endangered species, land use and environmental compliance issues at continuing legal education conferences and professional trade organization meetings.
- University of San Diego School of Law, J.D., 1989
- Watershed Certificate, Chapman University, July 2009
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale Hubbell
- Recipient, National Water Supply Improvement Association’s Best Paper Award for Most Outstanding Preparation and Presentation of a Technical Paper
- How Developers Can Avoid Pitfalls In Today’s Regulatory and Market Environment (Co-Author), Smart Business Magazine, December 2011
- Congressional Field Hearing Highlights Challenges and Opportunities in Managing California’s Water Supplies, 20 Cal. Water L. & Pol’y Rptr. 163, March, 2010
- Odd Man Out: California’s Increasing Reliance on Agricultural Water Supplies for Municipal and Environmental Uses, Wet Growth: Should Water Law Control Land Use? (Co-Author), Environmental Law Institute, Washington DC, 2005
- Recent Court Decisions and Publications Provide Guidance in Piecing Together Water Supply Analyses for Development Projects (Co-Author), 15 Cal. Water Law & Pol’y Rptr. 3, October, 2004
- Riverside County Conservation Plan is Largest Multiple-Species Prototype (Co-Author), Los Angeles Daily Journal, Focus Section, July 14, 2003
- The New Age Land Grab: Habitat Protection as the Politically Correct (and Cheap) Taking of Private Property (Co-Author), California Water Law and Policy Reporter, August, 1994
- Safe Drinking Water Act Reauthorization: In the Eye of the Storm (Co-Author), ABA Natural Resources & Environment Magazine, Summer, 1994
- CEQA Mitigation Measures: Can They Be Relied on By Themselves-as Protection from Adverse Impacts? (Co-Author), California Environmental Law & Regulation Reporter, October, 1993
- Water, Water Everywhere But...Species Protection Regulations as Water Rights Takings After Nollan and Lucas (Co-Author), California Water Law and Policy Reporter, November, 1992
- How to Promote Water Reclamation and Reuse through the California Water Rights System, National Water Supply Improvement Association, 1992 Biennial Conference on Water Desalting and Reuse, 88 Desalination 189, 1992 (Recipient of National Water Supply Improvement Association’s Best Paper Award for Most Outstanding Preparation and Presentation of a Technical Paper)
- Adjunct Professor, Water Law, Chapman University School of Law, 2006-Present
- Instructor, Watershed Certificate Program, Chapman University, July 2009
- Speaker, “Agriculture - A Critical Part of the Water Equation,” Riverside County Water Symposium, May 28, 2009
- Moderator, Economic Development Panel, Riverside County Water Symposium, April 7, 2008
- Speaker, “How to Show the Well’s Not Dry: The Relationship Between Water Supply and Land Use Planning”, RBF Consulting, Irvine, CA, March 10, 2008
- Panelist, “Stormwater Discharge Regulation: The Regulatory Scheme, Players, Tools and Stepped-Up Enforcement Efforts”, Argent Communications Water Law & Policy Conference, San Francisco, CA, June 12, 2006 - June 13, 2006
- Speaker, “Singing in the Rain - Coping with Storm Water Regulation”, Greater Inland Empire Municipal Law Association, May 11, 2006
- Panelist, “Insights into the Day-to-Day Practicalities of Controlling Urban Runoff and Coping with Regulation”, Chapman Law Review Symposium, January 27, 2006
- Program Co-Chair, CLE California Water Law Conference, San Diego, 2005
- Panelist, “Proving Sufficient Water Supplies for Development: The Role of Urban Water Management Plans”, California Water Law & Policy SuperConference, San Francisco, CA, April 11, 2005 - April 12, 2005
- Speaker, Urban Water Institute Conference, Riverside, 2005
- Panelist, “Private Water Companies as an Alternative to Public Water Suppliers”, CLE California Water Law SuperConference, San Diego, October 28, 2004 - October 29, 2004
- Panel Moderator, Riverside County Water Symposium, June 23, 2004
- Panelist, “Regulation And Use Of Groundwater As Supply For Development Projects”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Francisco, April 1, 2004 - April 2, 2004
- Panelist, “Efficiency, Reasonable and Beneficial Use and Waste Discharge Waiver Developments”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Francisco, CA, April 10, 2003 - April 11, 2003
- Speaker, “Odd Man Out: California’s Increasing Reliance on Agricultural Water Supplies for Municipal and Environmental Uses, Wet Growth: Should Water Law Control Land Use?”, Chapman University School of Law, Orange, CA, February 7, 2003
- Panelist, “Urban Development vs. Agricultural Uses: Can Both Needs be Met?”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, Irvine, October 17, 2002
- Panelist, “Endangered Species Versus Endangered Water Supplies”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Francisco, April 5, 2001 - April 6, 2001
- Speaker, County Water District Caucus MiniConference: “Reducing and Repealing Water Rates by Initiative”, Association of California Water Agencies, October 3, 1998
- Panelist, “Legal Classification of Groundwater in the SWRCB’s Water Right Permitting Authority”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Francisco, April 3, 1998
- Panelist, “Do Habitat Conservation Plans Work? The Case Study of Stephens Kangaroo Rat”, University of California, Riverside, 1997
- Speaker, “Introduction to the Federal Endangered Species Act, Basic Legal Structure, Elements, and Practical Information on the Endangered Species Act”, Western Council of Arid States (WESTCAS) Annual Meeting, Endangered Species Act Workshop, San Diego, July 16, 1997
- Panelist, “ESA and Private Property Rights”, CLE Conference on Endangered Species Act Compliance, San Francisco, December 11, 1997
- Panelist, “The Feasibility of North-to-South Water Transfers/Banking: Dealing with Adverse Effects of Water Transfers on Local Water Users”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, Los Angeles, April 10, 1997 - April 11, 1997
- Panelist, “Using Groundwater Transfers to Shore Up Water Supplies, CLE Conference on California Water Law”, San Francisco, March 28, 1996 - March 29, 1996
- Panelist, “AB 3030 Developments and Transferring Groundwater Rights”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Francisco, July 27, 1995 - July 28, 1995
- Panelist, “Impact of ESA and Wetlands Regulation: The Takings Questions of the 90s, CLE Conference on Regulatory Takings”, San Francisco, February 3, 1995
- Panelist, “Endangered Species”, West-Northwest Symposium on Environmental Law, San Francisco, February 4, 1995
- Panelist, “AB 3030 from the Landowner’s Perspective: The Water Rights Dilemma”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Diego, October 28, 1994
- Panelist, “Desalting and Water Reuse: Reclaimed Wastewater Ownership Disputes”, CLE Conference on California Water Law, San Francisco, April 14, 1994 - April 15, 1994
- State Bar of California
- Groundwater Resources Association of California
- California Farm Bureau Federation
- Riverside County Farm Bureau
- California Bar Association, Real Property Law Section
- Orange County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
- Meals-on-Wheels, San Diego County
