By 2025 up to 40% of the world will live in water scarce regions. Global water consumption increases at twice the population rate. In 1960 the world’s population was 3 billion, which represented a doubling of the population since the mid 1800’s. By the year 2000, the population had increased to over 6 billion. Less than ten years later it had reached 7 billion. Within thirty years it will reach 9 billion.Competition for water supplies for drinking and sanitation, production of food and generation of energy to supply this population increase requires vision, expertise and creative planning. Patrick, Miller and Noto leads the field in diligent, cutting edge, sustainable planning and legal services in the water resource field.In the United States, most jurisdictions lack effective long range and drought municipal and regional water plans. Planning and development of assured, adaptive water supplies are a hallmark of our firm.

We offer concentrated expertise in:

• water rights law
• water resource and waste water planning
• water transfers
• water quality law
• infrastructure planning and development
• basin planning and mediation
• transboundary water issues
• tribal water law
• geothermal law
• aquatic environmental law (ESA and wetland law)

Our clients range from individuals to major corporations…from municipalities to regional basin authorities…from ranchers to resorts. Our confined area of practice requires us to be versant in the physical sciences, economics of utility regulation and resource and infrastructure planning. Our task is to integrate these facets of the practice resulting in a solution that meets the client’s schedule and objectives.

Waterlaw: Patrick, Miller, Noto has attorneys licensed in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas. We have offices in Aspen, CO, Basalt, CO, Denver, CO, Scottsdale, AZ and Tulsa, OK.

PAUL L. NOTO

Education

• J.D., University of Colorado at Boulder, 2002
  • Concentration on water law and natural resources law
  • Recipient, Natural Resources Award (awarded for outstanding scholarship and service in natural resources and environmental law)
• B.A., University of Colorado at Boulder, 1997
  • Major in Environmental Studies with Geography Minor
  • Coursework completed at Yale and Georgetown Universities
  • Overseas study at Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association, Natural Resources Section
• Colorado Bar Association, Water Law Section
• President, Pitkin County Bar Association

Selected Professional Experience

• President, Pitkin County Bar Association
• Recipient, Glenn G. Saunders and John U. Carlson Legal Scholarship, Colorado Water Congress, 2003
• Editorial Board, Western Water Law & Policy Reporter 2008 – Present