Wes Miliband

Wes Miliband

Wes Miliband (JD ’05) focused on government affairs and land use subjects prior to attending law school at Chapman University. However, near the end of his first year it became clear to him that he wanted to pursue water law. Now, as a partner of Aleshire & Wynder, LLP, his main focus is water resources, including supply, quality, rates and related environmental land use issues.

Miliband recently spoke before a California State Senate hearing on behalf a municipal water district he represents. The client, seeking to renew legislation that will sunset next year, tasked Miliband with renewing the legislation which might lead to a new and improved statute. “It has been a different challenge and quite fun to try to make new law, rather than doing what we often do as lawyers – fight about what an existing law means,” he said. The legislation would allow the client to impose an assessment or charge on landowners for the water district to manage the local water supply in order to help keep the supply strong, in terms of quantity and quality. Miliband said that landowners and many groups support the bill, and so far, the Legislature has, too.

“In the litigation context, the issues involve establishment or defense of water rights; CEQA compliance; land use entitlements; hydropower licensing; and water infrastructure projects. In the transactional context, the issues range from water transfers/supply agreements to general counseling on California’s transparency rules for public agencies,” he said.

With his cross-training as a transactional and trial lawyer, he is able to make deals and take cases to trial when disputes cannot be resolved. He has found the different perspectives complement each other. He said that water law blends many subjects he finds interesting, including history, geology, environmental issues, law, science and public interests. In the future, Miliband plans to develop and maintain a full-service water practice.

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