Gregory Morrison is Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Nevada water law specialist. His practice involves assisting clients ranging from the state’s largest mine operators to independent farmers through the administrative and judicial processes necessary to secure and maintain water rights, a valuable real property asset.

Capabilities

Biography

Gregory Morrison has an array of experience in water, environmental, natural resource and real property law matters. Greg advises a variety of private and public interests on matters involving water acquisition and permitting, environmental compliance on the state and federal level and property and mine development and disputes.

Greg began his career in Carson City, Nev., where he was immediately immersed in one of Nevada's most extensive administrative hearings involving water rights. He remained involved in that matter through the administrative, district court and Nevada Supreme Court processes. Greg worked in conjunction with municipal, tribal and institutional parties toward the adoption of the 2008 Truckee River Operating Agreement (TROA) as a federal regulation, a process involving administrative hearings in Nevada and California; modification of the 1944 federal court decree governing Truckee River operations; and judicial review in the state and federal courts of Nevada and California. 

Following a lateral move to Santa Barbara, Calif., Greg returned home to northern Nevada in 2016 to Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Reno office. Since joining Parsons' team, Greg has worked in water right permitting and maintenance for several Nevada mining industry clients as well as municipal water providers, developers and landowners to secure and permit water rights for commercial and residential projects. Greg has extensive experience at every level of the water appropriation process, from negotiations between buyers and sellers through judicial review of decisions of the State Engineer in the Nevada Supreme Court.

In his general real estate practice, Greg has negotiated and litigated land acquisitions, easements and rights-of-way and residential and commercial real property leases. Greg also has experience in the mining sector and understands the unique processes of mine diligence, conveyancing and permitting.

Experience

Smart City Development

Assisting client in development of smart city project by securing water rights, addressing state and federal permitting, rights of way and Tribal concerns.

Water Management

Representing municipal water provider in complex proceedings concerning water management.

Nevada Gold Mines, LLC

Represented Nevada Gold Mines, LLC as lead counsel against the Pershing County Water Conservation District who contended that priority water rights had been negatively impacted by the State Engineer’s alleged improper actions regarding water appropriations and conjunctive management of water rights in the Humboldt River Basin. After years of litigation, the District agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice.

Accomplishments

Academic

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (J.D. with Great Distinction, 2011)

Order of the Coif

Traynor Honor Society

Environmental Law Certificate

McGeorge Law Review Comment Staff

Miami University, Oxford, Ohio – B.A., Political Science and English (Literature) 1994

Professional

Best Lawyers in America™ "Ones to Watch," Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law 2021 - 2024

Associations

Professional

Washoe County Bar Association

Nevada Water Resources Association

Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Association

American Exploration and Mining Association

Nevada Mining Association

Insights

Presentations

Credentials

Licensed

Nevada
California
U.S. Dist. Court, Dist. of Nevada

Education

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law