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Alison K. Toivola is Of Counsel and a member of Best Best & Krieger’s (BBK) Environmental Law & Natural Resources, Water, and Native American Law practice groups. 

Alison counsels her clients on water rights, water supply, and natural resources litigation, representing a broad array of public, private, and tribal clients. Her expertise includes: implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA); navigating comprehensive groundwater adjudications in the post-SGMA environment; litigating the Endangered Species Act; providing regulatory guidance in complex and unique geographic areas, including the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the Deschutes Basin, and numerous groundwater basins in the Western United States; guidance on hydroelectric, real estate, and land use projects; advice on water quality; and counseling clients on all manner of surface and groundwater rights, transfers, certifications, protests, regulations, and litigation.

Alison is barred in California, Oregon, and Colorado. She has extensive experience in both state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as with alternative dispute resolution procedures.  

Leveraging both in-house and law firm experience, Alison’s pragmatic approach brings a unique perspective and provides robust support to her clients.  She was previously Director and Senior Counsel at Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN), and has also worked at the international, AmLaw 10 law firm of Hogan Lovells US LLP; United States Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division; and the Colorado Supreme Court for Justice Gregory J. Hobbs.

Alison is an avid trail runner, mountain biker, and skier, and is passionate about giving back to her Central Oregon community.

Professional & Community Involvement
  • Leadership Bend
Thought Leadership

Presentations

  • “Current Water Management Issues in the Deschutes Basin,” Annual Oregon Water Law Conference, Oct. 2024
  • “From Conflict to Collaboration: Groundwater Adjunction and Sustainability in the Post-SGMA World,” H2O Women Conference, Oct. 2024
  • “Fracking in Michigan” Conference, Speaker, Dec. 2014

Publications

  • Third District Court Upholds State Water Board’s Order Authorizing Agricultural Discharges in California’s Central Valley, California Water Law Reporter, June 2023

Education & Admissions

Education
The University of Michigan Law School
J.D., cum laude
University of California, Berkeley
B.S., global environmental politics, with highest honors
University of California, Berkeley
B.A., political economy, with highest honors
Bar Admissions
California
Colorado
Oregon
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court Central District of California
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Languages

English
French
Spanish

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