Paeter E. Garcia

Associate

Paeter E. Garcia is a Senior Associate in the Natural Resources practice group of Best Best & Krieger LLP.  His practice areas include water, environmental and natural resources law, with particular focus on water rights and water supply planning.  Mr. Garcia represents both public agency and private clients regarding water law and policy matters, including, but not limited to, adjudicated surface and groundwater rights, riparian, overlying and appropriative rights, federally reserved water rights, and groundwater management and storage agreements, specifically including the right of public agencies to utilize available subsurface storage space as a public resource. ( See Central and West Basin Water Replenishment District v. Southern California Water Company (2003) 109 Cal.App.4th 891.)  Water supply planning and sufficiency analyses are also a significant component of Mr. Garcia's practice.  He routinely counsels clients and speaks at conferences regarding the legal requirements of preparing Written Verifications and Water Supply Assessments under SB 221 and SB 610, water supply analyses under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and Urban Water Management Plans.  In addition, Mr. Garcia is currently involved in state and federal court water supply litigation concerning pelagic and anadromous fish species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Mr. Garcia joined Best Best & Krieger in 2006 from the United States Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection.  Prior to that position, Mr. Garcia worked with an environmental law firm in downtown Los Angeles, where he advised public agency and private clients regarding significant water law, environmental and land use matters.

Mr. Garcia received his law degree from Syracuse University in 1998, where he was awarded a New York State IOLA Grant and a two-year tuition scholarship for his work in public service.  He received his undergraduate degree in Business Management from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 1994.  Mr. Garcia is admitted to practice in California State Courts, The United State District Court for the Central and Eastern Districts of California, the United States Court of International Trade, and the United States Court of Federal Claims.  Mr. Garcia is a member of the State Bar of California and the Riverside County Bar Association.

Education

• Syracuse University, J.D. (1998)
• California State Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo, B.S.

Bar Admissions

• California (1998)

Court Admissions

• California (1998)

Awards

• New York State IOLA Grant

Memberships

• State Bar of California , member
• Riverside County Bar Association, member

Jurisdictions

• The United State District Court for the Central and Eastern Districts of California
• United States Court of International Trade
• United States Court of Federal Claims