Sarah Foley’s practice focuses on California and Texas water law, and she has experience handling a wide variety of water-related issues. An associate in the Environmental Law & Natural Resources practice group of Best Best & Krieger LLP, Sarah represents both public and private sector clients on a broad range of water law and policy matters, such as surface and groundwater rights issues, water transactions and conveyance, and groundwater management and storage arrangements. Sarah also assists public agencies with water supply planning, water sufficiency analyses, and navigating the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. She routinely counsels clients 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, and Urban Water Management Plans.
In representing the public sector, Sarah serves as special water counsel for the City of El Paso de Robles, City of Santa Maria, City of Ventura, Los Angeles County, Tuolumne County, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency, Western Municipal Water District, Desert Water Agency, State Water Contractors, Los Osos Community Services District, Santa Margarita Water District, Castaic Lake Water Agency and numerous other cities, counties, and water agencies. Sarah also represents property owners throughout California, helping them to understand, utilize and protect their water rights.
Sarah works on water rights and water quality issues in groundwater and surface water systems throughout California. Her areas of experience include:
- Groundwater adjudications
- Groundwater management
- Surface water rights
- Water resource litigation
- Environmental litigation
- Negotiation of water rights agreements
- Water rights due diligence, planning, and reporting
- Water transactions and transfers
- Water supply planning
- Wastewater and recycled water
Sarah gives presentations throughout California on water issues. She has also written numerous articles about groundwater, surface water, and California’s drought. She is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central and Southern districts of California and is licensed to practice law in California and Texas.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Sarah served in AmeriCorps as an early intervention literacy tutor for at-risk students. Sarah and her husband are both originally from Texas and enjoy spending time with their daughters.
Education
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Southern Methodist University, J.D., cum laude
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University of Texas at Austin, B.A., with highest honors