Alexander J. Van Roekel

Alex Van Roekel provides counsel to clients on state and federal water law issues, including compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, litigation strategy in both state and federal court and public policy within the water sector. Alex also tracks and reports upon developments affecting the water industry.

Alex advises public agency clients as general counsel and outside special counsel on all aspects of water and government law, including the Brown Act and the Public Records Act. He assists in developing strategy on how to best adapt to new legislation and regulations as well as changing factual circumstances. He also assists his public agency clients in litigation, including both bringing and defending against claims against other public agencies or private parties.

Alex further supports his clients in regulatory and administrative proceedings. For investor-owned water utility companies, Alex assists in every type of California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) matter, including ratemakings, rulemakings and investigations. He has experience assisting in representing clients on complex matters before the CPUC, including costs of capital, general rate cases and appeals, including to the California Supreme Court. Alex also has worked on permitting and other matters in front of the State Water Resources Control Board.

Alex defends litigation in both state and federal court. Alex has experience defending against common law claims, including trespass and nuisance actions. He also has experience defending against statutory claims, including those brought under the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.

Prior to attending law school, Alex served as a Legislative Affairs Intern for the Office of California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Experience

Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency. Part of team that secured an over $60 million jury verdict addressing water contamination in federal court. Assisted in Ninth Circuit appeal which upheld jury verdict, overturned District Court's findings on two Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) issues, and secured a declaratory judgment.

Suburban Water Systems. Represented client in multiple ratemaking proceedings in front of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Experience includes drafting primary briefs in a general rate case in which very few issues settled and in a cost of capital proceeding and managing confidential documents. 

City of Ontario. Advised the City on water rights, water supply, recycled water, and contamination issues through strategic planning and initiating and defending litigation. Additionally, represented the City on a team in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) litigation. In litigation, researched a variety of issues including water rights and procedural issues. Assisted in discovery, including document review. Submitted and responded to California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests. 

LKQ. Part of team that defended the company in numerous lawsuits covering the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and common law issues. Researched for and drafted filings/pleadings for all pre-trial aspects of the case, including the answer, a motion to dismiss, and a motion for summary judgment. Managed discovery, including drafting and responding to requests for admission, requests for production, and interrogatories. Managed site inspections at six locations. Secured settlements in all cases.

Olivenhain Municipal Water Agency, Rainbow Municipal Water District, and Rincon Del Diablo Municipal Water District. Part of team providing outside general counsel services. Advised clients on water rights and other water issues. Also advised clients on non-water issues including Brown Act compliance; Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) strategy and compliance; interpreting and strategizing around new legislation; and interpreting existing statutory, regulatory, and other legal requirements.

California Water Association. Advised and represented trade association in various ratemaking, rulemaking, and adjudicatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Part of the team that secured a California Supreme Court opinion overturning the CPUC decision prohibiting investor-owned water utilities from continuing to utilize revenue decoupling mechanisms. 

Imperial Irrigation District. Assisted a team that secured a litigation victory on a motion to dismiss in federal court and protected the district's water allocation strategy.

City of Inglewood. Assisted team in advising the City on the $2 billion Inglewood Transit Connector project.

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