Personnel

Austin Hamre

Since beginning his practice in 1988, Austin Hamre has concentrated primarily on water law and related aspects of federal natural resource permitting. Mr. Hamre currently handles all phases of complex, multi-party litigation of water rights, appeals and related real property matters. He has been extensively involved in federal land use and environmental permit negotiations, NEPA and Endangered Species Act compliance matters and administrative rule-making proceedings before the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. Mr. Hamre advises clients on transactional matters, performing pre-purchase water title analyses and the negotiation of water right conveyances.

Mr. Hamre has litigated a number of large cases involving changes of water rights, augmentation plans, exchanges and other new appropriations on behalf of municipalities, districts, HOAs and individuals, both as an applicant and an objector. His bar memberships include Colorado and the U.S. District Court, District of Colorado.

Austin Hamre served on the executive council of the Water Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association from 2014-2017, served as chair of the Section from 2011-2014 and as Secretary/Treasurer from 2009–2011.

After graduating cum laude from the University of Denver in 1981 with a B.A. in Mass Communication and in Speech Communication, Mr. Hamre earned his J.D. from the University of Colorado in 1988. He has published articles on water banking, the 1969 Water Right Determination and Administration Act and the evolution of the “One Fill Rule,” and has taught a variety of classes and seminars dealing with surface and groundwater issues in Colorado water law.