Melissa A. Thorme :: Downey Brand

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Melissa A. Thorme

Partner
Sacramento

Contact Info:
Email: Send an email
Phone: (916) 444-1000
Fax: (916) 444-2100

Practice Areas:
Water
Environmental

Additional Areas of Expertise
Administrative Law, Water Quality Litigation

Bio

Melissa Thorme's complex administrative and litigation practice revolves around one of California's most precious resources--water. Few attorneys share her in depth knowledge and experience in the area of water quality regulation and litigation. She has litigated major water quality cases in state and federal courts, including arguing a rare case taken up by the California Supreme Court, which reaffirmed the requirement to consider economics when the state government goes above and beyond federal requirements contained in the decades old Clean Water Act. She also regularly appears in front of regional water quality control boards around the state and before the State Water Resources Control Board on issues related to water quality policy and the regulation of wastewater, stormwater, and recycled water. An article in Sacramento Lawyer magazine touted her practice as providing “leadership, valuable contribution, and insight into this constantly evolving area of law.” She also has successfully defended numerous clients in administrative and criminal enforcement actions, as well as in citizen enforcement actions, and has reached many favorable settlement agreements with environmental protection agencies and citizens groups.

Melissa represents municipal entities all over the state, from San Diego to Humboldt counties. She provides valuable compliance assistance and works with her municipal and industrial clients to develop cost-effective methods for complying with today's ever tightening water quality regulatory regime.

Melissa has received the highest peer rating, “AV”, from Martindale Hubbell. She has served as chair of the Clean Water Subcommittee for the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and serves as an active member of the Attorney's Committee of the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA). Early in her career, Melissa served as an Environmental Law Fellow and Co-Director of the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic and attended the Human Rights Subcommittee of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, to support arguments for establishing an international human right to environmental protection. Her experience and extensive science background make Melissa uniquely qualified to see all sides of a matter and to formulate unique solutions to successfully resolve client matters while simultaneously improving the environment.

Education:
•	Tulane Law School; New Orleans, Lousiana (LL.M., 1992)
•	University of California, Davis, School of Law; Davis, California (J.D., 1990)
•	University of California, Davis; Davis, California (M.S., 1988)
•	California Polytechnic State University; San Luis Obispo, California (B.S., 1985)

Admitted to Practice in:
California

Articles:
•	Antibacksliding: Understanding One of the Most Misunderstood Provisions of the Clean Water Act (The Environmental Law Reporter, March 2001)
•	Clean Water Action Section 305(b): A Potential vehicle for Incorporating Economics into the "TMDL" and Water Quality Standards-Setting Process (Tulane Environmental Law Journal, Winter 1999)




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