Brian E. Hamilton

Brian Hamilton applies his litigation skills to help water clients achieve results in and out of the courtroom.

Brian’s practice focuses on water rights litigation and related environmental disputes that can have substantial impacts on critical water supplies for agricultural, municipal, and industrial users. Brian has extensive experience in groundwater litigation and advising both public and private clients on SGMA compliance and legal challenges related to SGMA.

Brian’s recent groundwater work includes representing a coalition of over 60 landowners and mutual water companies as plaintiffs in Las Posas Water Rights Coalition v. Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, the first comprehensive adjudication of a groundwater basin following the enactment of SGMA and the related Streamlined Adjudication Statute. Brian played a key role in the adjudication, including work on the allocation framework that resulted in a settlement on individual groundwater rights that over 85% of the basin’s landowners agreed to and the court adopted, following a five-week trial. Brian then worked with attorneys for other landowners, mutual water companies, the basin’s GSA, and other landowners to fashion a settlement on governance of the basin that includes a physical solution under the court’s continuing jurisdiction, while preserving the role of the GSA to manage the basin pursuant to SGMA. That governance structure became the final judgment of the court following a two-week trial.

While he is well-versed in litigation from initial pleadings through trial, Brian understands that litigation is rarely the best first step for clients to take in resolving water rights disputes. Brian has resolved many of his clients’ cases through his pragmatic and collaborative approach to working with agencies and opposing parties.

Professional, Community And Pro Bono Involvement

• Sacramento County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, Board of Directors, 2018-present
• California Lawyers Association, Environmental Law Section
• Sacramento Metro EDGE
• California Water Law & Policy Reporter, Contributing Author

Honors & Rankings

• Best Lawyers in America^©, Ones to Watch, Litigation – Environmental Law, Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, 2023-2025
• Super Lawyers, Northern California Rising Star, Energy & Natural Resources, 2018-2024
• Clerkship, Justice Ron D. Parraguirre, Supreme Court of Nevada, 2012- 2014
• Externship, Honorable Kimberly J. Mueller, United States District Court, Eastern District of California, 2011
• Outstanding Student Achievement Award, Day Division, 2012
• Traynor Honor Society
• University of the Pacific Law Review, Editor-in-Chief