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Kari E. Olson
Partner
(she, her, hers)
Overview
Kari Olson assists clients with administrative and regulatory matters throughout the state of New Mexico with an active focus on state and federal environmental law, public utility regulation, and western water law. Kari employs her diverse industry knowledge and acute attention to detail to navigate complex regulatory landscapes across multiple sectors.
Within her utility and telecommunications practice, Kari provides regulatory counsel and represents water and electric utilities and local exchange carriers in proceedings before the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission and the New Mexico Supreme Court including general rate cases and other rate and tariff proceedings, certificate and other proceedings for new facilities, procurements, and projects under state law and regulation governing transition to renewable energy, grid modernization, energy efficiency, and expansion of transportation electrification; and rulemaking proceedings.
Kari’s environmental experience includes advising and representing public and private entities before state agencies and state and federal courts with respect to environmental permitting, enforcement matters, and rulemaking with an active focus on ground and surface water, and air. She also regularly counsels clients from multiple sectors on elements of water rights and allocation of water under New Mexico law and has successfully guided clients through obtaining, transferring, and protesting ground and surface water permits from the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. She also handles due diligence on ownership of water rights as part of residential and commercial real estate transactions.
A dedicated member of the industry, Kari also serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the New Mexico State Bar Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law Section. Prior to joining the firm, she clerked for the Hon. Justice Richard C. Bosson of the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Credentials
Education
- University of New Mexico School of Law, 2014 (J.D.), magna cum laude
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2004 (B.S.)
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Leadership New Mexico, Core Program 2024
- Best Lawyers in America
- Southwest Super Lawyers
- New Mexico Water Law Conference, Conference Chair, 2024-present
- New Mexico State Bar Association, Vice Chair for Section of Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law
- American Bar Association, Section of Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law
- First Judicial District Bar Association
- Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law
- “Legislative, Judicial, and Administrative Update,” 2023
- New Mexico Triennial Review, 2022