Michelle M. Smith

Attorney

512-579-3600

msmith@sledgelaw.com

.About Michelle Maddox Smith

Michelle practices in the areas of environmental, water, and administrative law. She assists clients with various permitting, compliance and enforcement issues and focuses primarily on water supply and water quality matters. She has experience representing political subdivisions on a variety of environmental matters before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Railroad Commission, the Texas Water Development Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Michelle also currently serves as adjunct faculty in the Paralegal Department for Austin Community College.

Michelle received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law where she served as the Recent Developments Editor of the Texas Environmental Law Journal. During law school, Michelle participated in clerkships for the United States Department of Justice in its Environmental Enforcement Section and the Lower Colorado River Authority. Michelle was a Udall Scholar at Baylor University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Speech Communication and interned at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Michelle has extensive experience in issues involving surface water rights, water reuse, municipal storm water permitting, and wastewater permitting matters, as well as representing clients in compliance and enforcement actions at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Michelle was born and raised in Seguin, Texas, and currently lives in Austin with her husband Chris and four children.

.Education

  • University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
    Staff Editor, Texas Environmental Law Journal
  • Baylor University, B.A., magna cum laude

.Bar Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas

.Professional Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas
    Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section
  • Texas Water Conservation Association
  • Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts

.Publications and Presentations

  • Presenter, “Stormwater Update,” Texas Municipal Leagues, Annual Conference, Houston, Texas (2011).
  • Presenter, “Covering the Cost of Storm Water,” Water Environment Association of Texas (2011).
  • Co-Author, “Future Municipal Water Supplies: From Planning to Implementation,” Texas City Attorneys Association, Fall Meeting (2010).
  • Co-Author, “Meeting Water Supply Needs – Planning, Permitting and Implementation,” Chapter 2, Essentials of Texas Waster Resources (2009), (2011).
  • Co-Author, “Texas Agency Structure,” Chapter 2, Vol. 45 Texas Practice, Environmental Law
    (2003-2009 Supplements).
  • Presenter, “Legal Issues for Reuse Projects,” Texas Water Law Institute Conference, Austin, Texas (2008).
  • Author and Presenter, “Nuts and Bolts of Surface Water Law,” State Bar, Changing Face of Water Rights CLE, San Antonio, Texas (2007).
  • Presenter, “Legislative Update,” Texas Municipal Utilities Association, Annual Conference (2007).
  • Author and Presenter, “Case Law Update,” Texas Water Conservation Association, Water Laws Conference, Austin, Texas (2007).
  • Co-Author, “Wastewater Wars: Implications of Reuse Projects in Texas,” WEFTEC, Annual Conference (2006).
  • Author, “Regulating Runoff: Industrial Storm Water Permitting,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association, Newsletter (2006).
  • Presenter, “Storm Water Regulations and Permitting,” Texas Municipal Utilities Association, Annual
    Conference (2006).
  • Co-Author, “Water Law Update,” Texas Water Conservation Association, Confluence Publication
    (2005-2006).
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “Legal Issues and Water Availability Models,” Water Rights and Water Availability Modeling Seminar, Fort Worth, Texas (2005).
  • Co-Author, “Regulating Runoff: Industrial Storm Water Permitting and Enforcement in Texas,” Texas Aggregate Concrete Association, Conveyor Magazine (2005).
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “Wastewater Wars: Implications of Reuse Projects in Texas,” Texas Water Conference, Galveston, Texas (2005).
  • Co-Author, “Regulating Runoff: Construction Storm Water Permitting and Enforcement in Texas,” Texas Builder Magazine (March/April 2005).
  • Presenter, “Storm Water Regulations and Permitting,” Texas Association of Builders, Super Builder Conference, Austin, Texas (2005).