Sledge Photo

 

.About Brian L. Sledge
Brian Sledge is the managing partner at the firm. He focuses primarily on legislative, water, environmental, utilities, and municipal law. Brian has been recognized by Capitol Insider’s Texas Lobby Power Rankings as one of the top lobbyists in Texas. He is a prolific author and speaks frequently on legislative, solid waste, water, mining, utilities and municipal issues. Because of his extensive work experience as a lobbyist, water lawyer, attorney for the Texas Legislature, and research director for the Texas Water Development Board, Brian is perhaps most well-known for his work at the Texas Capitol on water policy issues, where his counsel is frequently sought as an architect of much of the state’s current water planning, regulatory, and water infrastructure financing statutes. But, Brian’s legislative practice over the last two decades has expanded beyond water, environmental, and municipal issues into a broad and diverse array of public policy matters.Prior to founding the firm in 2013, Brian was a partner in a major Austin law firm with the largest group of water and environmental attorneys in Texas, where he practiced for almost a decade and a half and chaired its legislative practice group.

Prior to entering private practice, Brian was Director of Research at the Texas Water Development Board where he performed legislative and other intergovernmental relations work for the agency and managed its research division. Before that, he served in numerous positions as an attorney for the Texas Legislature, including General Counsel and Chief Clerk of the House Committee on Natural Resources, General Counsel for the House Joint Interim Committee on TNRCC Funding, and lead staff for the House of Representatives on the Joint Senate/House Committee on Water Resources Development and Management. Brian is a native of Mesquite, Texas, and currently lives in Austin where he enjoys spending time with his kids and launching outdoors adventures.

.Education
  • University of Houston Law Center, J.D.
  • Texas A & M University, B.A.

.Bar Admissions
  • State Bar of Texas

.Professional Affiliations
  • State Bar of Texas
    Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section
    Legislative and Campaign Law Section
    Administrative Law Section
  • Austin Bar Association
    Legislative Committee
    Environmental Law Section
  • Texas Water Conservation Association
    Board of Directors
    2015 and 2011 Awards for Outstanding Service
    Co-Chair, TWCA Groundwater Legislative Committee
    Member, Policy Committee
    Member, Legislative Committee
  • Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts
  • College of the State Bar of Texas

.Publications and Presentations
  • “Legislative Update,” Texas Water Conservation Association Annual Conference, Austin, Texas, March 2015
  • “Groundwater Issues—Controversies and Legislative Initiatives,” TWCA/TRWA Water Law Seminar, Austin, Texas, January 2015
  • “Legislative Update,” Texas Hill Country Water Summit, New Braunfels, Texas, December 2014
  • “Legislative Update,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Annual Conference, Bastrop, Texas, October 2014.
  • “Update on Activities of TWCA Groundwater Committee,” Texas Water Conservation Association, Fall Conference, San Antonio, Texas, October 2014.
  • “Review of Texas Laws Related to Movement of Groundwater,” H2O4Texas Conference, Turning the Water Wheel, Fort Worth, Texas, September 2014.
  • “Legislative Lowdown,” Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts Summit, San Marcos, Texas, August 2014.
  • “Texas Litigation and Legislation,” The Water Report, Issue #123, May 2014.
  • “Texas Litigation and Legislation,” CLE International Law of the Rio Grande Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 2014.
  • “TWCA Groundwater Committee Update,” Texas Water Conservation Association, Spring Conference, Woodlands, Texas, March 2014.
  • “2013 Legislative Update,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Annual Conference, Bastrop, Texas, October 2013.
  • “2013 Legislative Update,” Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts Summit, San Marcos, Texas, August 2013.
  • “Legislative Update,” 2013 Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA), Annual Conference, Lubbock, Texas, April 2013.
  • “2013 Legislative Update,” Air and Waste Management Association Meeting, Austin, Texas, February 2013.
  • “Groundwater Rights,” Texas Water Law Conference, CLE International, Austin, Texas, September 2012.
  • “Overview of Texas Water Legal Framework: Surface Water; Groundwater; Planning; Agencies,” Texas Conference of Urban Counties, Austin, Texas, September 2012.
  • “Texas Water Law Overview,” Presentation to the House Republican Caucus, Texas State Capitol, Austin, Texas, August 2012.
  • “Interim Charges and 2013 Legislative Outlook,” Texas Groundwater Summit, San Marcos, August 2012.
  • “Managing Priority Calls the Texas Way: Water Rights Allocation In Dry Times,” CLE International Law of the Rio Grande Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 2012.
  • “Groundwater Management: The Pros and Cons of Local, Regional and State Management for Agriculture and Landowners,” 2012 Agricultural Water Summit, Texas Farm Bureau, Waco, February 2012.
  • “82nd Legislative Overview – Uranium and Industrial Minerals,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Annual Meeting, Bastrop, Texas, October 2011.
  • “Legislative Update,” 2011 Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) Annual Conference, Irving, Texas, April 2011.
  • “Legislative Update,” Changing Face of Water Rights 2011, Texas Bar CLE, San Antonio, Texas, February 2011.
  • “2010 Legislative Update,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Annual Conference, Bastrop, Texas, October 2010.
  • “Legislative Update on Water Issues,” 10th Annual Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas, October 2010.
  • “Texas Water Litigation,” The Water Report, Issue #76, June 2010.
  • “Interim Charges and Review of Interim Activity at the Legislature,” Texas Water Conservation Association, Mid-Year Conference, South Padre Island, Texas, June 2010.
  • “Legislative and Litigation Update,” CLE International’s Law of the Rio Grande Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 2010.
  • “Enforcement & Monitoring of DFC’s,” Pumping Limits for Texas Aquifers: Desired Future Conditions Process, TAMU, Austin, Texas, January 2010.
  • “2009 Legislative Update” Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas, November 2009
  • “The Law, Groundwater and Groundwater Conservation Districts,” TWDB’s Groundwater 101 Conference – Aquifers of the Upper Coastal Plains of Texas – Carrizo-Wilcox, College Station, Texas, October 2009.
  • “Legislative Wrap-Up,” Texas Coalition of Cities for Utility Issues, Dallas, Texas, August 2009.
  • “Legislative Update,” 2009 Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) Annual Conference, Dallas, Texas, April 2009.
  • “Advocating County Issues at the State Level,” Commissioners Court Leadership Academy Program, Austin, Texas, March 2009.
  • “Being Smart With Enforcement: Using Common Sense to Develop, Execute and Defend Your District’s Enforcement Approach,” Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, Austin, Texas, July 2008.
  • “Water Resources-Planning for the Future,” 2008 Permian Basin Economic Development Summit, Midland, Texas, May 2008.
  • “Legislative Update,” 2008 Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) Annual Conference, Laredo, Texas, March 2008.
  • “Panel Discussion: The Status of Groundwater Law in Texas,” TWCA, 64th Annual Convention, The Woodlands, Texas, March 2008.
  • “Do You Need a Lawyer in Your Tool Box?,” National Watershed Coalition, Operation & Maintenance/Sponsor 101 Workshop, Decatur, Texas, September 2007.
  • “Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas, A Review of Chapter 36 and Recent Amendments,” 17th Annual CLE International Conference, Texas Water Law, Austin, Texas, September 2007.
  • “Recap of 2007 Texas Legislative Session,” Industry Council on the Environment, Membership Meeting, Austin, Texas, July 2007.
  • “Legislative/Regulatory-Wrap Up from 2007 Session,” Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) Board of Directors Meeting, Austin, Texas, July 2007.
  • “2007 Municipal Solid Waste Legislative Update,” Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) 2007 Annual Conference, Austin, Texas, March 2007.
  • “Landowner Rights and the Rule of Capture,” 16th Annual CLE International Conference, Texas Water Law-Scarcity & Growth, Austin, Texas, October 2006.
  • “Legislative Update,” Texas Red Light Camera Symposium, San Antonio, Texas, October 2006.
  • “Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas, A Review of Chapter 36 and Recent Amendments,” 16th Annual CLE International Conference-Texas Water Law, Scarcity & Growth, Austin, Texas, September 2006.
  • “Changes to Groundwater Management as a Result of House Bill 1763,” TWCA 62nd Annual Convention, The Woodlands, Texas, March 2006.
  • “Legislative Update on Water Issues,” 5th Annual Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas, November 2005.
  • “Legislative Update, What Have They Done to Us Now,” Solid Waste Association of North America, Metroplex Chapter Conference, Grand Prairie, Texas, July 2005.
  • “Groundwater Sustainability through Protection & Preservation of Existing & Historic Use,” Texas Groundwater 2004: Towards Sustainability Conference, Austin, Texas, November 2004.
  • “Historic Use,” TWCA 60th Annual Convention, The Woodlands, Texas, March 2004.
  • “Legislative Update,” 2004 Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) Annual Conference, Brownsville, Texas, March 2004.
  • “Groundwater Marketing, Transfers and Banking,” Western States Water Council Conference, Amarillo, Texas, December 2003.
  • “Legislative Update,” Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas, November 2003.
  • “Update on the Texas Legislature & Solid Waste Legislation,” 2003 Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA) – Annual Conference, El Paso, Texas, March 2003.
  • “Texas Water Development and The 78th Texas Legislature,” San Antonio Bar Association, Environmental Law Section, San Antonio, Texas, February 2003.
  • “Regulation of Clay Mining in Texas,” Southwestern Brick Institute – 2003 Spring Meeting, Austin, Texas, February 2003.
  • “Beneficial Use of Groundwater,” Texas Rural Water Association, TWCA Annual Water Law Seminar, Austin, Texas, January 2003.
  • “Water, Water (Not) Everywhere: Challenges and Opportunities in Texas, The Louisiana Situation,” Gulf Coast Power Association Spring Conference, Houston, Texas, April 2001.
  • “The Legislature is in Session,” Solid Waste Association of North America, Metroplex Chapter, Arlington, Texas, March 2001.
  • “Update on the Texas Legislature and Solid Waste Legislation,” Solid Waste Association of North America, Texas Chapter (TxSWANA), 2001: A Waste Odyssey Conference, San Antonio, Texas, February 2001.
  • “Overview of Texas Water Laws and Legislative Update,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Water Issues Workshop, Austin, Texas, September 2000.
  • “Water Markets in Texas,” Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Water Issues Workshop, Austin, Texas, September 2000.
  • “Legislative and Regulatory Water Update,” Texas City Attorneys Association Semi-Annual Conference, South Padre Island, Texas, June 2000.
  • “Using Bed and Banks Permits to Supply Water for Municipal Needs,” Water 2000 Plus Conference, San Marcos, Texas, May 2000.
  • “Regional Water Planning Update and Water Issues in The 76th Legislature,” Texas Municipal Utilities Association Annual Convention, Austin, Texas, May 1999.
  • “Water Planning Under Senate Bill 1,” Texas Farm Bureau Annual Convention, Corpus Christi, Texas, January 1998.
  • “Environmental Issues in the 75th Legislature,” Texas Planning Association, March 1997.
  • “Panel Discussion: Water Issues in the 75th Legislature,” Texas and Southwestern Cattleraisers Association Annual Conference, Fort Worth, Texas, March 1997.
  • “Agricultural and Natural Resources in the 75th Legislature,” Texas Peanut Growers Association, Austin, Texas, March 1997.
  • “The Legislative Process,” Travis County Bar Association CLE Seminar: Legislative Update, Austin, Texas, August 1997.
  • “Upcoming Environmental Issues in the 75th Legislature,” Travis County Bar Association CLE Seminar: What Every Lawyer Should Know About Environmental Law, Austin, Texas, December 1996.
  • “Water Issues Facing the 75th Legislature,” Briefing for newly elected members of the House of Representatives for the 75th Legislative Session, Austin, Texas, December 1996.