Carlos R. Romo
Colorado
Williams Weese Pepple & Ferguson
1801 California Street
Suite 3400
Denver, CO 80202
Tel: 303-861-2828 ext. 2531
Email:
cromo@williamsweese.com
Web:
www.williamsweese.com
Carlos Romo is nationally recognized in environmental and natural resources law. He helps clients in a variety of industries navigate complex regulatory requirements, and has particular expertise in state and federal permitting, environmental due diligence in M&A transactions, and state and federal litigation and class action matters.
His clients include developers, utilities, water authorities, oil and gas companies, renewable energy developers, trade associations, mining companies, refineries and chemical companies, landowners, and resort operators.
Carlos has a wealth of appellate experience, frequently representing clients in U.S. Court’s of Appeal across the country and the U.S Supreme Court.
One of his major successes was the appeal of an adverse order involving water rights and alleged impacts on endangered whooping cranes. His river authority client played a key role in overturning the order in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Carlos helped defend the judgment in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Relating to the Clean Air Act, Carlos has challenged the expansion of an ozone nonattainment area in U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, represented clients in responding to EPA regional haze proposals and in petition to stay rule in U.S. Court of Appeals and also drafted briefs in appeals courts and the U.S. Supreme Court on nuisance and preemption under the federal CAA.
Carlos previously worked for 10 years in the energy and natural resources practice at Baker Botts in Austin, Texas. Prior to that, Carlos was a Briefing Attorney to Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson on the Texas Supreme Court.
Carlos is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at The University of Colorado School of Law where he teaches Public Lands and Resources Law. Carlos has been recognized by 5280 Magazine, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers as a top natural resources and environmental lawyer.
Education:
- J.D. (with honors), The University of Texas School of Law, 2007
- B.A. (with honors), Stanford University, 1999
- Fulbright Scholar
Bar & Court Admissions:
- State Bar of Colorado –Natural Resources & Environmental Law Section
- State Bar of Texas – Environmental and Natural Resources Law, Administrative Law and Appellate Law Sections United States District Court for the District of Colorado United States District Court for the District of Columbia United States District Courts for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Much Ado About CEQ: The Uncertain Effects of NEPA Streamlining Regulations, American Bar Association Section on Energy Environment & Resources, May 2020
- Recent Developments in Clean Water Act Permitting & Litigation, Colorado Bar Association Section on Natural Resources & Environmental Law, April 2019
- Co-Chair, Administrative Law and Natural Resources Development Special Institute, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, February 2019
- A Year for the Birds: ESA Developments and a New Interpretation of MBTA, American Bar Association Section on Energy Environment & Resources, February 2018
- Implications of Recent Nuisance and Trespass Cases, Law360 “Expert Analysis” July 2017
- Administration Announces Far-reaching Air Regulations for Oil & Gas Exploration, Production, and Transportation Industry, Environmental Update, May 2016
- EPA Regulation of Existing Oil & Gas Sources: Immediate and Long-Term Challenges, Bloomberg’s Daily Environment Report, September 2015
- EPA’s ‘Blueprint’ for Regulation of Methane from Oil and Gas Sources, BNA Environment, February 2015
- Nuisance Law: Key Developments and Emerging Issues, February 2015
- Permitting & Siting Energy Projects: ESA, MBTA, & Other Issues, February 2015
- Mexico Energy Reform and U.S. Presidential Permits for Cross-Border Projects, BNA Environment, January 2015
- Fracking From the Frontlines: A Review of Key Hydraulic Fracturing Issues, Including the Interaction of Local, State and Federal Law and Cross – Cutting Regulatory Developments, October 2014
- Analysis: Are We There Yet? Carbon Capture Sequestration and Cost-Effectiveness Analyses, July 2014
- Analysis: Hydraulic Fracturing, Uncooperative Federalism and Technological Innovation, Law360, April 2014
- Hydraulic Fracturing, Uncooperative Federalism, and Technological Innovation, Journal of Environmental & Energy Law, March 2014
- Law360 Analysis: Debunking the Myth Of Hydraulic Fracturing, August 2013
- Playing to Win and Planning the End Game: The Critical Role of Process, Procedural Options, Forum Selection and Appeals to State and Federal Levels, November 2010
The Firm’s lawyers have extensive experience in commercial litigation before state and federal Courts, administrative agencies, arbitration panels, regulatory boards, and state and federal appellate courts.
They have succeeded both at trial and on appeal in a broad range of areas, including contract, Uniform Commercial Code issues, securities, real estate, employment, natural resources and environmental, trespass and nuisance suits, intellectual property (including trade secret and trademark matters), and creditor claims in bankruptcy.
Recent representative cases successfully handled include:
- Obtaining a complete defense judgment and prevailing on all counterclaims (including an award of full attorneys’ fees) in a lengthy employment contract dispute that went to arbitration and several levels of appeals
- Successfully defending an employer in arbitration against claims of race, age and national origin discrimination
- Successfully appealing a misclassification determination by the Colorado DOL (resulting in no backpay liability)
- Securing summary judgment on claims seeking to invalidate a class action waiver provision, prevailing at summary judgment and the subsequent Tenth Circuit appeal on claims of gender and age discrimination, and obtaining discovery sanctions against the EEOC.
We practice in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain region, and beyond. Our attorneys offer expertise in commercial and regulatory litigation, employment, energy, natural resources, the environment, oil and gas, federal lands, ski resorts, real estate, tax, corporate counseling and transactions, mergers and acquisitions.
With our attorneys’ experience in big law firms, we are known for efficiently and expertly handling big-firm-sophisticated work with small-firm client service and attention.