Scott S. Slater

For 30 years, Slater has focused on water. He works on litigation to protect water sources and promote new projects to repurpose water that would otherwise be wasted. One project in particular is the Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project, which he's worked on for five years and has become the CEO.

As a shareholder at Brownstein, Slater also runs Cadiz Inc. in Los Angeles. The company believes 50,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater that naturally travels to the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County and evaporates or salinizes in the dry lakes there can be saved to cycle back through the system with wells.

"The project is really cool and inundated, and the only one of its kind out there right now," he said. "The water is drawn from natural resources. It can't harm any species and it conserves water. That to me is a sense of innovation and something that makes you be proud of its development."

Though the project focused on improving water availability in southern California, environmental groups and other businesses tried to sue Cadiz for what many alleged would be harmful to the environment. A 2012 California Environmental Quality Act review gave Cadiz the OK to start the project, but nine lawsuits were still filed against San Bernardino County and the Santa Margarita Water District for approving the project.

Last May, the Orange County Superior Court dismissed the six lawsuits that went to trial. Plaintiffs included Delaware Tetra Technologies Inc. and the Center for Biological Diversity.

"Most people in California appreciate the environmental law," Slater said. "People argued the environmental impact of the project did not translate to the project. It would have no environmental impact. It's quite a prolific statement in these times."

Slater, whose father worked at a water provider and mother was a farmer, said he felt his upbringing led him to his practice. In 2003, Slater represented the San Diego County Water Authority in an agreement to acquire water from the Imperial Irrigation District for 75 years. With the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation involved in the matter, the federal and regional agreement was the largest agricultural-to-urban water transfer in history. This agreement proves he can litigate through droughts.

"The current drought is somewhat captivating, and it's a bit misleading because people tend to think if it rains, our problems will be resolved," he said. "There's not enough freshwater. We have to figure out a way. We're old-fashioned. It's not going to be garden-variety litigation. We really need to fight for innovation."

Phase 1 of the Cadiz project will start in early 2016.

<< KIBKABE ARAYA