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Lori Potter
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Lori Potter

Partner

  • Litigation|
  • Federal and State Public Lands|
  • Environment|
Denver
303.825.7000
lpotter@kaplankirsch.com
  • Overview
  • Representative Experience
  • Resources and News
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I have been practicing in the public lands and environmental space for over 40 years. I love the issues and their importance to our clients. I’m practical and low-key in style, but never stop thinking about ways to achieve my clients’ goals.

Lori Potter has over 40 years of experience in the areas of environmental, public lands, land use, and water law. She has extensive experience with NEPA, FLPMA, Section 404 permitting, endangered species, transportation law issues, and local land use regulation. Lori’s practice involves both litigation and counseling in state and federal courts as well as before administrative agencies across the country. Her practice also includes expert witness work in statutory attorney’s fee award matters; advice and litigation in the areas of access to information under open records and open meetings laws; administrative law; and the public involvement process. Lori’s clients include governmental and quasi-governmental entities, businesses, ranches, citizens’ organizations, and individuals. Much of her practice involves protecting the interests of clients in permitting and NEPA processes.

Prior to entering private practice, Lori served as Regional Director of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund’s Rocky Mountain Office, handling and supervising high-profile environmental litigation throughout the western states. She was a Fulbright Professor of environmental law in India in 1993 and has twice taught seminars at the University of Denver College of Law.

Representative Experience

Outside Counsel to Local Governments

Serve as Outside Counsel to Cities and Counties in the Rocky Mountain West on Public Lands, Water, Mining Legacy and Land Use Matters

Over The River© Corporation

Served as Lead Counsel to the Over The River© Corporation, obtaining permits and leases, and defending challenge to the permits, for the temporary public work of art proposed in Colorado by the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Resources and News

Awards and Recognition

News

Presentations

Publications

  • The Best Lawyers in America® Announces Lawyer Rankings, Firm Attorneys Included

    Awards and Recognition | August 15, 2024
  • Chambers USA Ranks Kaplan Kirsch among Nation’s Top Law Firms in 2024 Guide

    Awards and Recognition | June 6, 2024
  • Kaplan Kirsch Attorneys Recognized Among 2025 Colorado Super Lawyers®

    News | March 26, 2025
  • Chambers USA Ranks Kaplan Kirsch among Nation’s Top Law Firms in 2024 Guide

    Awards and Recognition | June 6, 2024
  • Victory in the Rockies: BLM Rescinds Approval of Motorized Trail in San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado

    News | April 22, 2024
  • Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell Attorneys Recognized Among 2024 Colorado Super Lawyers®

    News | March 1, 2024
  • view all
  • SLAPPs in Hawaii

    Presentations | April 22, 2020
  • Defense of SLAPPs in Colorado

    Presentations | April 1, 2017
  • CLE Presentation – Colorado Ethics Rules Changes

    Presentations | July 28, 2016
  • Review of Decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, 2014–2015 (relating to environmental and development practice)

    Presentations | August 12, 2015
  • view all
  • Legal Underpinnings of the Right to Float Through Private Property in Colorado

    Publications | March 1, 2002
  • Build It and They Will Come for Gravel

    Publications | March 1, 2002

Presentations

  • SLAPPs in Hawaii, 04.22.20
  • Defense of SLAPPs in Colorado, 04.01.17
  • CLE Presentation – Colorado Ethics Rules Changes, 07.28.16
  • Don't Float Your Boat Here: River Access Issues 2016, 05.17.16
  • Review of Decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, 2014–2015 (relating to environmental and development practice), 08.12.15
  • Permitting the Over The RiverTM Project, 02.19.15
  • River Management Law, April 2014
  • Colorado's Instream Flow Program at 40: Celebrating 40 Years of Success and Challenges, 01.14.14
  • Colorado's New National Forest Roadless Rule, 03.08.13
  • Ethical, Business and Issue Considerations in Accepting New Clients Overview and Basics of Colorado House Bill 10-1188, 02.17.10
  • Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee, A Boater’s Right to Float Through Western Rivers, 07.23.09
  • Decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court in Environmental Cases During the 2008 Term, 07.14.09
  • Litigation Under 1041, 11.07.08
  • Defending Against Condemnation of Conservation Easements, 10.06.07
  • Recent Developments in 1041 Litigation, May 2006
  • Tolled Highways and Transportation Issues, March 2006
  • Bypass Flows: Additional Sources of Authority, 05.26.05
  • History and Evolution of Anti-SLAPP Statutes, 11.09.04
  • The Road More or Less Traveled: The Debate Over RS 2477 Access, 03.12.04

Publications

  • The Many Benefits of Christo's Over the River for Colorado: An Op-Ed, 02.04.17
  • SLAPP 2.0: Second Generation of Issues Related to Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, February 2015
  • The Right to Float in Colorado: Differing Perspectives, November/December 2009
  • Legal Underpinnings of the Right to Float Through Private Property in Colorado, Spring 2002
  • Build It and They Will Come for Gravel, March 2002
  • Dialogues: Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation and Petition Clause Immunity, July 2001

Primary Sidebar

Practices

  • Energy and Climate Change
  • Environment
  • Federal and State Public Lands
  • Government and Public Policy
  • Litigation
  • Public Meetings, Open Records, and Participation in the Public Process

Education

  • J.D., Harvard Law School, 1980
  • M.A., University of Illinois, with honors, 1977
  • B.A., University of Illinois, summa cum laude, 1975

Clerkships

  • Judicial Law Clerk, Justice Jean Dubofsky, Colorado Supreme Court, 1982–1983

Bar & Court Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 1982

Organizations

  • American College of Environmental Lawyers (2021)
  • Earthjustice Board of Trustees (2017–Present); Earthjustice Council (2014–2017)
  • Board of Directors, Public Counsel of the Rockies (2003– 2019)
  • Co-Founder and Board Member, Faculty of Federal Advocates (1996–1998)
  • Chair, Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group, U.S. District Court for District of Colorado (1994–1997)
  • Board of Directors, Colorado Environmental Coalition (2007–2012)
  • Board of Directors, FrontRange Earth Force (2006–2010)

Honors

  • Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation - Environmental (2001–Present)
  • Chambers USA, Colorado, Environment – Band 3 (2021–Present)
  • 5280's Top Lawyer for Environmental Law (2015–2022)
  • Super Lawyers® for Environmental Law; Environmental Litigation (2006–Present)
  • Best Lawyers® Summer Business Edition for Environmental Law (2018)
  • Law Week Colorado's Top Litigator (2016)
  • Best Lawyers® Litigation - Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year”, Denver (2014)

Lori Potter's Projects

  • Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) BRT

    New Mexico
  • Crystal River Flow Protection

    Colorado
  • Over The River™

    Colorado
  • Harry Reid International Airport

    Nevada
projects that keep life moving®
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