Star Waring

Star Waring is a member of the Natural Resources and Water Law Practice Group of Dietze and Davis.  She has an AV (highest) rating from Martindale Hubbell Law Directory and has been named as a "Best Lawyer" by Denver's 5280 Magazine.

A large part of Star’s practice consists of representing individual farmers and groups of agricultural water users, developers, lenders, municipalities and ditch companies in matters involving water law issues. Ms. Waring has represented clients in litigation in state courts, including water courts in Water Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 5, U.S. District Courts, the Colorado Supreme Court and U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal in the 8th, 9th and 10th Circuits. She has also represented clients in administrative proceedings in Colorado. Star has also represented clients in several tribal courts throughout the western United States. She has testified before the Colorado legislature on pending legislation affecting water rights.  She has represented well owners in virtually every type of matter involving ground water rights. Her practice includes representation of clients who have initiated or are opposing water court applications including augmentation plans,

Star’s natural resources practice also includes handling multi-million dollar sales of real property and water rights. She has experience in large transfers of Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District rights and land inclusions.  She has conducted due diligence reviews for financial institutions in connection with water rights purchases.  Star has written articles and spoken on a variety of topics including water right transfers, water title issues and ditch easement issues, permits for gravel pit operations and federal reserved water rights.

Additionally, she has been certified as an expert witness in title matters in district courts in Gilpin, Douglas and Montrose counties.

Examples of the matters Star has handled for her clients:

  • Testified as an expert witness in water title litigation involving ownership of water rights.

  • Representation of the purchasers in the acquisition of water rights valued at more than $25 million.

  • Representation of the seller in the sale of an $8 million shopping center in a resort community.

  • Representation of the owner of a multi-million dollar shopping center in litigation involving common area maintenance charges and storm sewer discharge fees.

  • Served as special appellate counsel for a large mutual ditch company in a complex appeal involving millions of dollars of senior water rights and coordinated nine appellate parties in briefing and argument.

Star attended the University of Wisconsin Law School and received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1979.  She began her legal career with the law firm of Hall & Evans, with a practice emphasis in natural resources law and water law. After practicing in Denver for a number of years, she joined the Boulder law firm of Dietze & Davis, P.C. as a shareholder/partner.

Star is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law where she has taught water law and was the Distinguished Natural Resources Practitioner in Residence in 2016.

EDUCATION

University of Colorado - B.A., 1973 (magna cum laude, Presidents' List)
University of Colorado School of Law, J.D., 1979 (Am. Jur. Award - Wills and Trusts)
University of Wisconsin Law School, 1976-1977 (Dean's list, Am. Jur. Award - Contracts)

AREA OF PRACTICE

  • Water Law

  • Environmental Law

  • Land Use and Real Estate Law

BAR

Colorado, U.S. District Court, D. Colo., 1979
U.S. Courts of Appeals, Eighth and Ninth Circuits, 1985; Tenth Circuit, 1990
Rosebud Sioux  Tribal Court, 1983

Reported Cases

  • City of Westminster v. City of Broomfield, 796 P.2d (Colo.1989).

  • Kapcia v. INS, 944 F.2d 702 (10th Cir. 1991).

  • Farmers Reservior and Irrigation Co. v. Consolidated Mutual Water Co., 33 P.3d 799 (Colo.2001).

  • City of Black Hawk v. City of Central, 97 P. 3d 951 (Colo.2004).

  • ISG, LLC v. ArkansasValleyDitch Ass’n., 120 P. 3d 724 (Colo.2005).

  • In re Water Rights of Central Colorado Water Conservancy Dist., 147 P.3d 9 (Colo.2006).

  • Burlington Ditch, Land and Reservoir Company v. Metro Wastewater Reclamation Dist., 265 P.3d 645 (Colo 2011).

  • East Cherry Creek Valley Water and Sanitation District v. Greeley Irrigation Company, 348 P. 3d 434 (Colo. 2015).

PUBLICATIONS

  • Co-Author: Non-Indian Federal Reserved Rights, 58 Den. L.J. 783 (1981).

  • Co-Author: Water Rights Title and Conveyancing, 28 The Colorado Lawyer 69 (May 1999).

  • Co-Author with Lori Potter: Build It and They Will Come For Gravel, 31 The Colorado Lawyer 67 (March 2002).

  • Author: Water Law, Annual Survey of Colorado Law (1981, 1982 and 1983).