Colorado Attorney Registration #21782
Professional Employment
• Bushong & Holleman PC (Shareholder/Partner: 2021 – present).
• Porzak Browning & Bushong LLP (Law Partner: 1996 – 2021)
• Holme Roberts & Owen (Associate Atty: 1993 – 1995; Law Clerk: 1990 – 1991)
• Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals (Law Clerk for Hon. Wade Brorby, 1992 – 1993).
• Natural Resource Law Center (Law Clerk, 1990)
• Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Aquatic Ecology Section (Research Scientist: Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, 1986 – 1989)
• Iowa State University, Ecology Department (Researcher: Limnology, 1984 – 1986)
• Iowa State University, Ecology Department (Teacher: Limnology, Fisheries, Ichthyology, Basic Ecology, 1983 – 1985).
Steve’s law practice focuses on every aspect of water rights and water quality, and a wide range of issues associated with the environment, real property, easements, and land use. His practice includes complex litigation, appeals, transactions, permitting, and contractual matters. Steve has successfully tried a multitude of cases in the water courts, district courts, and administrative courts of Colorado and appears regularly in judicial and agency hearings. Steve has also testified in court and before agencies, legislative committees, and other governing bodies. Steve has also argued seven cases before the Colorado Supreme Court. Interesting matters handled in his practice have included the first recreational in-channel water right cases, the impacts of groundwater depletions on surface water streams, the adjudication and defense of surface water rights, creation of a river connectivity channel around an in-channel reservoir, the right to float public waterways through private property, stormwater management disputes, stream standards related to mine contamination, the setting of site-specific temperature standards, the development of control regulations for water quality.
Education and Bar Admissions
• Juris Doctor, University of Colorado, 1992
• Master of Science (Limnology), Iowa State University, 1985
• Bachelor of Science (Biology, Minor in Chemistry), Iowa State University, 1981
• Admitted to practice before the bar, State of Colorado, 1992
• Admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 1993
• Admitted to practice before the Federal District Court of Colorado, 1997.
Publications (Legal and Scientific)
• “Recreation water rights: The Inside Story.” 10 U. Denv. Water L.Rev. 209, (2007).
• “Ditch lining: the water right issues.” 21 Colo. Lawyer 155 (1992).
• “Upstream pollution and downstream problems: Oklahoma v. EPA makes a splash in interstate water pollution disputes.” 63 U. Colo. L. Rev. 233 (1992).
• Numerous publications for law symposiums and continuing legal education.
• 16 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals or book chapters pertaining to water quality, aquatic life, and aquatic toxicology. See, here.
• Approximately 21 publications in scientific symposiums or as technical reports related to water quality issues. See, here.
Memberships and Honors
• Colorado Bar Association (1992 – present)
• Boulder County Bar Association (1992 – present).
• 5280 Magazine Top Lawyers (numerous awards between 2015 – 2023)
• Board of Directors, Eco-Cycle (2004 – 2022)
• Board of Directors, Monarch Little League (2009 – 2014)
• Board of Directors, Louisville Youth Baseball Association (2015 – 2017)
• Chairman of Natural Resources Section, Boulder County Bar (1997 – 1999)
• Syntex Citizens Advisory Panel on Environmental Issues (1995 – 1997)
• Order of the Coif (1992)
• American Jurisprudence Awards (1991, 1992)
• University of Colorado Law Review (1991 – 1992)
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (1983 – 1985)
• Graduate Student Senate (1985)
• Voted top Graduate Student Teacher (1985)
