Energy Trust Home > About Us > Who We Are > Staff Bios

General Counsel - came to Energy Trust in 2004 from Stoel Rives LLP, a law firm in Portland where he was a partner in the firm’s natural resource group.  In addition to practicing law at Stoel Rives (1981-84 and 2001-2003) and Legal Aid (1973-74), John was Acting Assistant Regional Administrator and Senior Policy Advisor to the National Marine Fisheries Service, which administers the Endangered Species Act program for Northwest salmon (1999 to 2001); General Counsel to the Northwest Power Planning Council (1994-1999, senior counsel 1984-94); and law clerk to U. S. Court of Appeals Judge Otto Skopil (1978-80).  While at the Power Planning Council, John consulted with the Western Water Policy Review Commission (1995-96) and was a Visiting Scholar at the Western Governors’ Association (1990-91).  He has written extensively on the Columbia River, water policy, the Endangered Species Act and adaptive management of natural resource policy.  He teaches environmental policy at the University of Portland, is on the Advisory Board of the Natural Resources Law Institute at Lewis and Clark Law School, and is an honorary member of the Siletz Indian Tribe.  His law degree is from the University of Colorado (1973) and B.A. from the Colorado College (1969).