Ross E. de Lipkau graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York, in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He completed his military obligation by serving in the U.S. Merchant Marines, achieving the rank of Chief Engineer. Mr. de Lipkau was employed by the Nevada State Engineer as a Hydraulic Engineer from July 1968 until September 1969. His duties while so employed included general office work, fieldwork, and attendance at protested field investigations. In September 1969, he enrolled at McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, Sacramento, California, graduating in 1972 with a J.D. degree. From 1972 to 1974, Mr. de Lipkau was employed by the Nevada State Engineer and then by the Nevada Attorney General as a Special Deputy Attorney General, and later as Deputy Attorney General to the Nevada State Engineer. His duties included, in addition to general legal counsel to the State Engineer, participation in administrative hearings, trials, and judicial appeals. Mr. de Lipkau began private practice in 1974 with Earl M. Hill, which expanded into the firm of Marshall Hill Cassas & de Lipkau. In his over 45 years of private practice since then, Ross has consistently represented high-profile corporations and public entities and utilities in all manner of legal issues involving water and mining law. Mr. de Lipkau has recently been appointed to the newly-formed State of Nevada Adjudication of Water Law Cases Committee.
Practice Areas
Mr. de Lipkau is active in the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, serving primarily in the water rights section. He served as the Water Section chairman in 1982 and 1992, and has been the Nevada reporter for the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Newsletter since 1974, and as a trustee from 1993 to the present. Since 1972, the vast majority of Mr. de Lipkau’s practice has been in the field of water rights. This practice involves inspection of the State Engineer’s records, preparation of water right title opinions, appearance in more than 100 administrative hearings before the State Engineer, and appeals to State and Federal Courts, as well as Appellant practice. He has also acted as an expert witness on water law issues in a number of different courts. Mr. de Lipkau has further been involved in a multitude of water rights purchases and sales, and the preparation of applicable security instruments necessary to protect the interest of either the lender or seller in such sales. He is currently employed by the Reno law firm of Robertson, Johnson, Miller & Williamson. We are thrilled for Ross to be a part of our Firm and bringing his extensive experience in water rights and mining law, along with his many invaluable years of community involvement.
