L. Richard (Dick) Bratton
Of Counsel
office:
234 North Main Street, Suite 3A
Gunnison, CO 81230
mailing address:
Post Office Box 40
Grand Junction, CO 81502-0040
L. Richard (Dick) Bratton
Dick Bratton practices from our Gunnison office in the areas of water and other natural resources law. Dick joined our firm in 2012. Dick’s interest in water started in the Salida area where he was born, having been raised 100 yards from the Arkansas River and working on local ranches. He is best known in the water world for representing the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District for over 40 years, commencing in 1961, where he represented the Board in legal, policy and political matters, including successfully defeating an application for a large transmountain diversion and a case of first impression in establishing the right to store water in a reservoir for future use within the river downstream for recreational uses.
He has litigation and transactional experience in many areas of water law, especially in representing ranchers in water rights adjudications, diligence proceedings, changes of water rights and water rights title and conveyance matters. Dick has been an active member of the Colorado Water Congress for nearly 50 years; he was president in 1975 and received its Wayne N. Aspinall Leadership award in 2002. Dick was appointed in 2002 by President Bush to be Chairman of the Upper Colorado River Commission and he served until 2010.
Practice Areas
Water Law
Natural Resources Law
Real Estate Law
Education
University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1957, Bachelor of Law
Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado, 1954, Bachelor of Arts
Professional Associations and Memberships
Colorado Bar Association
American Bar Association
Young Lawyers Section, Past Chairman of Water Law and Agricultural Law Sections
Board of Trustees of State Colleges of Colorado, 1963-1975, Chairman
Colorado Water Congress, Present, President 1975
Upper Colorado River Commission, through 2010, Chairman
Bar Admissions
Colorado, 1957
Awards
Award of Merit, Young Lawyers Section, 1963
Recipient of Wayne N. Aspinall Leadership Award, Colorado Water Congress, 2002
Recipient of President’s Award, 2009, Colorado Foundation for Water Education
Recipient of William Lee Knous Award, Colorado School of Law, 2011
Recipient of John Vanderhoof Award, 2011, Club 20
Birth Information
Salida, Colorado
Grand Junction
200 Grand Avenue, Suite 400
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Telephone: 970.986.3400
Fax: 970.986.3401
Gunnison Office
234 North Main Street, Suite 3A
Gunnison, CO 81230
Telephone: 970.641.4531
Fax: 970.641.4532