Our Experience. Your Results.

Culp & Kelly, LLP is a mission-driven law and policy firm that is focused on addressing the critical issues surrounding water and natural resource management in the American West. With broad expertise in water law and policy, water quality law and policy, environmental law and policy, natural resource issues, and strategic planning and policy engagement, we serve a diverse client base that includes foundations and non-governmental organizations, municipalities, industry, agricultural interests, and investors.

Through our affiliated project incubation and consulting firm, CK Blueshift, LLC, we also support a growing set of innovative enterprises, special projects, and restoration efforts that are designed to address water, natural resource, and climate challenges.

To leverage our unique expertise in water, water quality, and natural resources law and policy, we also work as co-counsel with other law firms, leveraging our expertise to better serve our clients in areas such as environmental litigation, facility siting and permitting, and real estate law, as well as corporate and transactional matters, securities law, and tax.

Our Philosophy

The combined effects of climate change, population growth, economic shifts, and the long-term legacy of environmental degradation and ecosystem decline are driving a "new normal" that is creating growing challenges for traditional water and natural resource management approaches. 

In many cases, these challenges are developing at a rate and scale that cannot be easily accommodated within our existing laws and policies, and are creating untenable risks for cities, agriculture, industry, and the environment that exceed the capacities and financial resources of traditional resource managers to address. 

We specialize in representing clients who, like us, see this as the moment for change.  Whether through individual legal proceedings, infrastructure planning and permitting, policy advocacy, strategic planning, technical consulting, or developing opportunities for philanthropic and private capital to drive improved law, policy, and outcomes on the ground, we are focused on supporting innovation and change in Western resource management, and serving the communities, industries, NGOs, farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs that are leading the way to a more vibrant, resilient, and sustainable West.