Shelly has 17 years of federal government experience representing the U.S. Department of the Interior in Natural Resource Damages actions, and serving as the nationwide legal coordinator for the Department of the Interior on Natural Resource Damages program policies, cases, and issues. From 1999 until 2007, Shelly served as Assistant Solicitor of the Department of Interior’s Branch of Environmental Restoration, where she was the primary Natural Resource Damages legal advisor to senior management at the Office of the Secretary of Interior, the Department of Interior Solicitor’s Office, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation.

Shelly is originally from Texas and moved to the Seattle area in 2007.

Education
J.D., South Texas College of Law, 1984
B.A., Political Science, Texas A&M University, 1981

Court Admissions
District of Columbia (Active)
Texas (Inactive)

Employment History
Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Conservation and Wildlife. Following relocation to Seattle, continued as lead Department of the Interior attorney for Asarco Bankruptcy Natural Resource Damages claims, Tar Creek Natural Resource Damages claim, Hanford Natural Resource Damages claim and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Reopener claim. (2007 – 2008)

Assistant Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Branch of Environmental Restoration. Supervisor of Solicitor’s Office Branch established solely to handle Natural Resource Damages and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission cases, regulatory review, legislative review and policy matters. Primary Natural Resource Damages legal advisor to senior management in the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, the Department of Interior Solicitor’s Office, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation on natural resource damages and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues. Served as the nationwide legal coordinator of Natural Resource Damages program policies, cases and issues. Lead Department of the Interior attorney for Asarco Bankruptcy Natural Resource Damages claims, Tar Creek Natural Resource Damages, Hanford Natural Resource Damages claim, and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Reopener claim. Led Department of the Interior team that negotiated Transfer and Cleanup Agreement with the US Navy for Vieques Island, P.R. (1999 – 2007)

Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Conservation and Wildlife. Senior Attorney responsible for nation-wide coordination of Natural Resource Damages program policies, cases and issues (both Departmental and agency level); Solicitor’s Office Representative on the Natural Resource Damages Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) Work Group which develops and implements Departmental Natural Resource Damages policy; Senior Counsel to the NRDAR Program Manager and the NRDAR Executive Board (policy and legal); Review responsibility for headquarters Solicitors Office Natural Resource Damages cases handled by other Conservation and Wildlife attorneys; and Lead Attorney on Natural Resource Damages cases of national significance. Coordination, advice and counsel to Regional Solicitors Offices and Fish and Wildlife Service on Natural Resource Damages case management and policy. (1991 – 1999)

Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Energy and Resources, Branch of Water and Power. Legal Counsel to Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) arising out of the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, Clean Water Act Section 404 (wetlands) regulation, legislation, and other land management issues, including hazardous waste management. (1990 – 1991)

Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Division of Energy and Resources, Branch of Land Use and Realty. Legal Counsel to Bureau of Land Management, including issues related to easements, rights-of-ways, land acquisition, oil and gas leasing, and similar property management issues. Particular concentration on public lands status, title work, withdrawals, classifications, land use planning, grants of public land, and navigability of lakes and streams for title purposes. (1988 – 1990)

Realty Specialist, Exxon Company. Land title review and curing of title defects on land interests in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas related to prospective oil and gas development. (1984 – 1987)

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