TRPA Board Welcomes New General Counsel
October 25, 2024 | Member Submitted
Submitted by TRPA
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board today voted unanimously to offer the position of TRPA General Counsel to attorney Graham St. Michel to oversee compliance cases, violation settlements, and other legal issues for the bi-state agency. He will fill the position held by John L. Marshall, who served as TRPA counsel for a total of 25 years.
St. Michel, who is a graduate of South Tahoe High School, has served as TRPA’s associate counsel since February of this year. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California and a juris doctorate from Lewis & Clark Law School. St. Michel has practiced law for 16 years, including private practice, and has served as in-house counsel with the California Department of Conservation and the California Tahoe Conservancy.
“I have dedicated my professional life to environmental law and public service, and TRPA’s mission has been a guiding inspiration for me from the start,” St. Michel said.
“The board welcomes Graham, and I am confident he will continue to safeguard the public’s interest in protecting and restoring Lake Tahoe,” TRPA Governing Board Chair and Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson said. “We thank John Marshall for his years of service and for helping to build the legal underpinnings of this unique agency.”
Marshall was a key member of the legal team which successfully defended Regional Plan policies protecting sensitive stream environment zones in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Tahoe Sierra Preservation Council v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, is often cited in environmental law and public policy literature.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, at (775) 589-5278 or jcowen@trpa.gov.