Lawrie provides a full range of services to municipalities and their public utilities, including negotiation, contracting, rate-making, construction and regulatory compliance. Lawrie has particular expertise regarding matters affecting public water supply. Lawrie serves as legal counsel and a lobbyist for the Municipal Environment Group – Water Division, a coalition of Wisconsin municipalities that lobby on water supply legislation and regulation. She serves as legal counsel to the Central Brown County Water Authority. Wisconsin’s first joint local water authority, established to provide a source of regional water supply for six member communities. She has also served as Chair of the Wisconsin Water Association and received the Section’s George Warren Fuller Award.
Lawrie works with local government clients to help them solve problems and achieve goals. She helps clients identify the objectives, develop the strategy and implement the plans that will help them to reach their goals. She assists clients with the strategy that will be most effective – whether that be negotiating, contracting, lobbying or litigating. She knows there is more than one way to get things done. Lawrie is equally comfortable with directing a client’s chosen effort, or working as a team member on an effort directed by the client or others.
Admitted to Practice
- Wisconsin State Courts
- United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Representative Work
- Municipal Environmental Group - Water Division
- Legal Counsel and Lobbyist for coalition of over 70 Wisconsin municipalities that lobby on drinking water legislation and regulation before the Legislature, the Department of Natural Resources and the Public Service Commission.
- Central Brown County Water Authority
- Legal counsel to Wisconsin’s first joint local water authority with seven local governmental members. Representation has included Authority formation, the preparation of extensive water supply contracts, construction of a $120 million water conveyance system, and several bond issuances.
- Public Service Commission Proceedings
- Familiar with all aspects of water utility ratemaking.
- Represented Milwaukee’s wholesale water customer intervenors in Milwaukee’s rate cases and construction dockets.
- Represented Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility in several contested cases responding to construction and rate issues raised by a wholesale customer.
- Represented Kenosha Water Utility in a contested water rate case addressing issues raised by a wholesale customer.
- Represented municipal utilities in three different cases where rate applications were challenged by a large industrial customer.
- Represented utilities in five different cases defending against a customer’s complaint of unreasonable wastewater charges.
- Represented a utility in defending against a customer’s stormwater utility complaint.
- Represented the City of Wauwatosa in its purchase of Milwaukee County’s water system.
- Represented a small utility in its acquisition of a private utility.
- Represented the City of Beloit in its purchase of the water utility from Wisconsin Power & Light.
- Water and Wastewater Agreements
- Prepared water purchase agreements between joint local water authority and its members with the detail necessary to provide security for the authority’s bond financing.
- Prepared water purchase agreement between joint local water authority and third-party water provider which included a requirement for $26 million of new construction.
- Represent large municipality with regional wastewater treatment system in negotiating wastewater treatment agreements with four municipal customers.
- Negotiate and draft water and wastewater agreements for numerous local government clients.
- Prepare ordinances to support agreements or provision of utility service to outlying customers.
- Construction/Public Bidding
- Review engineering and construction contracts, procurement contracts and public bidding documents for municipal projects
- Successfully represented large municipality in takeover claim to surety after contractor went bankrupt.
- Water Supply Issues
- Lead pipes, corrosion control optimization, lead pipe replacement programs, financial assistance programs.
- PFAS and other regulatory compliance issues.
- Water supply ordinances, including wellhead protection.
- Great Lakes diversions.
- Customer service issues, including collection.
- Wastewater Issues
- Sewer extensions, DNR permitting, areawide water quality management plans, 208 conformance review.
- Industrial user agreements.
- Pretreatment program requirements and enforcement.
- Rural Development and Clean Water Funding financing.
- Consolidation/Regionalization
- Advise local governments investigating cooperation, consolidation or regionalization options.
- Assisted in all aspects of creating Wisconsin’s first joint local water authority.
- Assisted in creating joint wastewater commission to construct treatment plant to provide service to two different communities.
- Prepare intergovernmental agreement for cooperative pipe rehabilitation project.
Honors & Recognition
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®
- FDA Law, 2013-Present
- Water Law, 2013-Present
- "Women in Law" list, 2017
- Received The George Warren Fuller award for outstanding leadership and contribution toward the advancement of the water works practice within the American Water Works Association presented by the Wisconsin Water Association
- Outstanding Service Support Organization Recipient, Kenosha Water Utility, 2006
- Pro Bono Individual Service Award Recipient, Dane County Bar Association, 2001
See our disclaimer regarding third-party awards.
Presentations, Publications, & Contributions
- Author
- Water Supply Law, Technical Report Number 44, prepared for Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, 2007
- Boardman Clark’s Municipal Law Newsletter (contributing author, ongoing)
- PFAS & Wisconsin Drinking Water Systems, The Municipality, March 2021
- Kenosha Program Gets the Lead Out, The Municipality, November 2018 (co-author)
- New Notice Requirements Imposed by Act 274, The Municipality, January 2015
- Presenter
- “Legislative Update & Bankruptcy Refresher, WI-AWWA Customer Affairs Services Seminar, November 2021
- Water Partnerships Seminar, Moderate Panel Discussion, Wisconsin Public Utilities Institute, October 2021
- WI-AWWA Insiders Panel Member, WI-AWWA Annual Conference, September 2021
- American Rescue Plan, Moderate Panel Discussion, Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2021
- “Transportation Utilities” Panel Member, Ehlers’ Wisconsin Public Finance Seminar, March 2021
- “Wisconsin’s Public Bidding Law,” Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Contract Group, December 2020
- Water Affordability Seminar, Moderate Panel Discussion, Wisconsin Public Utilities Institute, October 2020
- “Public Utilities Water Law Update,” State Bar, March 2020
- "PFAS 101," League of Wisconsin Municipalities, October 2019
- Water Quality Seminar, Moderate PFAS Panel, Wisconsin Public Utilities Institute, October 2019
- "Public Utilities Water Law Update," State Bar, March 2019
- "Legislative Developments," WI-AWWA Customer Affairs Seminar, August 2018
- "Public Utilities Water Law Update," State Bar, March 2018
- "Get the Lead Out the Challenge of Removing Lead Service Lines," League Annual Conference, October 2017
- "Water Infrastructure Financing Panel," Water Finance Conference, August 2017
- "Lead in Water," State Bar Annual Meeting & Conference, June 2017
- "Legislative Update," WWA Customer Service Seminar, June 2017
- "Construction Authorization: Lessons Learned," Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2017
- "Public Utilities Water Law Update," State Bar, March 2017
- "Wisconsin Groundwater Law & Legislation," WWA, February 2017
- "Financial Challenges for Wisconsin Water Utilities," League of Wisconsin Municipalities Annual Conference, October 2016
- "H2O - The Ideas Flow: Tapping WI Experts," League of Wisconsin Municipalities - Municipal Attorneys Institute, June 2016
- "2016 Legislative Update," Wisconsin Water Association Customer Service Seminar, June 2016
- "Lead Service Lines," League of Wisconsin Municipalities, May 2016
- "2016 Legislative Update," Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2016
- "Water Utility Privatization Legislation," West Shore Water Producers Group, April 2016
- "Water Law Update," State Bar, March 2016
- "Groundwater Laws & Legislation," Wisconsin Water Association Seminar, February 2016
- "Legislative Developments," MEUW Customer Service Seminar, September 2015
- "Act 274," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, September 2015
- "Water & Energy," Wisconsin Public Utility Institute, June 2015
- "Act 274," Wisconsin Water Association Customer Service Seminar, June 2015
- "Act 274 Tax Roll and Lien Process," MEUW Customer Service Seminar, February 2015
- "Act 274," Clerk's Association, October 2014
- "Legislative Developments," Wisconsin Water Association, September 2014
- "Legislative Developments," Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2014
- "Utility Ratemaking," State Bar Association's Municipal Utilities Seminar, April 2014
- "Legislative Developments," Wisconsin Rural Water Conference, March 2014
- "Complying with USDA Rural Development's Requirement to Document Land Rights," Wisconsin Surveyor's Institute, January 2014
- "Highways & Utilities Regionalization Panel," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, September 2013
- "Delinquent Utility Bills," Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2013
- "Wisconsin Public Biding Law," Wisconsin Water Association Management Conference, August 2012
- "Overview of the Wisconsin Supreme Court's Lake Beulah Decision," Wisconsin Water Association Webinar, July 2012
- "AB 182 - How a Bill Becomes a Law (or Not)," Wisconsin Water Association Customer Service Seminar, June 2012
- "Bankruptcy and Collection," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, September 2011
- "Lobbying Your Legislator," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, September 2011
- "Well Permitting in Light of the Lake Beulah Decision, Safe Drinking Water," Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2011
- "Promoting Sustainable Cities Through Energy and Water Initiatives," League of Wisconsin Municipalities Annual Conference, (with Anita Gallucci and Richard Heinemann) October 2008
- "Setting up a Pharmaceutical Collection Program," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, September 2008
- "Great Lakes Compact -- What Does It Mean for Water Utilities?" Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2008
- "Groundwater Management," Wisconsin Water Association, Groundwater Seminar, February 2007
- "Requirements of Act 310," Wisconsin's New Groundwater Law, Presentation to Dane County Water Utilities, February 2007
- "Changing Law of Water Conservation," Wisconsin Water Association, Water Efficiency Seminar, April 2007
- "Alternative Revenue Sources Using a Public Utilities Model," State Bar Association Annual Conference, May 2007
- "Municipal Fees," Wisconsin Section of the Public Works Association, November 2007
- "Public Bidding," Wisconsin Water Association, Management Conference, September 2007
- "Groundwater Management Areas," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, September 2006
- "Groundwater Management Areas," Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2006
- "Diggers Hotline Legislation," Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Affairs Seminar, May 2006
- "Municipal Fees," League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Local Governmental Officials, October 2005
- "Municipal Fees," League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Municipal Attorneys Institute, May 2005
- "Stormwater Utilities," Fox Wolf Basin Watershed Group, October 2004
- "Public Bidding," Wisconsin Water Association, Management Conference, August 2004
- "Stormwater Utilities," League of Wisconsin Municipalities, March 2004
- "The Unprivatizing of the Beloit Water System," Wisconsin Water Association Annual Conference, August 2003
- "Groundwater Legislation," Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Affairs Conference, May 2003
- "New Directions in Groundwater Management," University of Wisconsin Water Law Conference, May 2003
- "Protecting the Right to Pump," Groundwater Management Seminar, sponsored by the Wisconsin Water Association, February 2003
Committee Work
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Drinking Water and Groundwater Study Group, 2017-present
- Wisconsin PFAS External Advisory Group, 2021
- Wisconsin PFAS Action Council Local Government Advisory Group, Co-Chair, 2020
- Governor’s Workgroup on the Great Lakes Compact, 2007-2008
- Wisconsin’s Groundwater Advisory Committee, created pursuant to 2003 Act 310, 2005- 2007
- Governor’s Global Warming Task Force, Water Subcommittee, Stakeholder, 2008
- DNR Workgroup on NR 809, 810 and 811, 2007-2009
- Water Conservation Symposium, Stakeholder, 2006
- Groundwater Quantity Legislation Workgroup, formed by Sen. Kedzie and Rep. Johnsrud which lead to the creation of 2003 Act 310, 2004
- DNR/Water Industry Liaison Committee, 2002-present
- PSC/Water Industry Liaison Committee, 1998-present
- DNR Water System Capacity Workgroup, 1998-1999
- DNR Ad Hoc Council on Safe Drinking Water Act implementation, 1997-1998
- Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Affairs Seminar Planning Committee, 1992-present
Professional Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section
- Construction Industry Forum
- State and Local Government Law Section
- Environment, Energy, and Resources Section
- American Water Works Association
- Wisconsin Section of AWWA
- Board of Trustees Member, 2001-2006
- Chair, 2005
- Regulatory Affairs Committee Member
- State Bar of Wisconsin
- Environment Law Section
- Administrative and Local Government Law Section
- Construction and Public Contract Law Section
- Public Utilities
- Senior Lawyers Division
- Wisconsin Rural Water Association
- Wisconsin Public Utilities Institute, Board Member, 2016-Present
Community Involvement & Board Memberships
- Madison Metropolitan School District
- Elected School Board Member, 2005-2008
- Board Vice President, 2006-2008
- Performance and Achievement Committee Chair, 2007-2008
- Finance Committee Chair, 2006-2007
- Business Education Partnership Member, 2007-2008
- Common Council/School District Liaison Committee Member, 2005-2007
Education
- J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School, 1985
- Order of the Coif
- University of Wisconsin Law Review
- B.B.A., Finance, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1982
Lawrie’s Select Writing & Presentations
New Option for Obtaining Money for Private Lead Service Line Replacement Funding
Municipal Law Newsletter | 04.03.24
Money is available from the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program ("SDWLP") to assist with the replacement of private lead service lines. A municipality may receive SDWLP funds as a loan or as principal forgiveness or as a combination, depending on eligibility.