Professional Background
Tamara “Tammy” Thiel began working for Taggart & Taggart in 2008 as a paralegal, and continued working for Taggart & Taggart while attending law school at night. Tammy was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in October 2020. She graduated as Salutatorian for the evening division and received her Juris Doctor degree at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, with an Environmental Law Concentration, in May 2020. At her time at McGeorge School of law, she received the Witkin Award for Academic excellence seven times, and was on the Dean’s List every semester. She is a member of the Order of the Coif, having graduated in the top ten percent of the graduating class. Prior to joining Taggart and Taggart in 2008, Tammy was previously the Director of Operations in the Water Rights Department at Resource Management and Development Inc., and has also been a water rights technician at TEC 1, Inc. Tammy is a life-long Nevadan; she grew up on a small horse ranch outside of Gardnerville, Nevada, and she now lives in Reno, Nevada.
Water Rights and Natural Resources
Tammy has extensive experience in water rights matters. She has been qualified as an expert in Nevada water title before the Nevada State Engineer in 2015, and has reviewed and filed thousands of reports of conveyance for water rights across the state. Tammy represents clients in adjudication matters relating to the determination of vested water rights, performing due diligence of land and water transactions, drafting opinion letters, permitting and regulatory compliance on water rights issues, administrative proceedings at the State Engineer’s office, mitigation plans and permitting, and appeals of administrative decisions. Tammy has provided research and support on ditch easement issues, and worked with irrigation companies relating to title, stock, and changes in water use. She has experience with water rights dedications for development with water municipalities, and effluent water re-use permitting. Tammy has worked on permitting and other water right filing to provide snowmaking use at several local ski resorts. Tammy also has extensive work in stockwater rights on federal and state range lands, including vested rights research, title, and permitting.
Real Estate and Land Use
Tammy assists clients with real estate transactions including drafting purchase and sale agreements, performing due diligence, drafting opinion letters, and reviewing closing documents. She also has experience in preparing and reviewing easements, leases, deeds of trust and other securities.
Litigation
Tammy assists clients with handling all aspects of general civil litigation involving real estate and water rights issues at both the trial and appellate court stages.
General
Tammy also provides general legal support, and has assisted in probate matters, business entity filings, some family law matters, and contracts. She is listed with the Washoe Legal Services to provide pro bono work to give back to the community and help those in need.
Education
Tammy received her Juris Doctor degree at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, with an Environmental Law Concentration, in May 2020. Tammy received her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a minor in mathematics, in December 2003.
Professional Organizations and Accomplishments
- Witkin Award for Academic Excellence for Global Lawyering Skills I (Fall 2016), Contracts (Fall 2017), Water Resource Law (Spring 2018), Evidence (Fall 2018), Environmental Practice (Spring 2019), Transnational Litigation (Spring 2019) and Professional Responsibility (Fall 2019).
- Order of the Coif, May 2020.
- JD Salutatorian, Evening Division.
- Expert Witness in Water Right Title, Qualified before the Nevada State Engineer 2015
- Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Member
- Nevada Water Resources Association, Member
Her interests include music, fishing, hiking, skiing, reading, and saltwater aquariums.