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Dani N. Cepernich

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Dani Cepernich is well regarded for her knowledge, expertise, and intellect as a lawyer. She focuses on water resource law, land use and zoning disputes, and defending governmental entities. Her clients include cities, counties,  local districts, irrigation companies, and ranchers.

Dani has an impressive educational background and also served a judicial clerkship for Federal District Court Judge Tena Campbell and Tenth Circuit Judge Monroe McKay.

Dani serves as an officer on the firm’s board of directors and is the chair of the Business Development Advisory Committee. Many who work with her say she is usually the most intelligent person in the room and one of the most humble. Most importantly, Dani always works hard to find solutions for her clients.

Dani is a member of SCM’s Appellate Practice Group, which assists clients with appealing civil and criminal matters. The Appellate Practice Group also prepares an Appellate Highlights article for the Utah Bar Journal.  This article, which is published six times a year, highlights notable cases decided by the Utah Supreme Court, Utah Court of Appeals, and Tenth Circuit. She regularly gives presentations on appellate updates to industry groups and associations within the legal community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Podcasts:

The Trial Lawyer Podcast: Advanced Discussion of Deposition and Discovery Strategy

The Trial Lawyer Podcast: Trial Lawyers and the Workplace: Legal Office Politics

The Trial Lawyer Podcast: Practicing Law on Mars

The Trial Lawyer Podcast: The Paralegal Practitioner Problem

Education

  • J.D., University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, 2010
  • B.S., California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, summa cum laude, 2007

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Utah State Bar
  • U.S. District Court, District of Utah
  • Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • California State Bar
  • U.S. District Courts, California

Legal Services

  • Water and Natural Resources
  • Speaker, Appeals: What’s New and the Basics You Need to Know, Federal Courthouse, November 2018
  • Speaker, The Innovation in Law Practice Committee First Annual Practice Management Symposium, Utah Law and Justice Center, May 2018
  • Speaker, Appellate Case Law Update, Utah Defense Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, May 2018
  • Speaker, Recent Utah Appellate Cases: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Utah Tort and Insurance Roundtable Discussion, June 2017
  • Speaker, Recent Utah Appellate Cases: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Utah Defense Lawyer’s Association, April 2017
  • Speaker, The ESA, CWA and other Federal Statutes, 23rd Annual Conference, Utah Water Law, 2015
  • Speaker, Aces, Deuces, Stream Decrees and Diligence Claims – What Trumps in This Game?, Utah Water Law Conference, 2015
  • Author, Which “P” Is It?  Can Performance and Payment Distinctions Be Clouded to the Claimant’s Advantage?, Western States Surety Conference, 2012
  • Author, Fighting For Asylum: A Statutory Exception to Relevant Bars for Former Child Soldiers, 83 S. Cal. L. Rev. 1099 (2010)
  • Salt Lake County Bar Association, Board Member
  • Utah Bar Association
  • Women of Water
  • Young Lawyer Division, Past President
  • Federal Bar Association
  • California State Bar Association
  • Salt Lake City Public Utilities Advisory Committee
  • Utah Open Lands, Advisory Council
  • Board of Directors – Ronald McDonald House Charities
  • Recognized as a Utah Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers® Magazine for appellate law
  • Named 2019 Young Lawyer of the Year by the Young Lawyers Division of the Utah State Bar

Unique Recognition – Education

  • Law School: University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, 2010
    • Dean S. Butler Scholarship
    • Order of the Coif
    • Senior Submissions Editor, Southern California Law Review
  • Energy and Natural Resource. Dani assists her water law clients with advice, planning, transactions, negotiations, and litigation. She is a valued consultant with cities and counties regarding land use matters, represents appeal authorities, and represents cities and counties in land use litigation, including judicial review actions.
  • State, Local and Municipal. As a trusted government defense attorney, Dani’s practice also includes defending governmental entities in a wide range of property damage cases and civil rights cases.
  • Appellate. Dani is a respected appellate lawyer and a leading force in the firm’s appellate Practice Group, representing clients in civil and criminal appeals. In addition to advising clients on appellate issues, she contributes to the group’s bi-monthly article on notable cases decided by the Utah Supreme Court, Utah Court of Appeals, and Tenth Circuit published in the Utah Bar Journal. Dani also regularly presents on appellate updates to industry groups and associations within the legal community.

Outside of the office, Dani enjoys traveling, yoga, running, and spending time with her family and friends.