Richard K. Rathbun Smith | Hartvigsen, PLLC The Walker Center 175 South Main Street Suite 300 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Tel.  801.413.1600 Email: rrathbun@smithlawonline.com

Mr. Rathbun has practiced law in Utah, Colorado and Louisiana, where over a career spanning 32 years he has represented and advised clients in private practice and served as a state and federal prosecutor and counsel to governmental agencies and officials. He handled commercial litigation with Lemle & Kelleher in New Orleans and with Hall & Evans in Denver, and also served as a Deputy District Attorney in Colorado’s Sixth Judicial District, based in Durango.

Prior to joining Smith Hartvigsen in October, 2011, he spent twenty-three years in public service to the State of Utah as an Assistant Attorney General. This included 18 years as Environmental Law Section Chief, providing counsel to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and conducting environmental criminal prosecutions in Utah state and federal courts. He also served as counsel to the Governor’s Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office, and represented the State of Utah and its officials in litigation involving public lands, water resources and civil rights disputes. His practice at Smith Hartvigsen emphasizes energy, natural resources and environmental law compliance, government relations, administrative procedures and civil litigation.
 
Practice Areas
 
Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law
Public Lands, Oil, Gas and Mining
Administrative Procedures and Governmental Relations
Civil Rights
Commercial Litigation
 
Professional Memberships
 
State bars of Utah, Colorado and Louisiana – all state and federal courts
U.S. Courts of Appeals, Tenth and Fifth Circuits
Utah State Bar, Energy Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section (Chairman, 2007-08)

Awards & Distinctions
 
1988-2003: Member, Western States Project; trainer to state regulatory staff, civil/administrative counsel and criminal prosecutors on various environmental law topics
1999: Director’s Award for Outstanding Performance as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (Environmental Crimes Prosecutions), Washington, D.C.
2008: Mountain States Super Lawyers, Energy and Natural Resources Law
2009: Distinguished Service Award, Utah State Bar Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section
2010: Utah Business Magazine Legal Elite, Government Law

Education
 
1973: Bachelor of Arts (English), Tulane University
1979: Juris Doctor, University of Arkansas (staff member, Arkansas law review)