For the Honorable Justice Matthew B. Durrant, Utah Supreme Court
2005, J.D., University of Utah, Order of the Coif, Note and Comment Editor, University of Utah Law Review
2005, Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, University of Utah
2002, B.S. Mining Engineering, University of Utah, cum laude
American Bar Association, Environment, Energy, and Resources Section
American Water Resources Association (AWRA), Current Executive Board Member and Past President of Utah Section
Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Special Institutes Committee Member
Matthew (Matt) Jensen is a member of Parr Brown’s Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law team. He has extensive experience assisting clients on a wide range of natural resource transactions, administrative proceedings, litigation, appeals, and legislative lobbying. He is licensed in Utah and Nevada and advises clients on mineral acquisition, exploration, permitting, title evaluation, due diligence, leasing, and joint ventures; water rights acquisition, administrative applications, disputes, and general adjudications; development and utility service agreements; geothermal energy issues; oil and gas development; stream alteration permits; section 404 wetland permits, and other areas. Mr. Jensen has also been active for both private and public aspects of resort development, including securing and permitting water rights for snowmaking and development purposes. He has conducted comprehensive water rights analyses and due diligence for municipalities, private water companies, developers, and large farming operations.
Before joining Parr Brown, Mr. Jensen was a partner at another Salt Lake City law firm and served as a clerk to the Honorable Justice Matthew B. Durrant of the Utah Supreme Court. Before attending law school, he worked in the minerals industry in mining engineering at Monsanto’s Enoch Valley Phosphate Mine, Bridger Coal Mine, and at the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM). He also worked for the University of Utah Seismograph Stations studying mining-induced seismicity. His experience and education in mining engineering and geology help him to address highly technical legal matters and give him a unique perspective to many of the issues facing our clients.
Mr. Jensen served in the Energy, Natural Resources, and Environmental Law Section of the Utah State Bar as section chair (2017), secretary (2015), treasurer (2014), and as the water law committee chair (2011-13); in the American Water Resources Association as a Utah section board member (since 2007), Utah Section president (2010), and national annual conference finance chair (2019); in the American Bar Association as the membership vice-chair for the mining committee (2018); in the Foundation for Natural Resources and Environmental Law on the scholarship committee (since 2019) and the special institutes committee (2017-18); and in the Utah Mining Association on the Board of Directors (since 2021).
Mr. Jensen was recognized in the 2017-2022 editions of Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Environmental, Natural Resources & Regulated Industries. He has been continuously listed in Utah Business magazine as one of Utah’s Legal Elite in Energy & Natural Resources in 2010-2014 and 2016-2022. He was recognized in 2014-2018, and 2020-2022 by Mountain States Super Lawyers. Mr. Jensen was included in the 2019-2023 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® for Natural Resources and Water Law.
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