Regina Buono

Hi, I'm Regina M. Buono, an attorney working on water, legislative, and endangered species issues in Austin, Texas.

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Regina M. Buono focuses her practice in the areas of water law, government relations, legislative drafting, administrative law, and corporate and business transactions. She has extensive legislative drafting experience, having worked with the Texas Legislative Council and for Governor Rick Perry. Regina has provided legislative advice for clients on a wide variety of issues, including groundwater rights, motor fuels tax, sales tax exemptions, motor vehicle sales tax, financial regulation, occupational regulation, and the regulation of electric cooperatives and other utilities. She drafted the initial versions of Senate Bill 332, which addressed the ownership of groundwater in the 82nd Legislative Session.   Regina represents clients in all manner of water rights issues, including water permitting matters, water rights disputes, water lease and sale transactions, inverse condemnation proceedings, and regulatory compliance. She also works on issues under the Endangered Species Act and on matters regarding the regulation and governance of utilities in Texas.

Associate at McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, L.L.P.

July 2008 - Present | Austin, Texas

Provide legal counsel to clients in a variety of areas including water law, the Endangered Species Act, administrative law, and legislative matters. Representative experience: (1) Working with stakeholders and partners to create regional conservation credit exchange system to promote environmental stewardship and prevent listing of candidate species as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2) Secured Public Utility Commission decision not to route transmission lines across client property by researching, authoring a compelling brief, and preparing supporting documents to align allied parties to support favorable decision. (3) Supported senior partner in passing high-profile bill to clarify groundwater rights of client by researching current water case and statutory laws, developing white papers to educate legislature, writing the bill, crafting amendments, and creating talking points to support and sell position. (4) Educated legislators to prevent passage of proposed 'at-the-rack' gasoline tax detrimental to client's agenda, while drafting alternative legislative solution palatable to both positions.

Legislative Consultant at Self-employed

February 2008 - July 2008 | Austin, Texas

Provided legal research, legislative drafting, and strategy services to assist lobbyists at the Texas Capitol. Provided legislative consulting services to the Employees Retirement System of Texas, including drafting of interim reports and other correspondence to facilitate relations with the Texas Legislature. Conducted research and analysis for white papers on retirement issues as needed.

Assistant General Counsel at Office of the Governor of Texas

March 2007 - August 2007 | Austin, Texas

Provided legal counsel on diverse issues including government contracts, land patents, deeds and easements, executions, pardons, and legislation. Representative experience: (1) Provided legal and legislative drafting recommendations at stakeholder meetings involving the Governor's staff and members of the Texas Legislature; drafted amendatory language to enact policy priorities. (2) As part of a team of two, reviewed and revised all summaries of enrolled legislation and policy recommendations drafted by policy staff prior to presentation to Governor for review and veto decision.

Legislative Counsel at Texas Legislative Council

August 2004 - March 2007 | Austin, Texas

Provided legal services for members of the Texas Legislature. Collaborated with legislators and legislative staff to draft legislation and achieve objectives consistent with each office's agenda. Subject areas of experience: water law, natural resources, the judiciary, criminal law, and education. Representative experience: (1) Facilitated large pay increases for Texas state judges by researching current law on judicial salaries, collaborating with Senate staff to draft bill, and rapidly drafting amendments in response to changing negotiations between stakeholders; this bill was profiled in The Economist magazine. (2) As a second-year attorney, received accolades for lead project management of reorganization and revision of Texas Government Code chapters listing all judicial/court/criminal fees mandated by Texas statutes.

The University of Texas School of Law

2001 – 2004

J.D. with honors

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

1996 – 2000

B.A., summa cum laude

Concentration: International Relations and Political Science (dual majors)

Universitat de Valencia

1999 – 1999

Middlebury College Spanish Language School

1997 – 1997

NA

Concentration: Spanish

Fayetteville High School

1993 – 1996

Water policy, international law, Austin Public Library Friends Foundation, baking, reading, running, travel, languages, European football