William L. Rasmussen

Representative Experience

• Administrative Law Plus

  • Oregon Administrative Law Counsel. Represented clients in a diversity of matters before Oregon administrative agencies, including the Oregon Agriculture Department, Construction Contractors Board, Department of Administrative Services, Department of Energy, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Department of Land Conservation and Development, Department of Transportation, Environmental Quality Commission, Forestry Department, Land Use Board of Appeals, Liquor Control Commission, Office of Administrative Hearings, Parks and Recreation Department, State Athletic Commission, State Lottery, and Water Resources Department.

  • Portland Administrative Law Counsel. Represented clients in a diversity of permitting, enforcement, and appeal matters before City of Portland bureaus and offices, including the Bureau of Development Services, Bureau of Environmental Service, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, Bureau of Revenue, Bureau of Transportation, Housing Bureau, Water Bureau, Hearings Office, Revenue Office, and City Council.

  • Lottery Enforcement Response. Respond to enforcement actions by the Oregon State Lottery, including appeal and negotiation with Oregon State Lottery to obtain withdrawal of lottery retailer contract termination order.

  • Lottery Licensing. Obtained lottery retailer contract approval at sensitive Oregon State Lottery retail locations.

  • OLCC Enforcement Response. Appeal alleged violations of Oregon Liquor Control Commission rules and, when appropriate, obtain dismissal of alleged violations, including allegations of permitting unlawful activity.

  • OLCC Licensing. Obtained liquor license for retail establishments in sensitive locations and appeal proposed restrictions on liquor licenses.

  • Public Records Counsel. Successfully compelled production of public records and blocked the release of confidential records requested under Oregon’s public records laws. Represented clients at all levels of public records disputes, including within the custodian public body, before the district attorney and attorney general, and in court. Developed deep knowledge of Oregon public records laws and strategies to encourage or discourage the release of records.

• Land Use Plus

  • Coastal Development. Obtained the first ever Oregon Statewide Planning Goal 18 exception to place ocean-front protective structures to prevent catastrophic loss of prominent resort from erosion.

  • Revetment Permitting. Successfully obtained permits from local jurisdictions and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to place ocean-front protective structures to prevent coastal erosion in front of resorts, commercial properties, and oceanfront homes.

  • Zoning and Comprehensive Plan Change Applications. Managed applications to change zoning and comprehensive plan designations, and for development of large parcels inside Metro Urban Growth Boundary.

  • Residential Land Development. Obtained permits for and successfully defended application for residential development in Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Cannon Beach, Bend, and many other Oregon cities and counties. Successfully defended approvals at the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

  • Land Use Appeals. Represented public and private parties in appeals before local hearings officers, elected officials, and the Land Use Board of Appeals.

  • Land Use Permitting. Obtained conditional use, subdivision, partition, property-line adjustment, variance, master plan, development agreement, and other land use approvals to meet client goals for development projects.

  • Aquatic Habitat Restoration Counsel. Advised Northwest tribes on real estate, land use, and regulatory requirements to breach federally permitted dikes and allow tidal inundation of lands to facilitate salmon habitat restoration.

  • Rural Development. Obtained statewide planning goal exception, zoning map amendment, and comprehensive plan map amendment to facilitate industrial development on rural land.

  • Complex Development Due Diligence. Assessed feasibility of obtaining all local, state, and federal permits necessary to develop multibillion-dollar energy facility, including timeline for permitting sequence and assessment of risk of denial for key project components.

  • Transportation Development. Advise Portland’s regional transportation agency on infrastructure permitting and condemnation.

• Energy Plus

  • Fuel Distribution Counsel. Ongoing counsel to primary fuel suppliers of the Pacific Northwest on local and state legislative matters.

  • Energy Permitting. Obtain local approvals to expand infrastructure for traditional energy companies.

  • Legislative Appeals. Twice successfully appealed City of Portland ordinances targeting fuel infrastructure projects, invalidating the ordinances.

  • Renewable Energy Development. Prepared easements and address land use issues for wind and solar development projects.

  • Wave-Energy Counsel. Counseled nonprofit with the mission of promoting wave energy in Oregon to help streamline the process for siting wave-energy projects in Oregon.

• Cannabis & Marijuana Plus

  • Cannabis Counsel. Provided ongoing counsel to the leading cannabis retail, production, and processing companies, including delivery of positive outcomes for business transaction, real estate, litigation, regulatory, and enforcement issues.

  • Cannabis Real Estate Services. Performs real estate and land use due diligence for cannabis-related clients to assess the suitability of a potential site for clients’ purposes and for conformance with applicable regulations.

  • Cannabis Policy Leadership. Spearhead industry initiatives for clients with state and local policy leaders to develop rule changes friendly to fast growing cannabis companies.

  • Cannabis Enforcement Response. Represent cannabis clients in defending against OLCC enforcement actions. Successfully prevented numerous license cancellations for clients.

• Real Estate Plus

  • Complex Lease Agreements. Represented landlords and occasionally tenants in drafting and negotiating lease agreements for multifamily, office, retail, industrial, farm, and raw land properties.

  • Complex Easement Drafting. Prepared easements to address client access, maintenance, utility, and use needs.

  • Complex Real Estate Transactions. Structure purchase and sale agreements for development land, partially entitled land, and unique real estate subject to site-specific government approvals.

  • Real Estate Acquisition and Redevelopment. Assisted nonprofit client with hotel acquisition and redevelopment into transitional housing, including all aspects of due diligence and collaboration with their funding partner.