Stoel Rives Appoints Elizabeth Ewens and Tyler Clarke to Join Adam Dittman as Co-Leaders of Agribusiness Group

PORTLAND, Ore.—Stoel Rives, an AmLaw 200 law firm, today announced that partners Elizabeth P. Ewens and Tyler M. Clarke will join Adam Dittman as co-leaders of the firm’s Agribusiness Industry Group. The trio brings decades of experience advising clients across a broad spectrum of the agribusiness sector, including the agriculture, food, dairy, timber, forest products, beverage and alcohol industries on all aspects of law and their business operations.

“I look forward to serving as a co-leader of this talented group of lawyers. I am constantly inspired by the depth of knowledge and passion each member of the group brings to their work every day,” said Ewens. “I’m proud to work alongside them.”

The Agribusiness Industry Group offers transactional, regulatory, financing, and corporate experience to leading companies at every tier of the agribusiness industry. The group is comprised of an interdisciplinary team that understands the operational, regulatory, tax, lending, and land use issues, at hand, and offers deep-rooted passion for and personal interest in food and where it comes from.

Over the past seven years, Dittman has led the Agribusiness Industry Group with former co-leaders Kirk Maag and Todd Friedman, who are stepping down from the position to focus on their active legal practices. Under their leadership, the group transformed from regionally focused practice to one with a substantial national footprint offering full service legal representation to leading agribusiness, timber and forest product companies from coast to coast. The firm represents clients across the agribusiness supply chain from farm to fork including growing, processing, distribution, and marketing. It has also developed nationally respected practice providing full service to clients in the timber and forest product industries, including being part of some of the largest timberlands transactions in the United States over the last several decades. Additionally, it represents clients in environmental and natural resource matters and litigation, timberland and renewable energy development and in real estate development and land use.

“Kirk and Todd are two incredibly talented attorneys; their leadership and strategic vision contributed greatly to the growth and strength of our group and the firm and the industry is better for it,” said Dittman. “I look forward to continuing the co-leadership of this group with Elizabeth and Tyler, and know the energy they will bring to the group’s leadership team will yield continued success in the coming years.”

Elizabeth P. Ewens is a water resources attorney who advises on the preservation and defense of water rights, water rights management and regulation, and the representation of parties in water and environmental litigation, including comprehensive groundwater adjudications. She represents public water suppliers, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies, State Water Project (SWP), Central Valley Project (CVP) contractors, and private individuals and entities in complex transactions involving water assets and water resources litigation involving both surface and groundwater rights.

Tyler M. Clarke represents clients in complex real estate transactions, with a focus on the agricultural, timber, vineyard, and renewable energy sectors. Tyler has advised clients throughout the country and across industries and asset classes, ranging from office, multifamily, and industrial developments in urban areas to farmland, timberland, and vineyard transactions. He has advised on a number of renewable energy projects, including renewable natural gas, solar, and wind energy projects. He also represents clients in the real estate aspects of M&A transactions.

“Adam, Kirk and Todd have outdone themselves in building an industry-leading legal practice, and I could not be happier to continue in their footsteps providing practical solutions to help solve our client’s challenges,” said Clarke.