Rosemary J. Beless

Rosemary J. Beless is a premier attorney in natural resources and environmental law. She focuses on water rights, mining, oil and gas, condemnation, and public lands. Rosemary has been recognized for her excellence with awards like “Lawyer of the Year” for Natural Resources Law in Utah in 2021.

Rosemary earned her B.A. in English, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Utah and Newcomb College, Tulane University. She then received her M.A. in English from the University of Utah, followed by her Ph.D. in English. Finally, she achieved her J.D. from the University of Utah College of Law, where she was a Senior Editor of the Utah Law Review.

Over her career, Rosemary has handled complex water rights cases before Utah courts and administrative agencies. She has secured major wins for large entities like Utah National Guard, Granite School District, and many others in water adjudication. In environmental law, Rosemary has helped cities, developers, and landowners manage contamination at Superfund sites. She secured insurance coverage for costly cleanups and negotiated settlements with regulatory agencies to resolve complex disputes.

In oil and gas law, Rosemary represented parties in landmark Utah cases, including Cowling v. Board of Oil, Gas & Mining. She continues to assist in matters involving long lateral wells and multi-million-dollar property sales for energy development.

Rosemary J. Beless regularly appears before key regulatory bodies, successfully advancing her clients’ interests in complex matters of law and property rights. She has helped coal and hard-rock mining clients with lease compliance, reclamation, and environmental permitting. Her condemnation work includes defending water rights and real estate in high-stakes federal and state cases.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney/Of Counsel, Fabian VanCott
• Member, Utah State Bar
• Chairman, Utah Mining Association

Licensed State

• Utah

Education

• University of Utah College of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Utah
  PhD in English
• University of Utah
  MA in English
• University of Utah and Newcomb College, Tulane University, New Orleans, La.
  BA in English with Magna Cum Laude

Awards & Badges