Lynn Cardey-Yates served for many years as an officer and chief counsel for various divisions of a large, multi-national mining company. Her experience enables her to provide practical, business-focused guidance to her clients on domestic and international transactional, compliance, governance, community, and other issues. 

Capabilities

Biography

Lynn Cardey-Yates is of counsel in the firm’s Environmental, Energy & Natural Resources Department in the firm’s Salt Lake City office. She was a shareholder and member of the board of directors of the firm before joining Rio Tinto, a large multi-national mining company.

At Rio Tinto, she served in various roles, including:

  • Vice President, Sustainable Development for Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper, a large domestic mining operation, leading Kennecott’s health, safety, permitting, and environmental teams, overseeing energy programs, and managing all water and land resources, including the award winning Daybreak master planned community.
  • Vice President – Legal of Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper, managing all of Kennecott’s legal issues.
  • Member of the Executive Committee of Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper, with an overall management and leadership role.
  • Vice President and General Counsel of the historic Kennecott group of companies, with responsibility for the legal issues for over 50 North American companies.
  • Chief counsel for Rio Tinto’s global procurement function.

Lynn also was a partner in a boutique oil and gas firm in the early years of her practice. Lynn has been a member of the Executive Committee of the American Exploration and Mining Association and was a Trustee of the organization's Board. Lynn also has served as a board member of The Nature Conservancy in Utah and trustee-at-large of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation.

Accomplishments

Academic

Western State College (B.A. Business Administration, 1977)

Cum Laude

University of Denver, (J.D.,1981)

Professional

Recognized in Best Lawyers in America

Associations

Professional

Executive Committee, American Exploration and Mining Association 
(2017 to 2019)

Trustee, American Exploration and Mining Association
(2015 to 2017)

Trustee-at-Large, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
(2012 - 2014)

Board Member, The Nature Conservancy in Utah (2011 - 2013)

Utah Clean Cities (2012 - 2013)

Community

American Diabetes Association, Utah (1992-1998)

Grade school presentations on Sustainable Development and teaching Spanish

Insights

Credentials

Licensed

Colorado
Montana
Utah
Wyoming

Education

University of Denver College of Law