Ryan A. Smith
Native American Law
Native American Law
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Chair of the firm’s Natural Resources Department and the American Indian Law & Policy Group. Represents tribal nations, those doing business with tribes and western water districts. Proven ability to resolve natural resource and water disputes before Congress and the Department of the Interior.Ryan Smith represents tribes, water districts and corporations before Congress, the Department of the Interior and the courts on tribal issues and Western natural resource issues. He has significant government and private practice experience working on matters relating to Indian water rights; Colorado River and western water issues; lands into trust; and tribal gaming issues.Ryan has been the lead on several major Indian water settlements, ushering a number of settlements through Congress while serving in government and in private practice. In addition, he has been instrumental in the development of federal policy relating to western natural resources the Colorado River, water management and federal funding for Indian country.Before joining Brownstein, Ryan served as a senior legislative advisor to former Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on water and tribal issues and served as deputy counsel for the Arizona Department of Water Resources, advising the state of Arizona on Colorado River, tribal and water banking matters. Chair of the firm’s Natural Resources Department and the American Indian Law & Policy Group. Represents tribal nations, those doing business with tribes and western water districts. Proven ability to resolve natural resource and water disputes before Congress and the Department of the Interior.Ryan Smith represents tribes, water districts and corporations before Congress, the Department of the Interior and the courts on tribal issues and Western natural resource issues. He has significant government and private practice experience working on matters relating to Indian water rights; Colorado River and western water issues; lands into trust; and tribal gaming issues.Ryan has been the lead on several major Indian water settlements, ushering a number of settlements through Congress while serving in government and in private practice. In addition, he has been instrumental in the development of federal policy relating to western natural resources the Colorado River, water management and federal funding for Indian country.Before joining Brownstein, Ryan served as a senior legislative advisor to former Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on water and tribal issues and served as deputy counsel for the Arizona Department of Water Resources, advising the state of Arizona on Colorado River, tribal and water banking matters. Chair of the firm’s Natural Resources Department and the American Indian Law & Policy Group. Represents tribal nations, those doing business with tribes and western water districts. Proven ability to resolve natural resource and water disputes before Congress and the Department of the Interior. Ryan Smith represents tribes, water districts and corporations before Congress, the Department of the Interior and the courts on tribal issues and Western natural resource issues. He has significant government and private practice experience working on matters relating to Indian water rights; Colorado River and western water issues; lands into trust; and tribal gaming issues. Ryan has been the lead on several major Indian water settlements, ushering a number of settlements through Congress while serving in government and in private practice. In addition, he has been instrumental in the development of federal policy relating to western natural resources the Colorado River, water management and federal funding for Indian country. Before joining Brownstein, Ryan served as a senior legislative advisor to former Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on water and tribal issues and served as deputy counsel for the Arizona Department of Water Resources, advising the state of Arizona on Colorado River, tribal and water banking matters.
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2020
Stephen Howard
Ryan Smith provided exceptional counsel to our organization during a sensitive negotiation with a tribal nation regarding a land use agreement. His deep knowledge of Native American law and administrative regulations was immediately apparent and proved invaluable. Having chaired the firm's Natural Resources Department, he navigated the intricate federal and tribal regulatory frameworks with a steady hand, anticipating challenges we hadn't considered. His 27 years of experience, particularly his recognized work in government relations, gave him the credibility to facilitate productive discussions between all parties. While his billing rates reflect his top-tier expertise, communication response times could occasionally be slower during peak periods. Overall, Ryan's strategic insight was instrumental in achieving a fair and durable outcome for our project.