About Ryan

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.

Practice Areas

Education

• Arizona State University (Phoenix), J.D., graduated 1998
• Arizona State University, B.A., graduated 1995

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia, District of Columbia Bar
• Arizona, State Bar of Arizona
• Arizona, District of Arizona
• United States, U.S. Supreme Court
• United States, Ninth Circuit
• District of Columbia, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia

Languages