Dentons, the global law firm, today named John C. Bezdek as counsel in the Firm's nationally ranked Native American Law practice.

Bezdek, drawing on more than 20 years of experience at the forefront of water and tribal resource issues, will help tribes , as well as non-tribal water users, establish, protect and utilize their water rights. Most recently, he served as counselor to the Deputy Secretary of the US Department of the Interior, where he helped develop strategies to address the effect of drought and climate change, while also leading several multi-party negotiations on complex water issues.

"John is an excellent addition to our Native American Law practice and reaffirms our commitment to adding experienced attorneys who share our desire to provide valuable counsel for tribes across the US," said US managing partner Mike McNamara.

Prior to his work at the US Department of the Interior, Bezdek served as the assistant solicitor for water and power resources within the department, where he was responsible for overseeing all legal matters related to the administration and operation of Bureau of Reclamation projects and programs. In addition, he served as the Deputy Director of Interior's Indian Water Rights Office under Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, where he directed the efforts of 21 negotiating teams and worked directly with tribal governments, stakeholders and the Congress on numerous settlements.

Bezdek also has a long history of working with farmers, ranchers, municipalities, and environmental organizations to develop innovative strategies to resolve water rights disputes and water supply issues while also addressing regulatory concerns such as the Endangered Species Act. Bezdek was also key in developing and implementing a new paradigm for public/private partnerships in the financing of water storage and distribution facilities.

"John is a highly-skilled and very experienced negotiator, who, over the course of his career, has routinely been asked to resolve some of the most complex and intractable water issues in the United States," said Heather Sibbison, chair of Dentons' Native American Law practice. "His experience complements our strengths of helping clients construct strategies that address the frequent interplay of the courts, the regulatory role of federal agencies and the realities of the current political landscape"

Bezdek earned his JD from the Southern University Law Center. He holds an LLM from George Washington University School of Law and a BGS from Louisiana State University.

Dentons' Native American Law practice is nationally ranked by Chambers USA as one of the best Native American law practices in the US and was listed by US News & World Report as the 2017 "Law Firm of the Year" in Native American Law. The practice counts more than 20 lawyers and public policy professionals who have served in tribal government -- including a former tribal president -- the US Congress, and federal agencies most directly involved in American Indian, Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian issues, including: the Department of the Interior; the Department of Justice and the National Indian Gaming Commission.

About Dentons

Dentons is the world's largest law firm, delivering quality and value to clients around the globe. Dentons is a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index, a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service, including founding Nextlaw Labs and the Nextlaw Global Referral Network. Dentons' polycentric approach and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client interests in the communities in which we live and work. www.dentons.com