Warren Mark Denetsosie | Attorney

Navajo.  Admitted to Arizona Bar in 1998 and the Navajo Nation Bar 1998.

Education:  University of California at Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), Berkeley, California, Juris Doctor, May 1998.  Honors:  Best Oralist Award (Moot Court), High Honors in Anthropology of Law, Honors in Contracts, William S. Martel Scholarship, American Indian Graduate Center Scholarship; Navajo Nation Graduate Scholarship.  Activities:  Native American Law Students Association President (1996-97); National Native American Law Students Association, West Coast Representative (1996-97); Hopi Tribal Court Project (1995-1998); Environmental Law Quarterly, Associate Editor (1996-97).  Pre-Law Summer Institute, University of New Mexico, School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Summer, 1995.  Honors:  Best Overall Student and Best Performance in Indian Taxation.  Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, B.A. Economics, March, 1993.  Honors:  Charles Eastman Award for Community Service.  Activities:  Native Americans at Dartmouth (President, 1991), founded and organized the Native American Admissions Committee (1992-93), Peer Counselor (1992-9l3).  University of Arizona, B.A. Candidate.  Transferred to Dartmouth College, 1991.

Member:  Member of the Arizona and Navajo Nation Bars.

Employment:  Mr. Denetsosie, Window Rock currently represents several Navajo Nation enterprises and/or corporations, including the Navajo Nation's utility company, shopping center corporation, arts and crafts enterprise, tribal radio station, and school board association, in addition to private businesses operating in the Window Rock area.  Areas of expertise include utility and energy law, commercial transactions, commercial litigation, governmental relations, labor disputes, and federal, tribal and state tax matters.  February 2003 to Present.

Between March 2000 and February 2003, Mr. Denetsosie was an associate at Denetsosie Law Office in Window Rock, Arizona.  In that position, he was responsible for general commercial litigation, taxation and labor matters; also responsible for reviewing and negotiating electricity, transmission, natural gas supply, financing agreements, leases, rights-of-way, software license and various consulting agreements for a large tribally owned utility, numerous other tribal enterprises and numerous on- and off-reservation private business entities and individuals.

From June 1998 to March 2000, Mr. Denetsosie was an associate at Lewis and Roca LLP.  There, he oversaw the defense of numerous business lawsuits ranging in value from $50,000 to $1 million, and was responsible for researching and assisted other attorneys in defending lawsuits up to $100 million, and was responsible for researching and analyzing Indian matters for other attorneys.

During law school, Mr. Denetsosie worked at Lewis and Roca, LLP, the Nordhaus Law Firm, and Denetosie Law Office.

Mr. Denetsosie has also worked as an economist for the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development.  In that position, Mr. Denetsosie advised the Executive Director, Economic Development Committee and other offices on Indian gaming, business leasing and the Navajo Business Preference Law.

Finally, Mr. Denetsosie has also worked as a legislative advisor to the Navajo Nation Office of Legislative Services from July 1993 to January 1994.  In that position, Mr. Denetsosie gave technical advice and assistance to the Economic Development Committee and numerous governmental offices in preparing and presenting legislation.  Projects include gaming, proposed revision of the governmental lease approval process, and revision of hearing procedural rules for the Committee.