Rhett A. Billingsley is a director in Fennemore Craig Attorneys’ natural resources, energy and environmental law practice group, where he specializes in the areas of water and environmental law. He has 15 years of experience helping municipal, residential development, agricultural, industrial, energy and mining clients to develop practical solutions to water resource and environmental permitting issues. Mr. Billingsley has successfully represented clients in both the public and private sector, including serving as outside counsel to Fortune 500 companies and working as in-house counsel with the Central Arizona Project. Mr. Billingsley has extensive experience in all areas of water law, including Arizona’s assured and adequate water supply programs, due diligence investigations and acquisition of surface water and groundwater rights (including Colorado River and Central Arizona Project entitlements), well sharing agreements, negotiation of development agreements with municipalities, water conservation and drought planning, underground water storage and recovery permitting, federal and Indian reserved water rights, and subflow issues. He has represented clients in the Gila River General Stream Adjudication and other complex water litigation, and in drafting and lobbying water resources legislation.

Fred Breedlove is an attorney at Snell and Wilmer in Phoenix, Arizona, where he focuses his practice in environmental and natural resources. His previous experience includes managing the natural resource programs for the Arizona State Land Department, serving as legislative liaison for the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and as an attorney at Squire Patton Boggs. Mr. Breedlove has worked closely with ranchers and farmers to address resource management concerns including water availability, cultural resources, grassland restoration, invasive species, and environmental contamination. Mr. Breedlove has represented mining companies, land developers, private water and energy utility businesses, government agencies, and investment firms while in private practice, primarily on water resource planning and development matters.

D. Lee Decker is a shareholder with the Phoenix law firm of Gallagher & Kennedy. For over 28 years he has represented mining and other industry sectors in Arizona (and surrounding states) with respect to various state and federal-based water quality and mine reclamation and closure programs, including the aquifer protection permit program, Arizona’s pollutant discharge elimination system permit program, impaired water determinations and listings, development and implementation of total maximum daily load requirements, mined land reclamation and closure, development of surface and aquifer water quality standards, and state certification of federal water quality permits/approvals. He participates actively as a member of the Arizona Mining Association and Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and he lobbies federal and state governmental agencies on water quality statutory, regulatory, and policy-based issues to the benefit of industry in Arizona. He currently serves as the vice chair for the Arizona Mining Association’s Water Quality Subcommittee. He also serves as the co-chair of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry Water Quality Subcommittee (formerly the Arizona Association of Industries Water Quality Subcommittee), a position he has filled since 2001. He is a fifth generation native of Arizona, having spent his early years (until college) in the northeastern Arizona town of Snowflake while working on his parents’ farm and cattle ranch.

Creighton P. Dixon is an attorney with Snell & Wilmer. Along with his litigation practice, he advises clients on water law issues. This includes helping clients in various industries, ranging from developers to mines, with issues relating to water rights, supply and transfer.

Sean T. Hood of Fennemore Craig Attorneys is a water lawyer and litigator with more than 15 years of experience advising Fortune 500 companies and local water users on a broad range of surface water and groundwater issues. He has wide-ranging trial experience in complex water rights litigation in state and federal court, and he has been lead counsel to resolve contested water right claims in the Gila River General Stream Adjudication. Mr. Hood handles cases throughout the West, including Arizona, California, Colorado, and Nevada. He practices regularly at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts, as well as before a variety of administrative boards and commissions. Mr. Hood is an author on various natural resources topics, including implementation of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).