Del Laverdure, JD

Del Laverdure is an enrolled citizen of the Crow Nation and is a member of the Ties the Bundle Clan on his Mother’s side.  He is a descendant of the Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians on his father’s side.  Over his career, Del has served many tribal nations in a variety of capacities and assisted with large scale gaming development projects, assessment, negotiation, and implementation of several federal Indian water settlements, energy and tax counsel on several large projects, tax and energy legislation in Congress, and intergovernmental relations at all levels on a wide spectrum of issues.

Prior to private practice over the past 7 years, including positions as counselor to the Crow Nation and Strategic Advisor with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP in Washington D.C., Del was appointed by President Obama and served 3.5 years at the Department of the Interior as Acting Assistant Secretary, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C.  Laverdure had oversight of 10,000 employees, a $2.5 billion dollar annual budget, numerous programs and policy initiatives, and also engaged in political relations with the entire federal government on Indian issues (e.g., staff on Capitol Hill, the White House, and other federal agencies).  

Before his federal appointment, Mr. Laverdure was Chief Legal Counsel for the Executive Branch of the Crow Nation and worked on federal Indian water legislation (culminating in a $460 million dollar settlement), tax issues (federal, state, tribal and county), large scale energy projects, and submission of tribal and state legislation.  Mr. Laverdure has held numerous tribal judgeships, was an assistant professor of law, and was a director of two Indian law centers. 

Del has testified more than a dozen times before Congress.  Mr. Laverdure earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1995 from the University of Arizona and his J.D. in 1999 from the University of Wisconsin Law School.