Somach Simmons & Dunn | Attorneys at Law

Michael Daugherty represents public and private parties in complex matters involving water and other natural resources throughout the West. Michael combines his experience working for several premier Colorado water law firms with a unique perspective gained through his work in Indian Country, including as in-house natural resources counsel to the Navajo Nation. Michael provides legal advice regarding water rights, water quality, and land use to a variety of clients, including public entities, ranches, resorts, and universities.

Michael has experience handling complex water rights matters throughout Colorado, including in the water courts for all seven of the state’s water divisions. Michael helps municipal water suppliers with complex integrated water systems protect and expand their water rights portfolios, private property owners understand their decreed and undecreed water rights, and ditch companies and private developers negotiate ditch crossing and improvement agreements. Michael also represents parties in state rulemaking hearings before the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission and Parks and Wildlife Commission, negotiates water service agreements between water users and water providers throughout the state, and advises clients on water rights administration by the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

Michael’s experience living and working in Indian Country also makes him uniquely qualified to handle complex water rights matters that involve tribal interests. Prior to joining the firm, Michael worked in the Navajo Nation’s attorney general office, providing legal advice and representation to the Navajo Nation departments of land, fish and wildlife, historic preservation, and environmental protection. Key matters worked on include the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, landmark legislation that increased tribal authority over leasing and permitting on tribal land, and formal negotiations with the National Park Service regarding wilderness designations and the State of Utah regarding off-reservation hunting rights. His first position after law school graduation was with DNA-People’s Legal Services, where he worked as a public defender for the Hopi Tribe.

Beyond his law practice, Michael enjoys exploring the outdoors in Colorado and around the world. Michael has traveled extensively, including a year backpacking through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, and he spent a winter teaching Spanish-language ski lessons in Vail, CO. While working on the Navajo Nation, Michael lived in a remote location with no electricity on the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. Michael currently lives in Denver with his dog, Rosie, and enjoys skiing, camping, and seeing live music on the weekends.