Deborah Wordham

Of Counsel

Los Angeles
300 South Grand Avenue
25th Floor
213-787-2542

Deborah Wordham’s practice areas include water rights, water quality, endangered species, the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and related fields of environmental and natural resources law at both the state and federal levels. As a deputy attorney general with the California Attorney General’s office from 2001 through 2011, Deborah represented several state natural resources agencies both as litigation counsel and in-house counsel.

Her representation of state agencies involved the biological opinions for the operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project, amendments to State Water Contractors’ long-term water contracts, California and federal Endangered Species Act litigation, streambed alteration agreements, cleanup and abatement actions, and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) cost recovery settlements. She has also advised state boards and commissions as in-house counsel.

Prior to joining Best Best & Krieger LLP, Deborah was in-house at The Nature Conservancy, where she advised on California water rights and water resources. While at The Nature Conservancy, Deborah participated in complex stakeholder negotiations related to the State Water Resources Control Board’s update of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing, and advised The Nature Conservancy on elements of the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan.

Deborah works with clients on implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, updating urban water management plans and responding to the State Water Board’s drought regulations.

Education

• Whittier College School of Law, J.D.
• University of Western Ontario

Bar Admissions

• California

Deborah Wordham

Of Counsel

• “Alert: 2015 Urban Water Management Plan," Best Best & Krieger LLP Information Sheet, 2015
• "The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act," Best Best & Krieger LLP Information Sheet, 2015