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Native Americans face unique legal challenges that are becoming ever more complex in today's changing world. We pride ourselves on our historic work with tribal leaders, program staff and reservation attorneys across the country to problem-solve and identify innovative solutions to both new and age-old problems.
For more than 30 years, our attorneys have relied upon their unparalleled experience to navigate – and where necessary, to pave the way – through the complicated terrain that lies at the crossroads of federal, tribal and state laws and their associated regulations. By understanding the unique nature of Indian law, our attorneys are positioned to meet the diverse needs and interests of Native American tribes, tribal business enterprises and other tribal instrumentalities. This unique expertise is invaluable not only for our tribal clients, but also for non-tribal clients who seek to conduct business in Indian Country.
Although our goal is to resolve matters whenever possible by working collaboratively with federal agencies, state and local governments, other tribes and private entities, our attorneys have extensive experience litigating issues that are unique to tribes. We have successfully represented tribes in federal district courts, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court, tribal courts and administrative agencies.
For more information, select one of the topics listed below.
- Tribal sovereignty and governance
- Jurisdiction and venue matters
- Drafting and revising tribal laws, ordinances, resolutions, bylaws and codes
- Legislative counseling and advocacy
- Tribal business regulatory compliance
- Real estate, land use and fee-to-trust transactions
- Reservation boundary disputes
- Construction projects on tribal lands
- Government permits and approvals
- Federal, tribal and state taxation issues
- Labor and employment issues
- Bankruptcy protection
- Public and media relations
- Public involvement and stakeholder issues management
Tribal Environment & Natural Resources Law
- Tribal environmental program development
- Treaty-based hunting and fishing rights and reserved water rights
- Cultural resource and sacred site protection
- Treatment-as-state status under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act
- Federal environmental grants and funding
- Tribal brownfields redevelopment
- Intergovernmental cooperative agreements and state-tribal compacts
- Natural resource damage claims
- National Environmental Policy Act compliance
- Tribal Endangered Species Act issues
- Pollution prevention in economic development
- Hydropower dam relicensing under FERC
Our attorneys regularly prepare and present articles and presentations to local, regional and national audiences on issues of concern to Native Americans.
Our Tribal Practice Group conducts an annual Tribal environmental seminar (TES) for Tribal leaders, Tribal environmental program managers and in-house counsel. The theme for our TES 2009 was “Assessing natural resource damage in Tribal areas and how to protect the Tribe’s natural resources for future generations.” A copy of the agenda and selected presentations are attached. [Move the cursor over a presentation topic or the speaker to hotlink to the relevant Powerpoint slides.] 2009 Tribal Environmental Seminar
Tribal Law Attorneys
Richard Du Bey, chair