Turtle Talk

More details on the Harvard conference here (HLS Conference Schedule FINAL)

From the FBA:

Dear Indian Law Section Members:

It is with great pleasure that we announce to you a new, free program offering from the Federal Bar Association. Indian Law Section member Professor Robert Anderson, currently serving as the Oneida Nation Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School, has put together a fantastic two-day conference on Tribal Courts and the Federal System. The conference is set to take place in Cambridge, Massachusetts November 8 and 9, 2012, and features a number of tribal leaders and prominent Indian Law scholars and policy-makers. As a service to our members, the Indian Law Section is sponsoring live-streaming of this event via our website at www.fedbar.org. Indian Law Section members will be able to enjoy the entirety of the two-day conference free via the internet broadcast.

A full conference agenda is attached, and also pasted below. This conference will bring together tribal judges and attorneys, tribal, state, and federal government policymakers, and scholars to explore issues Indian tribal courts currently face in criminal and civil enforcement, jurisdiction, and lawmaking. The first of its kind at Harvard Law School, the conference promises to provide expert dialogue on the latest developments in tribal civil and criminal jurisdiction and to increase awareness within the legal community of the unique place of tribal courts in the federal system.

During the first day, the conference will focus upon the work of the Tribal Law and Order Commission, which Congress established in the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. Because the Commission’s work focuses upon criminal jurisdiction, the panels on the first day will address criminal law enforcement in Indian Country, tribal criminal jurisdiction, and intergovernmental cooperation in criminal enforcement. We are fortunate to have the new Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Kevin Washburn, to provide the keynote address. The second day will turn to tribal civil jurisdiction, with a half-day session on the federal common law rules affecting tribal adjudicatory and regulatory authority as well as a discussion of tribal lawmaking. The conference closes with an address from the Honorable Hilary Tompkins, Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior.

The conference will be an opportunity for tribal judges, attorneys, and officials to meet with federal and state judges and officials as well as academics for focused discussions of pressing issues in tribal civil and criminal theory and practice. We are delighted to be able to make this conference accessible to our membership around the country.

To access the live-streaming broadcast on the day of the event, Indian Law Section members should please visit http://www.fedbar.org/TribalCourts2012. Pre-registration is not necessary for this event. If you require assistance with your Section log-in credentials, please contact Sherwin Valerio at svalerio@fedbar.org.

This conference event replaces, on a trial basis, our annual D.C. Indian Law Conference, which we have traditionally offered in November. We are hopeful that our Section members will find this conference thought-provoking and meaningful and will also enjoy the opportunity to take advantage of this great programming from the comfort of your own homes or offices. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Best,

Jennifer Weddle, Indian Law Section Chair

Bravo!!!!