2021 FBA [Virtual] Indian Law Conference — April 8-9, 2021

Details here.

Agenda

Thursday, April 8

11:30 am – 1:00 pm ET | Opening Session

  • Opening Prayer & Invocation
    • Whitney Gravelle, Bay Mills Indian Community Chairwoman
  • Welcome Remarks
    • W. West Allen, Federal Bar Association President
    • Ann Tweedy, Indian Law Section Chair
  • Keynote Presentation
    • Rep. Sharice Davids, U.S. Congress – 3rd District of Kansas
  • Lawrence R. Baca Lifetime Achievement Awards Presentation

1:30 – 3:00 pm ET | Concurrent Panels

Sports Betting: Exploring a New Landscape in Tribal Gaming
This panel will discuss recent developments in tribal sports betting, highlighting key regulatory and business considerations. Attendees will learn about sports betting across different jurisdictions, including what tribes have done to work with state legislatures to legalize and implement sports betting, and what is and isn’t permitted in different jurisdictions. Attendees will also learn about the financial outlook for sports betting.

  • Brie Coyle Jones, Partner, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP
  • Kathryn Isom-Clause, Vice Chair, National Indian Gaming Commission*
  • Jeremy Patterson, Partner, Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP
  • Aaron Payment, Chairperson, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

The Path to the Bench
In the history of the United States, only four Native Americans have been appointed to the federal bench which includes only one Native American woman. As a new administration seeks out candidates to fill vacancies in the federal courts, Native American practitioners must seek out these opportunities to increase the Native American perspective and presence in the judiciary. This panel will explore the importance of racial diversity on the federal bench, the path to appointment, and the measures and resources available to candidates.

  • Lawrence Baca, Former Deputy Director, Office of Tribal Justice, U.S. Department of Justice
  • Hon. Diane Humetewa, United States District Court for the District of Arizona
  • Rion Ramirez, CEO, Port Madison Enterprises
  • Forrest Tahdooahnippah, Partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP

3:30 – 5:00 pm ET | Concurrent Panels

Tribes, Public Lands, and Environmental Issues
This panel will discuss current and future challenges for tribes relating to public lands and environmental issues, including regulatory changes under the prior administration and outlook for the future.

  • Amy Cordalis, Principal, Ridges to Riffles Conservation Fund
  • Nada Culver, Deputy Director, Policy and Programs, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior*
  • Michael-Corey F. Hinton, Attorney, Drummond Woodsum
  • Gussie Lord, Managing Attorney of Tribal Partnerships, Earth Justice

McGirt: The Aftermath
This panel will discuss developments in Oklahoma and in Washington, D.C., following the Supreme Court’s historic decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma. Attendees will learn about what the Muscogee (Creek) Nation has experienced since the decision, including hearing from Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill himself (a “Time 100” most influential person for 2020!). This panel will discuss topics of great import to all Indian law attorneys – self-governance, VAWA, MMIP, and inter-sovereign relations.

  • Jonodev Chaudhuri, Partner & Practice Chair, Quarels & Brady LLP; Ambassador, Muscogee (Creek) Nation
  • David Hill, Principal Chief, Muscogee (Creek) Nation
  • Mary Katherine Nagle, Partner, Pipestem & Nagle, P.C.
  • Trent Shores, Former U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Oklahoma*

Friday, April 9

11:30 am – 1:00 pm ET | Ethics Session
Attendees will learn about the ethical rules guiding who is their client and obligations, if any, to other, related parties.  Attendees will also receive guidance on what the no contact rule is and its implications for the practice of Indian law.  Finally, following competition of this panel, attendees will be familiar with the professional rules guiding legal advice given under time pressure.  While the panel is targeted toward lawyers working for tribal governments or with tribal clients, all lawyers will receive helpful ethical guidance on the general practice of law.

  • Bree R. Black Horse, Attorney, Kilpatrick Townsend
  • Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner, S.J. Quinney School of Law, University of Utah
  • Alex Pearl, Professor, University of Oklahoma College of Law
  • Rachel B. Saimons, Attorney, Kilpatrick Townsend

1:30 – 3:00 pm ET | Concurrent Panels

Civil Rights – Protections for Our LGBTQ2S Communities
The civil rights of LGBTQ2S Native Americans are in need of recognition and protection. This panel examines the development of legislation and policy for these communities at the tribal, state, and federal level.

  • Delegate Nathaniel Brown, Navajo Nation
  • Kori Cordero, Associate General Counsel, Yurok Tribe
  • Felipa De Leon & Monique “Muffie” Mousseau, Spirit Community Members, Oglala Sioux Tribe
  • Red Dawn Foster, 27th District, South Dakota State Senate

COVID Lessons Learned
This panel will discuss lessons learned from COVID from the tribal court perspective and general tribal governance perspective.

  • Ethel Branch, Member, Kanji & Katzen PLLC
  • Martina Gast, Attorney, Pipestone Law
  • Hon. Allie Maldonado, Chief Judge, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Tribal Court
  • Daniel Press, Senior Counsel, Van Ness Feldman LLP
  • Kaighn Smith, Attorney, Drummond Woodsum

3:30 – 5:00 pm ET | Concurrent Panels

Developments in Criminal Law
This panel will discuss recent developments in criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country, including the United States v. Cooley and Nobles v. State, and will also discuss implications for MMIP.

  • Troy A. Eid, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig
  • Krystalyn Kinsel, Associate, Jenner & Block
  • Colette Routel, Professor of Law, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
  • April Youpee-Roll, Associate, Munger Tolles & Olson LLP

Toward a Brighter Future?
The Biden/Harris Administration: Priorities, Opportunities, and Challenges. What does the historic election of President Joseph R. Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris mean for the next four years and beyond?

  • Ann Marie Bledsoe Downes, Deputy Solicitor, Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior*
  • Brian Newland, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior*
  • Raina Thiele, Founder & CEO, Thiele Strategies

*Pending Office Approval