Link: From the Reservation to College (subscription required)
An occasional series of articles on the transition to college for students from Browning High School on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana.
Author: Sarah M Donnelly
Spokane County Bar Association Indian Law Conference and Bar Prep Scholarship
Downloads(PDF): 8th Annual Indian Law Conference Flyer, SCBA ILS bar prep scholarship flyer
The Spokane County Bar Association (SCBA) Indian Law Section will be holding its 8th Annual Indian Law Conference on Friday, February 24, 2017, at Gonzaga Law School. The SCBA has applied for 6.5 CLE credits in WA and ID, including 1.5 ethics credits. Those who attend in person will receive a continental breakfast and lunch, and are invited to the post-Conference reception. We are also happy to offer a webcast option to participants. Please see the attached flyer for agenda information and registration form.
Proceeds from our annual Indian Law Conference will be used to fund the SCBA Indian Law Section’s Bar Preparation Scholarship (see attached). Please forward this information to bar-takers who may be interested! Deadline for applications is February 1, 2017.
Associate Attorney Opening with Earthjustice in Seattle
Download(PDF): Job Announcement
Nooksack Update: Interior Threatens Reassumption; State Court Asserts PL 280 Jurisdiction
Downloads(PDF):
- 12-9-16 Letter from HUD Director to Robert Kelly, Jr.
- 12-13-16 Letter from Director Mary Smith to Robert Kelly, Jr
- 12-21-16 State Superior Court Order Granting Motion for Temporary Restraining Order
- 12-22-16 Tribal Court Order Following Show Cause Hearing
- 12-23-16 Letter from PDAS-IA Lawrence Roberts to Robert Kelly, Jr
Link: Previous posts
Anishinabe Legal Services Seek Staff Attorney
FTE Staff Attorney
Anishinabe Legal Services is seeking a full-time staff attorney to provide civil legal assistance and court representation to program clients before area Tribal Courts, State Courts and Administrative Forums.
BACKGROUND: Anishinabe Legal Services (ALS) is a Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded 501(c)(3) organization providing free legal assistance and court representation to low-income individuals living on or near the Leech Lake, White Earth and Red Lake Indian Reservations in northern Minnesota. Legal services are provided through grants and contracts with federal, state and tribal governments along with foundational support.
RESPONSIBILITIES: ALS is looking for a well-qualified and highly motivated licensed attorney to provide civil legal assistance and court representation to program clients before area Tribal Courts, State Courts and Administrative Forums. Primary duties will include representation of parents in child protection matters before area Tribal Courts, housing and family law, but job duties also include handling a wide variety of civil matters before various forums.
This attorney is expected to be licensed in the State of Minnesota by anticipated start date of position. This attorney will also be expected to be licensed or willing to immediately become licensed before the Leech Lake, White Earth and Red Lake Tribal Courts.
QUALIFICATIONS: Qualified applicants must possess strong oral and written communication skills, negotiation skills, litigation skills, have exceptional organizational skills with ability to handle a large caseload of client matters throughout a wide geographic service area. Applicants must also be able and willing to work efficiently and effectively as part of a team.
Attorneys with 3+ years of civil practice are strongly preferred, as are applicants with familiarity and experience practicing before Tribal Courts. Prior experience working within Indian Country is also strongly preferred. Native American attorneys are highly encouraged to apply.
All applicants are expected to have a valid driver’s license, insurance and automobile, as significant travel will be required as part of job duties and responsibilities.
COMPENSATION: $44,000-$50,000 D.O.E. Benefits include individual and family health and dental insurance, paid time off, and life insurance.
TO APPLY: Please send a cover letter, resume, and three (3) references to Chari LaDuke-Clark at: Anishinabe Legal Services, PO Box 157, Cass Lake, MN 56633 or email application materials to claduke-clark@alslegal.org. Applications are preferred by January 20th but will be accepted until the position is filled.
Indian Law Firms’ Letter to N.D. Supreme Court Re DAPL Arrestees’ Right to Counsel
Downloads(PDF): 12.29.2016 – Comment Letter re Emergency Petition – Misc Attorneys an Firms across country, APB Co Comment Letter North Dakota Supreme Court December 2016
Link: “Debate generated by petition for expanded legal representation” by Caroline Grueskin from the Bismarck Tribune,
Previous posts: N.D. Supreme Court Accepting Comments Until December 30th on Proposed Temporary Rule to Allow Out of State Lawyers Practice, Petitioners Request Out-of-State Lawyers Be Allowed to Represent Protesters
PRESS RELEASE: Native American Employee of the Department of Energy Sues Agency for Race/National Origin Discrimination and Retaliation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2017
CONTACT:
Matthew Handley, matthew_handley@washlaw.org
(202) 319-1000
NATIVE AMERICAN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SUES AGENCY FOR RACE/NATIONAL ORIGIN DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jody TallBear, a well-respected Native American employee of the Department of Energy, brought suit yesterday to challenge retaliation she experienced when she sought to address a work environment hostile to Native Americans. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and raises claims of race and national origin discrimination, a hostile work environment, and retaliation.
Ms. TallBear began working for DOE in May 2011. She was hired to advance tribal and Native American engagement, programming and policy initiatives. Throughout her employment, Ms. TallBear was subjected to pervasive racially offensive imagery and language, including the frequent use of derogatory language regarding Native people and the posting of “redskins” images in her workplace.
Beginning in 2012, Ms. TallBear continually notified DOE leadership of the offensive language and imagery but DOE refused to take actions to address her concerns. In October 2015, DOE banned Ms. TallBear from educating DOE employees on Native American sensitivities related to Indian representations and retaliated against her. Despite years of exemplary performance, DOE leadership has ostracized and isolated her, stripped her of her title, job responsibilities, and derailed her career path. With nowhere else to turn, Ms. TallBear brings this action against DOE for hostile work environment and retaliation for advancing the civil rights of Native American employees to not be subjected to racial slurs and offensive images in their workplace.
“Our society frequently forgets the incredible violence that makes up our country’s history with Native Americans, but we cannot forget that Native Americans deserve the same workplace protections as everyone else,” said Dennis Corkery, Senior Staff Attorney. “We want to hold DOE accountable for how Ms. TallBear was treated and see them move forward with more inclusive and sensitive practices.”
Venus McGhee Prince, co-counsel for Ms. TallBear adds, “as a senior policy advisor to the highest ranking diversity and civil rights official within DOE, Ms. TallBear has been leading positive change within DOE over the past four years by raising an awareness of the harmful impact that the ‘redskins’ language and imagery has on many Native Americans. All can agree that there is no harm to Ms. TallBear’s efforts to educate federal employees and build a more sensitive work environment for herself and others, especially when it is part of her job duties. We hope that Ms. TallBear can ultimately resume this necessary and influential work.”
Ms. TallBear is represented by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.
You can read a copy of the complaint here.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE: For more than 45 years, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs has handled thousands of cases representing individuals and groups seeking to vindicate their civil rights in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations and other aspects of urban life. It represents people with claims of discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, and military service and status. For more information, visit http://www.washlaw.org; or phone (202) 319-1000.
ABOUT KILPATRICK TOWNSEND & STOCKTON LLP: Founded 155 years ago, Kilpatrick Townsend is a leading international AmLaw 100 firm with 18 offices extending into the four corners of the continental United States; Asia; and Europe, including: Atlanta, GA; Augusta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Menlo Park, CA; New York, NY; Raleigh, NC; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Walnut Creek, CA; Washington, DC; Winston-Salem, NC; Shanghai; Stockholm; and Tokyo. For more information, please visit: http://www.kilpatricktownsend.com.
Grand Ronde Tribe Adopts Independent Press Ordinance
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to create independent editorial board and adopt press protections
Media Release
GRAND RONDE, Ore. – The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has joined an increasing number of other Native American Tribes nationwide in adopting an Independent Press Ordinance that will codify that the Tribal news publication has the independence to report Grand Ronde news objectively and free from undue political influence by Tribal elected officials.
The ordinance was adopted by the Grand Ronde Tribal Council at its Wednesday, Dec. 28, meeting and goes into effect in mid-January.
Although the Grand Ronde Tribal Constitution, adopted in 1984, states that “Tribal Council shall not deny … freedom of speech, press, or religion,” the Tribal publication, Smoke Signals, has for many years been supervised by a manager who reports directly to Tribal Council. The government structure created concerns among newspaper staff members, Tribal employees and Tribal members about the newspaper’s ability to report news objectively without undue influence.
The new ordinance was shepherded through the ordinance process by Tribal Council member Chris Mercier, who previously worked as a reporter for Smoke Signals before being first elected to Tribal Council in 2004.
“Freedom of the press was guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution when this country was founded,” Mercier said. “It has always been a fundamental right of American citizens. I think that when people approved our Tribal Constitution in 1984 they included language for freedom of the press for a reason. I do believe that this is what they had in mind.”
The ordinance will create an Editorial Board of between three and five members with a majority being Grand Ronde Tribal members. The board, which will be appointed by Tribal Council, will supervise the editor of Smoke Signals. Board members will serve for three-year terms and adhere to accepted ethics of journalism as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists and endorsed by the Native American Journalists Association. “The Editorial Board members shall serve their terms of office free from any undue influence or any political interest,” the ordinance states.
The ordinance also requires the editor to adhere to accepted ethics of journalism and to serve free from undue influence and any political interest. The ordinance also provides Smoke Signals staff members with protection from disclosing their sources.
Smoke Signals has been published by the Grand Ronde Tribe since 1984 and is currently published on the first and 15th of each month. The newspaper consistently wins awards from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association and Native American Journalists Association.
About the Tribe
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon includes more than 27 Tribes and Bands from western Oregon, southwestern Washington and northern California that were relocated to the Grand Ronde Reservation between 1855-1875.
These Tribes and Bands include the Rogue River, Umpqua, Chasta, Kalapuya, Molalla, Salmon River, Tillamook and Nestucca Indians.
The Tribes’ ceded lands in Oregon extend from the California border to southwestern Washington, and reach from the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
For more information about the Tribe, visit http://www.grandronde.org.
Summer Law Clerk: Intern Positions Available with Navajo Nation Department of Justice
The Navajo Nation Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking energetic and motivated candidates for a number of funded summer law clerk positions in the following areas of practice:
- Natural Resources,
- Tax and Finance,
- Litigation,
- Employment,
- Human Services,
- Government Services,
- Economic Development,
- Gaming,
- Water Rights, and
- Direct Legal Services for Navajo Relocatees.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be enrolled in a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Must have completed a law school course on Federal Indian Law.
(To receive full credit for education, certification, or licensure, transcripts, copies of degrees, certificates, and other appropriate documents must be submitted along with employment application.)
Externally funded candidates are also strongly encouraged to apply.
DOJ provides legal services to and litigates on behalf of the three governmental branches of the Navajo Nation government, including its chapters and entities, in matters in which the Navajo Nation government has an interest. The Attorney General also defends litigation against the Navajo Nation and supervises outside attorneys who assist the Nation with various cases.
Interested candidates should submit their cover letter, resume, transcript and a short (5-10 page) writing sample to Rodgerick Begay at rbegay@nndoj.org. Complete application packets must be received no later than 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, March 18th.
Selected candidates will also be asked to fill out a formal Navajo Nation Employee Application, which can be found at http://www.dpm.navajo-nsn.gov/jobs.html.
THE NAVAJO NATION GIVES PREFERENCE TO ELIGIBLE AND QUALIFIED APPLICANTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NAVAJO PREFERENCE IN EMPLOYMENT ACT AND VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.
NHBP Shared Revenue to Help Michigan Schools Scrap Native Mascots
Link: New state-tribe agreement may help schools nix Native American mascots by Emily Lawler from MLive.
The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi and the State of Michigan amended their gaming compact to allow up to $500,000 to be put in the Michigan Native American Heritage Fund:
The federal government on Dec. 12, 2016 approved another amendment that puts a portion of state revenue sharing into a special fund dedicated to promoting understanding, history and good relationships with the state’s Native Americans.
One use could be for monetary help transitioning schools away from Native American mascots.
“This fund demonstrates our commitment to providing Michigan schools, colleges and universities with the funds needed to improve curricula and resources related to Native American issues and mascot revisions,” said NHBP Tribal Chair Jamie Stuck in a press release. “We understand that schools often don’t have funds available for these types of projects and we are dedicated to removing that obstacle.”
Up to $500,000 per year from the tribe’s revenue sharing to the state could go into the new Michigan Native American Heritage Fund. It will be run by a board consisting of two people appointed by the tribe, two people appointed by the governor and also the Michigan Department of Civil Rights Director or his designee.
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