Announcements

Nordhaus Firm Job Announcement

February 9, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

February 8, 2012 Announcement
for Associate Attorney Position
in Albuquerque Office

Nordhaus Law Firm is seeking an associate attorney with one to four years of experience for our Albuquerque, New Mexico office, starting immediately. While experience in Indian law is preferred, a demonstrated interest may suffice. We represent Indian tribes and tribal entities throughout the United States concerning natural resource management, economic development, financing, legislation, administrative and regulatory matters, and governance. The firm also handles complex litigation on a range of issues, including trust responsibility enforcement, jurisdiction, taxation, employment, and natural resource protection and development. For more information on our firm, please visit our website, http://www.nordhauslaw.com. We are an equal opportunity employer. Qualified Native Americans are encouraged to apply. To apply, please email to hiringpartner@nordhauslaw.com PDFs of the following: (1) a cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position, (2) a resume, (3) a legal writing sample, (4) a list of references, and (5) an official law school transcript.

UN Special Rapporteur to Visit US This Year

February 6, 2012February 6, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the text of the announcement:

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to carry out official visit to the United States from 23 April to 4 May 2012
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Professor James Anaya, will carry out an official visit to the United States of America from 23 April to 4 May 2012.
The aim of the Special Rapporteur’s visit to the United States is to examine the human rights situation of the indigenous peoples of the country, that is, American Indians/Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. During the visit, the Special Rapporteur will hold meetings and consultations with federal and state government officials, as well as with indigenous nations and their representatives, in various locations.
Of particular relevance to the visit are the implications of the United States’ endorsement, in December 2010, of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Special Rapporteur will assess the ways in which the standards of the Declaration are currently reflected in U.S. law and policy, both domestically and abroad, and identify needed reforms or areas that need further attention in light of the Declaration.
The results of this assessment will be reflected in a preliminary report that will be submitted to the United States for its comments and consideration. A final version of the report will be circulated publicly and presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council. The report will include recommendations to the United States, indigenous governing bodies and, possibly, other interested parties on how to address issues of ongoing concern to indigenous peoples.
The Special Rapporteur has tentatively planned to visit locations in the Southwest, Midwest, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. Further information and updates about the agenda of the Special Rapporteur as it becomes available will be made public on the websites of the Special Rapporteur maintained by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/SRIndigenousPeoples/Pages/SRIPeoplesIndex.asp x: and the University of Arizona: http://www.unsr.jamesanaya.org
Background information on the Special Rapporteur and his mandate from the UN Human Rights Council is available on these web sites.
The Special Rapporteur invites indigenous peoples and organizations, and other interested parties, to send information relevant to the visit to the United States or any other aspect of his mandate to: indigenous@ohchr.org

Gila River Advertises Appeals Judge Opening

February 3, 2012February 3, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the position description.

Pascua Yaqui Tribe In-House Counsel Position Description

February 1, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

	PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION 7474 S. CAMINO DE OESTE, TUCSON, ARIZONA 85746 PH: (520) 883-5040 FAX (520) 883-5036
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

JOB TITLE: Assistant Attorney General
SALARY: D.O.E.
OPENING DATE: 1/30/2012 CLOSING DATE: Open Until Filled
NOTE:To ensure consideration, apply within the first 5 working days of the opening date. If sufficient qualified applicants apply, the announcement could be closed at that time.
STATUS: Probationary/Permanent, Full-Time HRS/WK: Forty (40)
DEPARTMENT: Attorney Generals Office JOB LOCATION: Tucson, Arizona
NATURE OF WORK: The Assistant Attorney General represents the Pascua Yaqui Tribe by providing nonpartisan legal advice and representation of officials, agencies, departments, divisions, enterprises and other entities of the Tribe’s government.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: J.D. from law school accredited by the American Bar Association Admitted to practice before the highest court in a state of the United States Admittance to the State Bar of Arizona, or must be admitted to practice in the State of Arizona within eighteen (18) months after hire. Admission to practice in the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Court upon completing the next certification course. One (1) to three (3) years of experience as a practicing attorney with background in Indian law strongly preferred
AND
¨ •Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred, but not required.
¨ •Must possess and maintain a valid Arizona Driver’s license.
¨ •Must provide at least three (3) business-related reference letters
¨ • Must pass a background check and drug test. Funding and sensitivity of position will determine fingerprinting requirement
HOW TO APPLY: Submit the following: (1) a signed & completed Pascua Yaqui Tribe employment application, (2) current resume, copy of high school diploma /GED Certificate to the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Human Resources Division, 7474 S. Camino De Oeste, Tucson, Arizona 85746. Applications and supporting documents become the property of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Please keep copies for your own reference. *PASCUA YAQUI PREFERENCE ACTS OF 2000:* Members of the Tribe shall be given absolute preference with respect to hiring and promotions for positions with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. For persons who meet the above minimum required qualifications preferential treatment shall be based on the following criteria and shall be given in the following order: 1) Enrolled Member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe 2) Spouses of Enrolled Members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe 3) Enrolled Member of other recognized tribes 4) Other applicants.

PC#: 00112001

Next Week’s Kansas Indian Law Conference Agenda

January 26, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the website.

And the agenda:

University of Kansas School of Law
February 3, 2012
301 Relays, Burge Union
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

9:00-9:10 Welcome and Introductions
Richard Monette (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians)

9:10-10:00 Making American Indian Legal Scholarship Practical and Influential
Matthew L.M. Fletcher (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa),
Professor and Director, Indigenous Law & Policy Center, Michigan State University College of Law

10:00-10:10 Break

10:10-11:00 Indian Tribes and Human Rights Accountability
Wenona Singel (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa), Assistant Professor and Associate Director, Indigenous Law & Policy Center, Michigan State University College of Law

11:00-11:10 Break

11:10-12:00 Crow Tribal Water Settlement Act
Heather Whiteman Runs Him (Crow), Deputy Executive Counsel of the Crow Nation

12:00-1:10 Lunch (on your own)

1:10-2:00 Selected Federal and State Court Case Updates
Melody L. McCoy (Cherokee), Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund

2:00-2:10 Break

2:10-3:00 Violence Against Women Act
Terri Henry (North Carolina Tribe of Cherokee), Executive Director of Star Clan

3:00-3:10 Break

3:10-4:00 Indian Gaming Regulation and the Impact on Indian Law
Sharon House (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin). Attorney specializing in Indian law, negotiations, gaming, regulation, franchising, corporations, and finance.

4:00-4:10 Closing Remarks

TLIP Launches Enhanced Walking on Common Ground Website

January 26, 2012January 26, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher2 Comments

The Tribal Law and Policy Institute is pleased to announce the launch of the enhanced & updated Walking on Common Ground web resource at: http://www.walkingoncommonground.org/.

We are planning to mirror much of the tribal and state information through the enhanced www.NRC4Tribes.org website that we are developing.

The primary focus of the website is:

Identify and develop resources concerning tribal/state court collaboration & promising practices
Identify and develop resources concerning Public Law 280 tribal/state court collaboration & promising practices
Subject areas include: courts, law enforcement, detention, child welfare, and multi-agency agreements

Features of the website include:

Tribal-State agreements by topic
Tribal-Federal Collaborations
Promising Practices stories and quotes
Resources on the TLOA
Interactive searchable map of agreements
Listing of all federally recognized tribes, tribal websites and counties, by state
Jurisdictional information

Upcoming features include:

Tribal-State Court Promising Strategies Publication
Public Law 280 Promising Strategies Publication
Additional tribal-state collaborations in the area of Detention and Child Welfare
Additional tribal-federal collaborations

Send us your examples of collaborations to highlight! Contact Heather Valdez Singleton for more information: heather@tlpi.org; 323-650-5667

This website was funded under the support of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, USDOJ.

Hawaii Law School Release on NNALSA Moot Court

January 26, 2012Matthew L.M. Fletcher

MORE THAN 100 LAW STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN HAWAIʻI

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI: Law students representing 28 law schools will argue for and against native political recognition, as well as a native government’s right to determine its membership, when they compete in the 20th annual National Native American Law Students Association’s moot court competition. The upcoming competition, hosted at the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, will take place on February 24-25, 2012. A symposium on the issues highlighted in the problem will take place the day after the competition on Sunday, February 26, 2012.

UH Law Associate Professor and Director of Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law, Melody K. MacKenzie authored the competition problem. Three outside reviewers also reviewed the problem to ensure its fairness and accuracy. Designed to simulate the practice of law, the annual event requires competing law students in 2-person teams to conduct research and write legal briefs, without assistance from professors or others, and argue against other student teams at the competition.

Participating law schools include Arizona State University, Columbia, Cornell, UCLA, the University of Michigan, and the University of Washington, and 22 others.

Competition organizers are hoping to recruit more attorneys to serve as competition judges over the two-day event.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a lead sponsor of the event.

Hawai`i’s only law school last hosted this competition in 2000 shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court decided Rice v. Cayetano. That case resolved whether non-Hawaiians may vote in elections for trustees of the office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Derek Kauanoe, an event organizer noted, “we’re very excited to host the 20th annual event and to have so many competitors. It’s an opportunity to focus on some of the issues important to the Native Hawaiian community and to educate law students and attorneys across the U.S. about those matters.”

More information is available on the competition web page at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~nalsa/mootcourt.html

IPA at Administration for Children, Youth and Families

Job Type:

Contract

Location:
Washington, DC, DC

This is a one year contract position with the possibility of an extension. The job will focus on issues relating to Indian children in ACYF. Continue reading →

Turtle Talk