Research

Friday Job Announcements

gabrielagendreau

____________________________________________________________________________ 

To post an open Indian law or leadership job to Turtle Talk, send the following information to indigenous@law.msu.edu: 

In the email body: 

  1. A typed brief description of the position which includes: 
    • Position title 
    • Location (city, state) 
    • Main duties 
    • Closing date 
    • Any other pertinent details such as links to the application 
  2. An attached PDF job announcement. 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

The Environmental Law Institute (ELI):

Senior Manager of Educational Programs, Washington, D.C. The Senior Manager will: (1) Deliver high quality educational programming that serves the interests and needs of ELI’s membership. (2) Recruit new members of ELI’s various membership programs. (3) Facilitate all administrative and logistical aspects of the education events. (4) Reach out to constituents and represent the Institute publicly as needed to communicate and foster particular programs and projects. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates can apply through ELI’s application portal here no later than Friday, August 6, 2021 and must include a cover letter, resume, 1 page writing sample, and a list of references. 

Staff Attorney, Washington, D.C. The Staff Attorney will: (1) Perform extensive legal and policy research and analysis. (2) Develop written products on law and policy topics in a range of formats. (3) Facilitate and coordinate meetings and communications with partners and represent the Institute publicly as needed. (4) Occasionally direct ELI projects by performing, assigning, and supervising delegated project tasks, and adhering to project budgets. (5) Periodic travel to domestic and international destinations as projects required. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates can apply through ELI’s application portal here no later than August 15, 2021 and must include a cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, and a list of 3 references. 

Science Fellow for the Climate Judiciary Project, Washington, D.C. Science Fellows will: (1) Provide content research on climate science for curriculum. (2) Draft materials for publication and presentation on the intersections of climate science law and policy. (3) Help develop science content for the website. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates can apply through ELI’s application portal here no later than Friday, July 16, 2021 and must include a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample. 

Native American Rights Fund (NARF):

Summer 2022 Law Clerk. Positions are available in all three of NARF’s offices: Anchorage, AK; Boulder, CO; and Washington, D.C. Please indicate your office preference in your cover letter. Law Clerks will: (1) Work towards preservation of tribal existence. (2) Protect tribal natural resources. (3) Promote Native American human rights. (4) Hold governments accountable to Native Americans. (5) Develop Indian law and educate the public about Indian rights, laws, and issues. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates can send applications to kcheng@narf.org by September 10, 2021. Applications must include a cover letter, resume, non-collaborative legal writing sample, law school transcript, one letter of recommendation, and three references.

Paralegal, Boulder, CO. Paralegals will: (1) Coordinate and manage all aspects of cases and matters, including all phases of the litigation process. (2) Provide litigation, administrative, and clerical support for multiple attorneys. Please see the position description for more information. To apply, submit by email a cover letter, complete resume, and three professional references to Ron Mack at: rmack@narf.org. Position is open until filled.

Staff Attorney, Boulder, CO (preferred) or Washington, D.C. The Staff Attorney will: (1) Have excellent research and writing skills to assume a water rights and litigation docket. (2) Have interest in federal Indian law, experience with, and knowledge of, Native American communities and culture; and experience with federal and/or state court litigation. Experience in water law is a plus. Please see the position description for more information. To apply, submit a cover letter, complete resume (including representative sample of litigation matters), three professional references, and a writing sample  to Ron Mack at: rmack@narf.org. Position is open until filled.

Michigan Indian Legal Services

AmeriCorps Attorney/Paralegal for Medical-Legal Partnership Program, Traverse City, MI. Attorneys will: (1) Offer trainings for health providers and legal assistance for low-income patients at partnering hospitals or health clinics serving tribes. (2) Provide direct legal help to low-income patients at Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Health Services and Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians Health Clinic. (3) Provide periodic trainings and presentations to providers at medical facilities. (4) Recruit and train new volunteers from local health partners. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates should apply here. 

Anishinabe Legal Services  

Staff Attorney, Cass Lake and White Earth, MN. Attorneys will: (1) Handle a wide variety of civil matters before State and Tribal Courts. (2) Be able to handle a large caseload of client matters throughout a wide geographic service area. Please see the position description for more details. Email a cover letter and resume to ALS Executive Director Cody Nelson at: cnelson@alslegal.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Tribal Council

Senior Assistant General Counsel, Fountain Hills, AZ. Senior Assistant General Counsels will: (1) Serve as a senior legal advisor to the Tribal Council, tribal government departments, and economic enterprises. (2) Provide legal advice and analysis of tribal, State, and Federal laws and regulations. (3) Draft and revise the Tribal Constitution, Law and Order Code, other tribal laws, ordinances, and policies. (4) Represent the Nation in Tribal, State, and Federal court actions. Please see the job description for more information. Interested candidates should submit their application to recruiter@fmyn.org by August 3, 2021.

Maier Pfeffer Kim Geary & Cohen LLP

Associate Attorney (Indian Gaming), Oakland, CA. Associate Attorneys will provide legal advice and counsel to tribal casinos and development boards. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates should send their resumes to hiring@jmandmplaw.com.

Oneida Nation

Family Court Judge, Oneida, WI. The Family Court Judge will: (1) Preside over the Oneida Nation’s family law and child welfare cases. (2) Oversee proper management of the Family Court’s calendar and business, including recruiting and training guardians ad litem. (3) Supervise the Clerks of Family Court. (4) Assist in developing the annual budget for the Family Court. For more information, please see the position description or apply here. The position is open until filled.

Michigan State University College of Law

Assistant Director of Academic Support, East Lansing, MI. The Administrative Director will: (1) Manage Academic Success Program bar exam programming by developing and implementing new bar exam preparation for students to help maximize bar passage. (2) Provide guidance to and oversee all ASP Peer Mentors. (3) Advise all law students on academic support and bar support matters. Please view the position description for more information and apply here. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for at least 3 references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the posting is open until filled.

Earthjustice

Managing Attorney, Anchorage or Juneau, AK. The Managing Attorney will: (1) Manage, develop, and implement regional strategies that align with organization-wide strategic plans and programmatic and litigation priorities. (2) Drive efforts to build and maintain effective working relationships with clients and partners, as well as with the news media, government officials, and donors. Please see the position description for more information. Please submit your resume and expression of interest to: Chris Spagnola at cspagnola@thinkingahead.com and Jessica Martinez at jmartinez@thinkingahead.com. 

Managing Attorney at the Northern Rockies Office, Bozeman, MT. The Managing Attorney will: (1) Lead and oversee the work of the Northern Rockies Office. (2) Manage, develop, and implement regional strategies that align with organization-wide strategic plans and programmatic and litigation priorities. (3) Drive efforts to build and maintain effective working relationships with clients and partners, as well as with the news media, government officials, and donors. Please see the position description for more information. Please submit your resume and expression of interest to: Chris Spagnola at cspagnola@thinkingahead.com and Jessica Martinez at jmartinez@thinkingahead.com.  

Fort Lewis College

Visiting Instructors of Political Science, Durango, CO. Visiting Instructors will: (1) Teach four undergraduate courses per semester. (2) Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as working with broadly diverse communities. (3) Mentor political science students and supervise undergraduate research projects. Please see the position description for more information. Submit materials as one PDF file via email by July 25, 2021 to: VisitingInstructor-Search@fortlewis.edu. Position will remain open until filled.

Rosette LLP

Indian Law Attorney, Sacramento, CA. The Attorney will: (1) Protect the interests of federally-recognized Indian Tribes and matters involving Native American heritage. (2) Provide support in areas of Federal Indian law including in the areas of litigation (in tribal, state and federal courts), transactional law, gaming law, internal tribal governance matters, lobbying, water law, and environmental law. (3) Build and maintain strong client relationships. (4) Must be willing to travel and work on client matters throughout the United States. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates should submit their cover letter, resume, and a writing sample via email to: Michelle LaPena at mlapena@rosettelaw.com by 07/31/2021.

The Wilderness Society (TWS)

Associate Attorney. Denver, CO or Washington, D.C. preferred; other TWS office locations considered. The Associate Attorney will: (1) Provide legal, policy, and land use planning support to work towards achieving net zero fossil fuel emissions from federal public lands. (2) Conduct legal research and draft legal memoranda to inform litigation strategies, policy development, and other Conservation Program efforts. (3) Track and monitor docket of cases where TWS is directly engaged or interested in following outcomes. (4) Co-manage TWS law clerk program, including recruitment, onboarding, supervision, project management, feedback, and mentoring. Please see the position description for more information. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter by August 8th, 2021.

SAIGE National Training Program September 14-16, 2021

Monica Williamson
Grounded in Tradition, Resilient in Spirit
SAIGE 17th Annual National Training Program
September 14-16, 2021
Hosted on Zoom

register today // PDF flyer here

The Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) is the first national non-profit organization representing American Indian and Alaska Native (Al/AN) Federal, Tribal, State and local government employees.

The 17th Annual National Training Program, open to all, provides professional training sessions related to Federal Indian Law/Indian Country, EEO/HR and Diversity issues, Professional Development, and Cultural and Natural Resource. These sessions are offered on the first two days of the event, September 14-15, while the final day is the Warrior Society program.

visit www.saigetraining.org for more information

WaPo: “Native voters are clearing hurdles. That’s why some politicians want to make them higher.”

Matthew Campbell

Here.

Navajo Member Loses Relocation Benefits Appeal

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Begay v. Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation (D. Ariz.):

1 Complaint

11 Begay MSJ

19 ONHIR Cross Motion

21 Begay Reply

22 ONHIR Reply

23 DCT Order

HCN: “A quest for Alaska oil sparks a fight over tribal sovereignty”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

The tribe’s resolution referenced in the article:

Supreme Court Decides Brnovich v. DNC (voting rights)

Matthew Campbell

On July 1, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision in Brnovich v. DNC that upheld two Arizona voting policies that make it harder for people—and especially people of color and Native Americans—to vote.

BACKGROUND:
On March 2, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee. The case looks at whether two issues of Arizona voting law—restricting out-of-precinct ballots and ballot collection—violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. In 2016, Arizona lawmakers passed laws limiting ballot collection and out-of-precinct voting. Ballot collection is an essential tool that rural Native American communities use to make voting accessible to all eligible voters.

At about 17 minutes into the hearings, Justice Sotomayor addresses the voting burdens in Native communities. The points that Justice Sotomayor raises, echo those found in the National Congress of American Indians’ (NCAI) “friends of the court” amicus brief in the case. NCAI’s brief, which was filed by the Native American Rights Fund in January, explains how American Indian and Alaska Native voters face substantial obstacles and documented discrimination as they try to participate in the American democratic process.

Native Americans are entitled to full access to the political process, but failures rooted in devastating policies and discrimination create needless barriers to the ballot.  Services such as post offices and drivers’ license sites require hours of travel, postal delivery and residential addressing is insufficient or completely absent, poorly maintained dirt roads become impassable during November election season, lack of internet and cell phone coverage abound on reservation, and insufficient economic means and transportation make it impossible to access basic government services. There also have been instances of untrustworthy election officials capitalizing on these inequities to disenfranchise voters and undermine Native American political power.  Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act provides much needed protections against this type of systemic voter disenfranchisement.

Read more about the barriers that Native American voters face in the report, Obstacles at Every Turn: Barriers to Political Participation Faced by Native American Voters.

Federal Court Dismisses Cattle Trespass Matter involving Pine Ridge Land

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are the materials in Temple v. Langdeau (D.S.D.):

1 Complaint

3 Motion for TRO

13 DCT Order

Jonathan Nez: “Biden’s budget will be a boon to tribes — as long as red tape doesn’t strangle us”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Frank Pommersheim on Reparations

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is “Not one without the other: Reparations for African-Americans and Indigenous peoples” in Indian Country Today.

Charles Wilkinson Wins the 2021 Colorado Book Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in History

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Announcing the 2021 Colorado Book Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in History!

The 2021 Colorado Book Awards Finalist Celebration and Winners Announcement is right around the corner! This year we are delighted to honor Charles Wilkinson with the Colorado Book Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the Colorado and national literary, history, and legal communities. Writer, advocate, and distinguished university professor emeritus, Wilkinson is the author of numerous articles, chapters, and books, including Messages from Frank’s Landing and Blood Struggle—the Rise of Modern Indian Nations, winners of the 2000 and 2006 Colorado Book Awards respectively for History.

Charles earned his law degree from Stanford University in 1966. He moved to Colorado in 1971 to help found and serve as a Staff Attorney for the Native America Rights Fund and began teaching at University of Colorado in 1984, becoming the Moses Lasky Professor of Law in 1989. In 1997, he was named by the Regents of the University of Colorado a Distinguished Professor. In his over 32 continuous years at Colorado Law, Charles has become one of the most widely celebrated names in not only American Indian law, but also in the history of the American West, public land law, water law, and environmental law—even being labeled by Outside Magazine as “the West’s leading authority on natural resource law.”  

Mark your calendars for an online evening of celebrating Colorado’s literary greatness!

June 26, beginning at 5 p.m. with a toast to the finalists, Colorado Book Award Winners will be announced and read briefly from their work. Charles Wilkinson will speak and read briefly in recognition of his lifetime achievement. 

Learn more at coloradohumanities.org/programs/colorado-book-awards/

Thank you to our partner, BookBar Denver, and sponsors, Outskirts Press and The Colorado Sun. 

Colorado Humanities is the only Colorado organization exclusively dedicated to supporting humanities education for adults and children statewide. Celebrating its 47th year and its 17th year as host for the Colorado Center for the Book, Colorado Humanities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Library of Congress Center for the Book, the Smithsonian Institution, and the national award-winning educational nonprofit Motheread, Inc. Colorado Humanities works with 100 program partners throughout the state to design and implement programs that best meet each community’s needs. Colorado Humanities’ goals are to improve education, strengthen cultural institutions, and enrich community life by inspiring the people of Colorado to explore ideas and appreciate our diverse heritage.

Sign up to attend, visit coloradohumanities.org or call 303.894.7951.