Student Activities

University of South Dakota NALSA Extends Support to the Lakota 57 

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

The University of South Dakota School of Law Native American Law Student Association IMG_1490(NALSA) organized a Peace Gathering in honor of the 57 children from American Horse School on the Pine Ridge Reservation.  These students, age 9 to 13, were attending a Rapid City Rush hockey game in recognition of their school accomplishments.  Unfortunately, these students had beer poured on them and were subject to racial epithets.  The alleged perpetrator was charged with a low level misdemeanor of disorderly conduct. 

 

The gathering brought together almost 30 law students and faculty members into the courtroom. The Law School community was invited to write personal letters of encouragement and support to send to the students. NALSA’s goal is to send a strong message to the children so that they know we support them in their efforts to continue to strive and to grow from this negative and ugly experience. 

 

Tysolake House, second year law student and Vice-President of NALSA, shared his thoughts on the incident. For Tysolake, this incident hit very close to home. He mentioned the obstacles he had to overcome dealing with racially charged issues as a child. He also expressed his sympathies for the children as he envisioned this situation potentially happening to his own children, who are the same age. 

 

USD Law Professor Frank Pommersheim shared a few thoughts about how to move forward from this horrible incident. His remarks focused on the need for ‘solidarity,’ particularly from NALSA and the legal community, to show support for these young native students. These students need to know that there are many people of good will who want them to succeed.

 

Gene Thin Elk, Director of the Native American Cultural Center, also attended the Peace Gathering in support of the children from American Horse School. Gene expressed his support by sharing a few words about overcoming adversity and by singing a Lakota Song.

 

At the conclusion of this gathering everyone gathered to take a group picture. Everyone in attendance firmly stood behind the banner that exclaimed the words, “They are our children too.” 

 

 

-Kyle Chase

USD NALSA President

National NALSA Press Release on 2015 Alternative Spring Break Program

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From here:

I am proud to announce the 2015 Alternative Spring Break (ASB) Program projects that have been selected to receive an award. The National Native American Law Student Association Executive Board has chosen a project from Columbia Law School and the University of Michigan Law School! Columbia Law School will be working with Anishinabe Legal Services on three reservations in northwestern Minnesota to assist indigent program clients with civil needs, including a strong emphasis on domestic violence. Michigan Law School will be travelling to the Navajo Nation to work with DNA Legal Services to gain legal and practical skills, while also learning about Navajo life in Window Rock, Arizona. NNALSA has budgeted $1,000 for this year’s program, and each school will receive an award of $500! NNALSA would also like to recognize all program applicants for the high quality projects that were submitted. Congratulations to this year’s award winners!

In other news, Alex Kitson has made the difficult decision to resign from her duties as the Public Relations Director of NNALSA. On behalf of the Board of NNALSA, I would like to thank Alex for her time and commitment at helping NNALSA achieve its goals by helping to spread the word through numerous media outlets. Alex, you will be missed and good luck in all of your future endeavors.

The Executive Board took a vote and appointed P. Nelson Lambert to the PR Director position.  Nelson entered NNALSA as the Area 5 representative. Because the Board appointed him to PR Director Area 5 is now vacant and we are looking to fill the position. If any member is interested in representing Area 5 please send an interest statement to nnalsa.president@gmail.com.

Be sure to keep a look out for future announcements because NNALSA has some wonderful events and opportunities coming up! Events such as the National Moot Court Competition at the University of Arizona, and “Fed-Bar” where the new future board members of NNALSA will be elected and where the best 1L, 2L, 3L, and Chapter of the Year awards will be given. I hope everyone is excited about the future of NNALSA, and the positive future we are trying to achieve for Indian Country.

Nelson Lambert

J.D. Candidate, 2016

Charlotte School of Law

National NALSA Public Relations Director

nnalsa.publicrelations@gmail.com

www.nationalnalsa.org

Yale NALSA Climate Change Event

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Climate Change and Native Nations: The Search for Legal Remedies 

Saturday, February 28, 2:45-3:45pm

Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

Kroon Hall, 195 Prospect Street, Room G01

The effects of climate change are continuing to increase and are disproportionately affecting tribal communities. Some Native nations have taken action to mitigate the effects of and adapt to climate change to protect their natural resources, homelands, infrastructure, and food sources. This workshop will address the following questions: What is the current state of climate policy within Native communities? What are Indian Country’s best resiliency practices? What opportunities and challenges exist in using various international and domestic legal tools to seek redress?

 

  • Elizabeth Kronk Warner (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), Associate Professor of Law and Director, Tribal HeLaw & Government Center, University of Kansas School of Law

 

Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-directions-in-environmental-law-2015-harnessing-momentum-tickets-14553793789

 

This panel is part of Yale Law School’s 2015 New Directions in Environmental Law Conference. To learn more about the conference, please visit: http://www.law.yale.edu/news/2015envirolawconference.htm. 

Cornell NALSA Tribal Economic Development Action Summit

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here:

2-28 NALSA_Summit

Agenda here (PDF):

Summit Tentative Agenda - February 4th_Page_1 Summit Tentative Agenda - February 4th_Page_2

Yale NALSA Event on Tribal Peacemaking

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Native Peacemaking: A Traditional Approach to Conflict Resolution

Friday, February 20, 2015 at 5:15-6:45pm
Yale Law School

Peacemaking is a traditional Native approach to resolving conflict that focuses on healing and restoration rather than punishment. Although peacemaking varies across tribes, it generally brings together the disputants, along with family members, friends, and other members of the community to speak about how the event, crime, or crisis affected each person. Panelists will discuss the goals of peacemaking and how tribal courts are using this strategy to tackle Indian justice issues.

Panelists:

  • Rita Gilman, Peacemaker, Mohegan Tribe
  • Shawn Watts, Associate Director, Edson Queiroz Foundation Mediation Program, and Lecturer in Law, Columbia Law School
  • Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, Tribal Historian and Medicine Woman, Mohegan Tribe

Registration: https://www.cvent.com/events/21st-annual-rebellious-lawyering-conference/registration-8556edb1831842159e12e9a427930a69.aspx

This panel is part of Yale Law School’s 2015 Rebellious Lawyering Conference. To learn more about the conference, please visit: http://www.yale.edu/reblaw.

MSU Diversity Coalition Talk w/ Fletcher and Professor Mike Lawrence

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Professor Lawrence

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Students

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Hungry students

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MSU Law Talk Today — Seven Generations: Reflecting on Our Past to Achieve Justice for Our Tomorrow

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Seven Generations: Reflecting on Our Past to Achieve Justice for Our Tomorrow

MSU Law’s Diversity Consortium and Native American Law Students Association (NALSA)
Tuesday, January 27th
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
MSU College of Law, Room 471

Please join MSU Law’s Diversity Consortium and NALSA in hosting Professor Fletcher and Professor Lawrence for our first Around the Hour Series Program of the year. We will be discussing a Native American philosophy known as Seven Generations, a framework under which we will contemplate how past efforts to achieve justice are linked to both emerging movements of today and those in the future. What is your role in the process?
Mary Ferguson, fergusma@law.msu.edu

Stanford’s Second Annual Native American Law Conference – February 7th

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Conference page here.

Breakfast                                                     9:30am-10:30am

Panel #1                                                     10:30am-12:00pm

(Constructing Judicial Systems)

Lunch & Cultural Event                              12:00pm-2:00pm

Panel #2                                                     2:15pm-3:45pm

(Environmental Human Rights in Indian Country)

Panel #3                                                     4:00pm-5:30pm

(Intellectual Property Law and Native Representation)

Reception                                                    5:30pm-7:00pm

 

Confirmed panelists include Cheryl Demmert Fairbanks (Cuddy & McCarthy); Stephanie Fryberg (University of Washington); Cynthia Gomez (State of California); Darcie Houck (Partner, Fredericks Peebles & Morgan); Adrienne Keene (Native Appropriations); Jessica Koski (Keweenaw Bay Indian Community); Gail Small (Native Action); Gerald Torres (Cornell Law); and Paula Yost (Dentons).

Fall 2014 Issue of the American Indian Law Journal

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Here:

Masthead
How the ESA Can Swallow Alaskan Tribal Sovereignty: The Story of the Iliamna Lake Seals Charisse Arce
Sovereignty, Economic Development, and Human Security in Native American Nations Greg Guedel
Human Trafficking & Native Peoples in Oregon: A Human Rights Report Jason Juran, Joe Scovel & Hayley Weedn
Fundamentals of Contracting by and With Indian Tribes Michael O’Connell
Fresh Pursuit: A Survey of Law Among States with Large Land Based Tribes Erin White
No Tribal Court is an Island? Citation Practices of the Tribal Judiciary Rose Goldberg
HABITAT AND HARVEST: The Modern Scope of Tribal Treaty Rights to Hunt and Fish Whitney Leonard
Beyond Blood Quantum: The Legal and Political Implications of Expanding Tribal Enrollment Tommy Miller

Read the entire issue here (PDF).

 

National NALSA Resume Book Announcement

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

NNALSA Releases 2014 Resume Book

The 2014 National NALSA Resume Book is now available for employers to connect with NNALSA students! Employers can use their NNALSA private login to download resumes of 1L, 2L, 3L, or NNALSA alumni based on what type of job or internship opportunities you have available.

As a reminder, employers can also use their private login to post job opportunities to reach NNALSA students that have not submitted resumes. If you are an employer and have not yet created a private login, you can contact the NNALSA National Liaison, Aarik Robertson, for the invitation code at nnalsa.liaison@gmail.com.

To create your login after you receive the invitation code, visit the National NALSA website at http://www.nationalnalsa.org and click Register in the upper right-hand corner of the page.