Student Activities

Montana NALSA Indian Law Week Announcement — April 11-14, 2011

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Indian Law Week

Weeklong event examines critical issues
in Indian Law and Indian Country

Missoula, MT, March 18, 2011  —  Nationally-renowned leaders and educators in Indian Country will gather at the University of Montana School of Law on Monday, April 11, to Thursday, April 14, as part of the annual University of Montana, School of Law Indian Law Week, hosted by the University of Montana Native American Law Student Association (NALSA).  In a weeklong series of events, Indian Law experts will examine critical legal issues affecting Indian Country in 2011.  The speaker series is free and open to the public.

On Monday, April 11, at noon, Indian Law Week will kick off with an hour-long panel discussion “Expansion of Montana v. U.S: A 30-year Reflection.”  The panel, which will feature University of Montana Law School Professor Raymond Cross and attorney Urban Bear Don’t Walk Sr., will examine the United States Supreme Court decision that significantly limited tribal jurisdiction, how the decision has been used and interpreted the past three decades, and how the decision continues to impact Indian law today.

On Tuesday, April 12 at noon, the panel, “Comparative Law in Indian Country,” will examine the different and unique laws that exist within individual American Indian Tribes in the state of Montana.  This panel, which will feature Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Attorney John Harrison, University of Montana Law School Professor Elizabeth Kronk, and Crow Joint Lead Executive Counsel Heather Whiteman Runs Him, will examine what every Montanan should know when dealing with individual tribes; what every Montanan should know when doing business with individual tribes; and what every Montanan should know when entering tribal land.

On Wednesday, April 13, at noon, United States Attorney Michael Cotter will discuss the “Tribal Law and Order Act,” signed into law by President Barack Obama on July 29, 2010.  The law has been touted as an important step forward by the federal government in addressing public safety challenges unique to tribal communities.

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MSU NALSA Event Today at Noon

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The Native American Law Students Association invites you to lunch and  a panel discussion on Native American freedom of religion and the law.

Castle Board Room12:00p.m.Monday, March 28th, 2011

The discussion will focus on the James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Trial;  and the Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality.

The panelists include Clarence Syrette, and Professors Frank Ravitch  and Matthew Fletcher.

Clarence Syrette will be speaking about the traditional significance  of Native American spiritual ceremonies from his perspective as a  medicine man.

Professor Frank Ravitch and Professor Matthew Fletcher will be sharing  their insights on the American Indian Religious Freedom Act and other  laws as they apply to the case.

California Powwow is “Disingenuous” and “Cheap”

Peter Scott Vicaire3 Comments

** UPDATE — March 22 — ** The writer of the article has released an apology.  It can be found on the first two pages of Issue “68-08,” along with a message from the editor and several letters to the editor concerning the article.  Here’s a link to the online copy.

The student newspaper, “Union Weekly” at Cal State Long Beach, published an article last week concerning a  powwow which took place on campus.  It really speaks for itself. 

Here’s a link to the newspaper’s Facebook page.

2011 University of Michigan Powwow Announcement — THIS WEEKEND

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Wisconsin ILSA’s 25th Annual Conference Agenda (March 25-26, 2011)

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

2011 Conference

25th Annual Coming Together of Peoples Conference

ILSA will be hosting its 25th Annual Coming Together of Peoples Conference at the University of Wisconsin Law School March 25-26, 2011.

Thursday night we will have a reception to welcome our guests at Brocach Irish Pub from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

FRIDAY:

Welcome, Drum Ceremony and Prayer at 9:30 am, room 2260

Risky Investments? Tribal Debt & Finance After Wells Fargo v. Lake of Torches
9:45-11:15 am, room 2260
Aaron Harkins
Gavin Clarkson
Jeff Carey

Workers Rights Meet Tribal Sovereignty
11:15 am-12:30 pm, room 2260
Dawn Baum
D. Michael McBride
Kevin Wadzinski

ILSA and 25 Years of Federal Indian Law and Policy
Keynote by Larry Roberts, general counsel, NIGC
1:45-2:45 pm, room 2260

Dueling Sovereigns: Collecting Taxes in Indian Country
3-4:30 pm, room 2260
Brian Pierson
Jed Roher
Gabe Galanda
Anthony Broadman

Reception with special guest Edmund Manydeeds
5-7 pm, Law School Atrium
Mr. Manydeeds is a UW Law alumnus, civil trial attorney, and member of the UW Board of Regents. He has served on the governor’s Judicial Selection Committee and with the Office of Lawyer Regulation.

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Final Results in 2011 NNALSA Moot Court Competition @ Columbia

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Best Advocate (team)
First Place – Keani Alapa & H. Maxwell Kopper – University of Hawaii
Second Place – Briana Coyle & Andy Murphy – University of Washington
Third Place – Jenny Patten & Jason Hipp – Columbia Law School

Best Oralist (individual)
First Place – Amy Conners – Columbia Law School
Second Place – Ayman Mourad – Lewis & Clark Law School
Third Place (tied) – Sherri Mitchell, University of Arizona & Elika Stimpson, University of Hawaii

Best Brief
First Place – Jacqueline de Armas & Maureen Keffer – Stanford Law School
Second Place – Beth Baldwin & Anne Mariah Tapp – University of Colorado
Third Place – Libby Moulton & Inbar Gal – Columbia Law School

 

National NALSA Moot Court Call for Judges!!!! [UPDATED]

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Volunteer to judge the Competition! Sign up here!

The National NALSA Moot Court Competition is an annual event held by the Native American Law Students Association. On February 25 & 26, 2011, the Competition will be held at Columbia Law School. Teams from law schools across the country will head to New York City to compete against each other. The Competition also provides an opportunity for law students interested in Federal Indian and Tribal law to meet each other and practitioners, and to enjoy New York City.

The Competition begins with the release of the Problem, written each year by a leading scholar in Federal Indian and Tribal Law, in the fall. Team registrations were due Dec. 6, with the late registration deadline Dec. 18. Based off of the Problem, teams of two write an appellate-level brief on behalf of one of the parties in the suit. The Briefs are due in mid-January. At Competition, teams compete against each other in oral argument rounds, arguing for both parties over several rounds. Awards are given out for Best Briefs, Best Oral Advocates, and Best Advocates. For more information, please see the Moot Court Rules.

For more information about Columbia Law School’s NALSA Chapter, please visit our website. For information about how Columbia runs their Moot Court program, please read this pdf.

MSU NALSA Art Fair — Jan. 21, 2011

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Shinnecock Tribal Member Receives First AIGC Fellowship

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

From ICT:

The American Indian Graduate Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving cultural and economic well-being for individuals and tribes through undergraduate and graduate education, recently announced that it has awarded its first fellowship scholarship to a Shinnecock Indian Nation member.

Members of the Shinnecock Nation, which became the 565th Native American tribe recognized by the United States government earlier this year, were formerly ineligible for the fellowship program because the tribe lacked federal recognition.

Kelly Dennis, a law student at the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque, N.M., received the $3,000 fellowship award. A member of the Shinnecock Nation, graduate of the Pre-Law Summer Institute at the American Indian Law Center, and participant in the American Indian Law Certificate Program, Dennis hopes to represent her tribe and other underrepresented American Indian tribes upon her graduation.

“Kelly would like to use her expertise to assist tribes striving to find creative paths that will strengthen and rebuild their nations,” said Sam Deloria, AIGC director. “AIGC recognizes the potential of these dreams and considers it a privilege to lessen the financial burden of paying for a law degree in order to achieve such aspirations. And we like to hope that her award marks the first federal assistance to the Shinnecock Nation.”

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National NALSA Writing Competition Announcement

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the flyer.

William Mitchell NALSA is the host.