Fascinating New Scholarship on the “Wendigocene”

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Jonelle Walker has published “Wendigocene: A Story of Hunger” with the Turtle Island Journal of Indigenous Health.

Highly recommended.

The abstract:

My mother once told me that if you speak about Wendigos out loud, they will come. They are cannibals, flesh eaters, spirit eaters. Wendigos survive by consuming the life of others without reciprocity, care, consent, or regard in the name of personal gain or profit. Growing up, I was taught that the Wendigo condition was something that you caught like a disease or that grew within yourself like a cancer. They were monsters, they were the closest thing we had to “human.” Afterall, according to the ideological lineages of Marxism, liberal Enlightenment, and settler colonialism, to be “human” is to be a monster, a capitalist, a cannibal. Each of these ideological lineages root the definition of the “human” in transcendence, defined by property, exhibited through man-made aesthetics rooted in capital, white supremacy, anti-Black racism, anti-Indigeneity, and a false human/nature divide. In this paper, I argue that the term “Anthropocene”, much like the “human” it centers, requires an ontological limiting that fails to encapsulate the fullness of Anishinaabe worlds, but most importantly Anishinaabe responsibility to each other. I offer a reframing from my positioning, where the last 500 years of apocalypses can be theorized through an analysis of the rise of the Wendigos. In conversation with other critiques of the well-problematized “Anthropocene,” this contribution offers a theoretical exploration of Wendigo theory to further support that the term “Anthropocene” is reflective of itself (Davis & Todd, 2017, p. 761-780). I suggest the term “Wendigocene” as an alternative to “Anthropocene” within the context of Anishinaabe communities for Indigenous theorists, as this reframing invokes a responsibility to care for our relations and exercise abolitionist legal praxes which are central to our sovereignty.

Job Announcements

Arianna Morseau

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

In the email body:

A typed brief description of the position which includes

  • Position title
  • Location (city, state)
  • Main duties
  • Closing date
  • Any other pertinent details, such as a link to the application
  • An attached PDF job announcement or link to the position description

Wilton Rancheria

Tribal Court Director. Elk Grove, CA. The Tribal Court Director (Clerk of the Court) is the supervisory administrative position of the Tribal Court of Wilton Rancheria. The Tribal Court Director provides a variety of legal advice, counseling, research, and related legal services in support of the overall operation of the Wilton Rancheria Judicial Branch. Closing Date: August 14, 2023.

Coeur d’Alene Tribe

Tribal Prosecutor. Plummer, ID. Represents the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in Tribal Court in criminal prosecutions, youth in need of care (dependency) actions, exclusion proceedings, truancy filing and certain civil code violations. Main duties include, filing decisions for all criminal violations, both adult and juvenile, and youth in need of care petitions in the Tribal Court and advise the Tribal Police and the Social Services Department. The position is open until filled. 

New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc.

Director – Native American Program. Santa Ana Pueblo, NM. For this position, the Director is responsible for overseeing the Native American Program including: The provisions of legal services, performing administrative duties, and working in close collaboration with other members of NMLA’s management team, organizing and participating in community education and outreach activities to the various Pueblo communities, collaborating with tribal agencies and organizations, being active in local bar and community activities. Deadline: August 15, 2023 (or until filled)

University of Arizona James E Rogers College of Law

Clinic Director. Tucson, AZ. Our clinic website is here, and the clinic is also affiliated with the University’s Natural Resource Users Law & Policy Center. Please encourage your networks and law fellows to apply! The position will remain open until filled.

Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission

Executive Director. Trescott, ME. Pursuant to the strategic direction of the Commissioners, the Executive Director will be responsible for the management of Commission projects and activities, including organizing Commission meetings; supervision of staff and contractors; legislative and policy work; education; research and production of studies and reports; finances; fundraising; maintenance of records; and general office management. Applications due by 8/21/2023.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Policy Advisor/Counsel. Washington, D.C. Work on Indian Affairs matters within the Committee’s jurisdiction, including public safety, voting, land and natural resources, transportation infrastructure, and economic development policy. Closing date: August 2, 2023.

Earthjustice

Associate Attorney, Rocky Mountain Office. Denver, CO. Earthjustice is seeking Associate Attorneys to join our Rocky Mountain Regional Office. The Associate Attorney position is a three-year position with the opportunity for a three-year extension as a Senior Associate Attorney. The position requires 1-5 years post-law-school legal experience and will begin in January or April 2024. Apply By Date: 8/20/2023.

Associate Attorney, California Regional. Los Angeles, CA or San Francisco, CA. We are accepting applications for an Associate Attorney to conduct legal advocacy, including administrative advocacy and litigation, with the California Regional Office. The position requires 1-5 years post-law school legal experience. This role may be based in Los Angeles or San Francisco. Apply By Date: 8/13/2023.

Legal Practice Assistant, Alaska. Juneau, AK. Earthjustice is seeking applications for a full-time Legal Practice Assistant to join the Alaska Regional Program. This role is based in our Juneau, Alaska office. Our ideal candidate would be available to start as soon as possible. Apply By Date: 8/6/23.

National Council of Urban Indian Health

Director of Congressional Relations. Washington D.C. Reporting to the Vice President of Policy and Communications, the Director of Congressional Relations will have both internal and external facing responsibilities to advance the mission of NCUIH through excellence in policy, advocacy, outreach, technical assistance, research projects and related programs. Closing Date: 8/31/23.

Kadiak, LLC

Assistant Project Manager. Anchorage, AK. Essential Functions, Responsibilities & Duties may include, but are not limited to: Work directly with the Tribal Court Project Manager to implement goals and objectives of projects, work cooperatively with Team Kadiak, interns and/or externs to implement project goals, as needed, assist in meeting goals and objectives of the training and technical assistance contracts and agreements, overview project goals and ensure project goals are achievable. liaise with project lead and other project managers to maintain project schedule and efficacy. Closing Date: Until filled.

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Deputy Solicitor General. Onamia, MN (Remote). Advise Band executive staff, legislative staff, and the Solicitor General on the interpretation, application, and enforcement of laws and regulations.  Assist in drafting legislation and reviewing proposed legislation.  Assist in the representation of the Band in civil actions brought by or against the Band, on all legal issues and at functions related to assigned responsibilities.  Prepare and present cases in the Band’s judicial system.  Review drafts of laws, rules, and regulations affecting Band operations and administration.   Assure that other divisions within the Band are updated on pertinent legal issues.  Coordinate regulatory and administrative projects as assigned.   Ensure Band members have access to capable legal representation when needed.   Other duties as assigned. CLOSING DATE:  Until Filled.

The Catawba Nation

Fall 2023 Legal Internship. Remote. Interns will assist the Nation’s Legal Department by researching pertinent issues and drafting ordinances, memoranda, and policies. Interns will be asked to work remotely. The closing date to apply for the Internship is August 19, 2023.

Nevada Legal Services

Legal Assistant/Secretary. Carson City, NV. Provide support to attorneys and staff by performing clerical duties, answering phones, conducting intake, managing outreach, preparing correspondence to attorneys and clients, filing documents, and managing case files.  Perform other duties as assigned. Closing date: Open until filled.

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, Democratic Staff

Deputy Chief Counsel (Democratic Staff). Washington, DC. The primary responsibility of the position is to assist the Chief Counsel in advising the Ranking Member and other Committee Democrats on the rules and the procedures of the Committee and the House. The position entails: legislative drafting; jurisdictional analysis; advising on parliamentary procedure; acting as liaison to Republican staff, other congressional committees and offices, and Executive agencies; and providing general legal counsel to the Ranking Member and Democratic Staff on topics in the Committee’s jurisdiction, including Federal Indian Law and statutes governing the conservation and development of public lands and waters. Closing Date: August 21, 2023.

2023-2024 Teacher’s Memorandum for 7th Edition of Getches’ Federal Indian Law Casebook

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here.

Questions and comments directed to Fletcher.

D.C. Federal Court (again, mostly) Dismisses Narragansett Challenge to Federal Approval of Highways

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the order in Narragansett Indian Tribe v. Pollack (D.D.C.):

39 DCT Order.pdfDownload

Updated: California Supreme Court Granted Rare Reviews in Two Sets of ICWA Inquiry Cases

Kate Fort

Buckle up–this is a long one. ETA: And it just keeps getting longer. See below for the latest addition.

For a while now, California courts of appeal have been struggling with the level of ICWA inquiry required in a child protection case. These inquiry cases often involve are about inquiry beyond that of asking the parents about their Native ancestry. The question usually is what is the duty of inquiry to extended family members after parents have repeatedly and unequivocally denied any Native ancestry, as it is in the as it is in the Dezi C. case. However, the other case granted, Kenneth D., the court failed to inquire of father at all. These appeals are also coming up very late in the proceedings–in both cases the appeal was of a termination of parental rights order.

The CA courts of appeal have been fighting about the standard for years, though I would say in the past two-three years it has become particularly acute. There are so many contradictory reported cases that I haven’t posted a vast majority of them. I’ve had a draft post running for almost a year trying to collect and explain what was going on, but it is far too unwieldy. In 2022, I started tracking only reported ICWA cases. In 2022, California had 35 REPORTED ICWA cases on inquiry alone:

Screenshot 2023-07-27 at 11.33.29 AM

In all of 2022, there were only 67 TOTAL reported ICWA cases, making these inquiry cases a full 53% of all ICWA cases that year.

First Set of Appeals: Inquiry of Relatives

The California Supreme Court granted review on Dezi C. and Kenneth D. from the 2022 bunch in the past year or so. As you can see, I had classified the Dezi C. case as a “reason to believe” which means the Court did analysis on the level of information it needed to determine if the case was an ICWA case.

Dezi C. Opinion

KennethD C096051

CA Supreme Court Grants

The Dezi C. opinion outlines the current state in the California courts of appeal regarding whether “defective initial inquiry is harmless.” There were three concurrent rules as of the time of the opinion (June 14, 2022 if you wondered how slowly the CA Sct works):

1. “Automatic Reversal Rule:” Any defective initial inquiry requires reversal on that issue.

2. “Readily Obtainable Information Rule:” Defective initial inquiry is harmless unless the record indicates there is “readily obtainable information” that will “bear meaningfully” on the question on if the child is an Indian child.

3. “Presumptive Affirmance Rule:” Defective initial inquiry is harmless unless the parent comes forward with a reason on appeal why further inquiry would change the outcome of the ICWA determination.

Dezi C. introduced a fourth rule–

4. “Reason to Believe Rule:” objectively the only one that quotes the actual law, this rule states the record on appeal must “contain information suggesting a reason to believe the child may be an ‘Indian child.'” The Court gives three examples that would require reversal–someone tells the Agency there may be Native ancestry and the Agency ignores it; no one inquires of the parents if they have Native ancestry; the parents are adopted themselves and may not have the required information.

The Court then goes on the explain in detail why their rule is best and the other rules are the worst (obvi).  

In applying the reason to believe rule to the facts of the case, the Court found there was no reason to believe the children were Indian children, as both parents denied to the Agency, on a form, and in court that they had any Native heritage. No one came forward claiming they did. The parents grew up with their biological families. And on appeal, the mother did not offer any evidence that either parent in fact has Native ancestry. Therefore, the failure of the Agency to do further inquiry to extended family members was harmless error. 

The question at the Supreme Court is as follows:

In Re Dezi C., S275578. (B317935; 79 Cal.App.5th 769; Los Angeles County Superior Court; 19CCJP08030.) Petition for review after the Court of Appeal affirmed orders in a juvenile dependency proceeding. This case presents the following issue: What constitutes reversible error when a child welfare agency fails to make the statutorily required inquiry concerning a child’s potential Indian ancestry?

The Kenneth D. court applied the Dezi C. fourth rule to fairly different facts. In Kenneth D. the trial court completely failed to inquire of the putative father’s Native ancestry. The court order termination of parental rights on Mrch 22, 2022 and father appealed. The Agency supplemented the record on April 28 with the following information received from the father on April 21: Father said he might be Cherokee, and that his mother (grandmother) would have the information. The Agency spoke with the grandmother who explained their entire family is from Mexico so the Native heritage result she received on a DNA test likely results from Mexico. The grandmother provided the Agency with additional family contact information.

Mother in the case originally said she might have some Native ancestry from her Kentucky relatives, but denied any family member was a tribal citizen or that she was eligible to be a tribal citizen.

The father appealed the termination order asking for a reversal because of the lack of inquiry and the court held under the Reason to Believe test that the error of the court in not conducting an initial inquiry TO A PARENT was harmless.   

The question at the California Supreme Court is as follows:

In re Kenneth D., S276649. (C096051; 82 Cal.App.5th 1027; Placer County Superior Court; 53005180.) Petition for review after the Court of Appeal affirmed an order in a juvenile dependency proceeding. This case presents the following issues: May an appellate court take additional evidence to remedy the failure of the child welfare agency and the trial court to comply with the inquiry, investigation, and notice requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.; Welf. & Inst. Code, § 224 et seq.), and if so, what procedures must be followed?

Briefing in Dezi C. is here

Kenneth D is here 

Second Set of Appeals: Interpretation of California Welfare and Institutions Code Sec. 224.2(b)

In 2023, there have been fewer reported cases on inquiry so far (only 9, though there was one this week I haven’t entered into this spreadsheet, but talk about below):

Screenshot 2023-07-27 at 3.26.41 PM

There have been 28 (29 if you count Brackeen) reported cases total, so they are currently running less than half of the total.

However, there was a new issue that arose in In re Robert F. and In re Ja. O. out of the Fourth District, Div. II, regarding California’s statutory requirement of inquiry. Both of these cases have been granted review in the California Supreme Court yesterday. The question turns on an interpretation of the California statute governing this issue. For reasons that feel to me like a scrivener’s oversight/a citation lost in the drafting, the Court held that when a child is removed pursuant to a warrant, there is no statutory requirement to make ICWA inquiry. But when a child is removed without a warrant, the statute does require the inquiry.

In both cases, the children are removed and ICWA would apply if the children “Indian children,” under the law, and inquiry should be happening in both instances. It is in many ways a distinction without a difference for the purposes of ICWA inquiry. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the Fourth District, Div. II, late last week held the exact opposition in In re Delila D.:

We conclude there is only one duty of initial inquiry, and that duty encompasses available extended family members no matter how the child is initially removed from home. Applying a narrower initial inquiry to the subset of dependencies that begin with a temporary removal by warrant frustrates the purpose of the initial inquiry and “den[ies] tribes the benefit of the statutory promise” of A.B. 3176. (In re S.S. (2023) 90 Cal.App.5th 694, 711, 307 Cal.Rptr.3d 308 (S.S.).) The goal of the initial inquiry is to determine whether ICWA’s protections may apply to the proceeding, and the way a child is initially removed from home has no bearing on the question of whether they may be an Indian child. 

California Supreme Court Results from 7/26 Conference

In re Robert F.

In re Ja.O.

In re Delila D.

Finally, did I get myself turned around and initially post the older granted cases as the new cases and then find the new cases and have to go back and fix everything? Perhaps. Special thanks to Lenny Powell for alerting me after the original post and helping sort this all out. Maybe I got excited because few of us remember the last time ICWA came up to the CA Supreme Court back in 2015-2016 with the Abbigail A. (obligation to enroll) and Isaiah W. (notice) cases.

Idaho Federal Court Remands Contract Action to Tribal Court

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the order in Shoshone-Bannock Tribes v. Vanir Construction Management Inc. (D. Idaho):

21 Magistrate Order.pdfDownload

Briefs here.

Fond du Lac Band Ojibwe Sues Chemical Companies over PFAS

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here is the complaint in Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa v. The 3M Company (D.S.C.):

fond-du-lac-band-of-lake-superior-chippewa-v.-3m-company-the-et-al-1Download

Onondaga Land Petition Proceeds in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Organization of American States

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Here are relevant materials:

OAS_Admissibity5-12-23.pdfDownload
OAS-USReply.pdfDownload
Onondaga Nation General Counsel Joe Heath debriefs on latest decision for nearly decade-long land theft petition.pdfDownload

Job Announcements

Arianna Morseau

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

In the email body:

A typed brief description of the position which includes

  • Position title
  • Location (city, state)
  • Main duties
  • Closing date
  • Any other pertinent details, such as a link to the application
  • An attached PDF job announcement or link to the position description

US Department of the Interior – Division of Indian Affairs

Legal Intern. Washington, D.C. or Remote. Legal research and writing on an array of federal Indian law matters. Closing date – August 15, 2023 (for Spring 2024 position) and August 25, 2023 (for Summer 2024 position).

The Association of Village Council Presidents Lands and Natural Resources Division

RFQ – Facilitator. Remote, Alaska preferred. Main duties include conducting a situational report, facilitating the revision/refinement of the current plan, along with development of goals and objectives and performance metrics. Proposals will be considered on a rolling basis.

National Council of Urban Indian Health

Federal Relations Associate. Remote. The Federal Relations Associate will work to advance NCUIH’s mission through excellence in public policy, technical assistance, and research. This position is an opportunity for an individual who is passionate about upholding the United States’ trust responsibility to American Indians and Alaska Natives to work at an organization which is at the forefront of these issues as they relate to the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives. The Federal Relations Associate should have a working knowledge of either the federal regulatory system or Federal Indian Law. Closing Date – 8/31/23.

Orsted

Government Affairs Lead, Indian County. Annapolis, Austin, Boston, Charlottesville, Chicago, Houston, New York City, Newark, Providence, Washington DC. You’ll be part of Government Affairs and Market Strategy where you, together with your colleagues, will work with Tribal Nations to identify, understand, and respond to any potential concerns about impacts to their communities from project development. You’ll maintain regular communications with Tribal Nations to enhance long-term relationships and mutual understanding. You will represent us at public events, incl. Tribal activities and local, regional, and national-level conferences or workshops. You’ll draft company policies and plans on engagement and communication. As a team, we work in a team-oriented environment, and are self-motivated, creative communicators and problem-solvers. We enjoy working with multiple and diverse communities. Application deadline: August 31, 2023, 23:59 EST.

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians 

Prosecutor’s Office – Assistant Prosecutor. Tacoma, WA. Essential Duties and Responsibilities. Researches, evaluates, and analyzes laws, court decisions and authorities. Prepares and presents complaints, motions, and other legal documents for civil and criminal prosecutions. Prepares and maintains legal and administrative records and reports. Represents the Puyallup Tribe in the enforcement of the Criminal, Juvenile Justice and/or Children’s Codes in Tribal Court proceedings as the Assistant Prosecutor/Presenting Officer, as assigned by the Senior Prosecutor. Other duties as assigned. Closing: When filled.

Setter Roche Smith & Shellenberger LLP

Tribal Law /Federal Indian Law Attorney. Denver, CO. Setter Roche Smith & Shellenberger LLP (SRSS) is a mid-size Denver-based law firm that is looking to add an experienced Tribal Law /Federal Indian Law Attorney to our team. Qualified candidates should have several years’ tribal and federal Indian law experience and be licensed to practice law in Colorado. Licensures in New Mexico and/or Arizona is a plus. Experience working with tribal housing authorities and matters governed by NAHASDA is required. Licensure and experience practicing law with the Navajo Nation is preferred, and working experience with other tribes or tribal entities is helpful. This is a full-time position that offers a hybrid work schedule. The ability to travel to and from tribal courts/tribal jurisdictions is required. Open until filled.

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians

Tribal Court Case Manager. Petoskey, MI. Assists the probation officer and other court staff with case management for probation clients and participants in specialty court programming.  Closes: August 03, 2023.

Rothstein Donatelli LLP

Associate Attorney – Indian Law. Tempe, AZ. Rothstein Donatelli LLP has offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Tempe, Arizona. The Tempe office is seeking an associate attorney for its Indian law practice group. The ideal candidate will have three or more years of experience with a demonstrated commitment to the highest quality of legal practice, excellent research and writing skills, and an interest in representing tribal Nations. Experience in Indian law is not required. Open until filled.

Native American Rights Fund

Wilderness Society Fellow. Boulder, CO, Washington, D.C. or Remote Work Considered Fellow Job duties will include but is not limited to working with NARF Staff Attorneys and NARF clients, in cooperation with other partners as applicable, to develop materials related to empowering tribal sovereignty and governance within the current rubric of public land management in the U.S. The successful candidate will help increase understanding of how cooperative agreements are being used to share power in decision making between federal, state, and tribal governments on public lands. The work will result in memos or white papers on issues concerning legal solutions or policy positions that are advantageous in creating more just and effective cooperative practices. Position will be opened until filled. Interviews begin in August.

Law Clerk. Alaska, Colorado, or Washington DC. Law Clerk Job duties will include but is not limited to assisting NARF attorneys by conducting legal research, drafting legal memorandums, drafting case filings, citation verification, proofreading, assisting in case management, working on special legal projects, and any other legal tasks as requested. Applications for this position will close on September 15, 2023.

Chambers of Lauren King, United States District Judge, Western District of Washington

Law Clerk. Seattle, WA. Law Clerks work closely with the Judge on civil and criminal litigation filed in District Court. Law clerks conduct research and prepare drafts of opinions and orders. Law clerks will also have the opportunity to work on various long-term projects, be involved in courtroom proceedings, and assist in the judicial extern program. Term law clerk beginning January 15, 2024. .Term law clerk beginning August 12, 2024 Closing date: July 25, 2023.

Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP

Associate Attorney. Washington DC. Hobbs Straus specializes in Federal Indian Law and has worked for 40 years to realize positive change in Indian Country.  Our attorneys are dedicated to promoting and defending Tribal Nations’ rights and exercise of sovereignty, expanding opportunities for Tribal Nations, and improving the lives of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Closing Date: August 1.

Pueblo of Laguna

In-House Attorney. Laguna, NM. Full-time attorney to provide legal advice, draft codes and policies, and protect government interests performing general counsel legal work.  One of three In-house attorneys and works with Pueblo officials and management under supervision of Government Affairs Director.  Mostly transactional with some litigation.  Compensation DOE, open until filled. 

Public Defender. Laguna, NM – Full-time attorney to represent and advocate for adults in criminal cases and juveniles in delinquency cases before Laguna Pueblo Court when accused of violating Pueblo of Laguna law.  Advocates for Pueblo community members to achieve justice and rehabilitation.  One of two legal positions in Community Legal Services division and shares full-time assistant the Pueblo’s legal aid attorney, works under supervision of Government Affairs Director.  Compensation DOE, open until filled.  

Prosecutor. Laguna, NM – Full-time attorney to prosecute adult criminal defendants and juveniles in Laguna Pueblo Court for violating Laguna Pueblo law.  Advocates for the Pueblo to achieve justice and rehabilitation.  Works in office having a full-time assistant and victim’s advocate, and is under supervision of the Pueblo Governor.  Compensation DOE, open until filled.

Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Court Judge

RFP – Judicial Services. The Tribal Court Judge oversees the administration of the Court; hears civil and criminal cases; and assists in developing the Tribal Court. The Tribal Court is located on the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Reservation in Darrington, WA. Hearings are held one or two days per month. If you are interested in applying for the position please send a letter of interest, or resume, to court.clerk@sauk-suiattle.com. Applications are due by: August 31, 2023.

Meskwaki Tribal Court

Chief Justice of the Appellate Court. Tama, IA. The Meskwaki Tribal Court is seeking a Chief Justice of the Appellate Court who will be responsible for appellate judicial work and court administration for the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. The Chief Justice is responsible for supervision of the Court and its employees. Work includes hearing appeals and making judgments by applying Tribal law, ordinances and regulations, or applicable Federal and State laws. Chairs judge’s meetings and acts as a liaison between the judges, the Community Panel, Tribal Elders, and the Tribal Council. The position status calls for an independent contractor, as this position is contract as needed. 4 year term with remote work flexibility. Open until filled.

Rosette, LLP

Associate Attorney. Grand Rapids, MI. Main responsibilities include conducting legal research, preparing legal memoranda and pleadings in tribal, state and federal courts, appearing at hearings, communicating with opposing counsel, drafting and reviewing contracts, tribal codes, regulations and other agreements, and interfacing with clients.  The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience and be able to work in a collaborative and dynamic environment. Closing Date: Open until filled.

Maier Pfeffer Kim Geary & Cohen LLP

Associate Attorney. San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland or Santa Rosa). We are looking for an attorney who has three or more years experience representing tribes and tribal entities. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney seeking professional growth and stable employment in a practice that will fully utilize their training, knowledge, and experience in representing tribal interests. Minimum qualifications include: Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA accredited law school; active member in good standing with the CA bar or willing to sit for the next CA bar exam; ability to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area; three or more years of tribal/Indian law experience; proven skills in effectively communicating with tribal councils, gaming management, opposing counsel, and federal/state/local agencies; excellent analytical, research, and writing abilities; experience drafting transactional documents; litigation and court experience preferred; and ability to work well independently and as a member of a team. The duties and responsibilities include all the duties that typically are required of experienced tribal counsel, including relevant federal, state and tribal court experience. Open until filled.

Oglala Sioux Tribe

Attorney General. Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD. The Attorney General is the Chief Prosecutor of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The Attorney General shall be directly responsible to the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council. The Attorney General may be dismissed upon ninety (90) days written notice by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council. The Attorney General is responsible for providing administrative, management, and technical expertise in performing all administrative and programmatic functions of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Attorney General’s Office. The Attorney General will supervise a support staff of eight (8) persons, including four (4) Tribal Prosecutors and four (4) clerks, in the day-to-day operations of the office. The Attorney General shall be responsible for their work performance, time and attendance, approval and disapproval of leave, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions, if necessary. The Attorney General will review training needs of staff and ensure that those needs are met to improve job performance. The election for the Attorney General will be made by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council. Open until filled.