Job Round Up

If you have a new announcement, please share it with us by uploading the information requested on this Google Form. If you have any questions, please email the MSU College of Law Indigenous Law & Policy Center at indigenous@law.msu.edu.

Tribal Legal Experts (RFP, limited time)

Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health Remote ASPPH’s “Guidance to Accelerate Tribal Public Health Data Access and Use Project” runs from January through July 31, 2025. ASPPH is seeking proposals from Tribal legal experts to work directly with Tribal public health authorities. The Tribal legal experts will work with each participating Tribal public health authority to develop and execute policy pathways for data sharing with respective state and/or local public health jurisdictions within the project period. The direction of data flow may be bi-directional between the Tribe and respective state and/or local jurisdiction, or it may be solely from the respective state and/or local jurisdiction to the Tribe. The types of data for sharing will include systems-level public health data such as case data, syndromic surveillance data, lab-based diagnostic test data, vaccine administration data, geographic data, vital statistics data, and hospital capacity data. All work will be conducted virtually.

Attorneys and/or lawyers with admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; Minimum 5 years of legal experience, with a focus on federal Indian law, Tribal law, public health law, and/or data governance

One award up to $400,000 Closes April 4, 2025 https://aspph.org/membership/funding-opportunities/

Appellate Justice

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Remote
Four Year appointment; Review decisions appealed from the District Court; Citizen or member of an Indian Nation; a graduate of an accredited law school, and be admitted to the practice of law.
Salary: DOE Open Until Filled https://www.pbpindiantribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/RFQ-Appellate-Justice-11.8.24-Final.pd

District Court Judge Pro Tem

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Remote
Serve on an as-needed basis and hear conflict trial court cases or cases as assigned by the Administrative District Court Judge. Must be a citizen or member of an Indian Nation, a graduate of an accredited law school and be admitted to the practice of law.
Salary: DOE Open Until Filled https://www.pbpindiantribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Modified-RFQ-for-District-Court-Judge-Pro-Tempore-FINAL-11.8.24.pdf

Staff Attorney – Central Office
Staff Attorney – Northern Office

California Indian Legal Services
Sacramento, CA
CILS is seeking to hire two permanent full-time Staff Attorneys for its Central Office in Sacramento, California but will consider applications of recent law school graduates as well. These candidates would be hired in a temporary position as Advocate and transition to a Staff Attorney role upon passing the California bar exam.

Supervised by the Directing Attorney, the Staff Attorney will work collaboratively with other staff to provide exceptional legal services in all areas of Federal Indian law. Our fast-paced office provides legal services on issues of jurisdiction, tax, estate planning, trust assets, environmental law, natural resource development, tribal governance, employment, and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The Staff Attorney will assume a varied caseload that may include: brief counsel and services to low-income Indian individuals; state and federal court litigation; contract negotiation; advising tribal clients; developing and implementing constitutions, codes, and policies for tribal clients; and making community presentations. The Staff Attorney will be expected to appear on behalf of tribal clients in state dependency actions where the ICWA is applicable.

Qualifications
J.D. and California bar membership in good standing (recent law graduates preparing for the CA bar exam or awaiting results will be considered for the role of temporary Advocate).
Demonstrated knowledge of Federal Indian law with at least 1-3 years of experience practicing law. Solid understanding of Native Americans and Tribes in California.
A commitment to providing high-quality legal services for Native Americans.

Salary: $75,326 – $99,350 Closes 7.31.25 https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/3091932/California-Indian-Legal-Services-Inc/Staff-Attorney—Central-Office

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/3092058/California-Indian-Legal-Services-Inc/Staff-Attorney–Northern-Office

Litigation Paralegal

Alaska Regional Office, Earthjustice, Anchorage, Alaska / Juneau, Alaska
Litigation Paralegals on the Alaska Regional team provide administrative and litigation support services for more than a dozen active attorneys practicing in federal courts and administrative venues. Workload constitutes about 75% paralegal duties and approximately 25% administrative duties.
Qualifications
College degree preferred. At least 4 years of experience in a related position. Paralegal certification or equal mastery of skills from previous positions required. Interest in and knowledge of environmental, social justice, or public interest issues relevant to Earthjustice’s mission.
Salary: 82,700 – $91,900 Closes 3/10/25 https://app.jobvite.com/j?aj=oC7rvfwp&s=TurtleTalk

To Apply
Interested applicants should submit the following. Priority will be given to applicants who apply by March 10, 2025. After that, applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Resume
One- or two-page cover letter
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Preferred start date is mid- or early April, 2025.

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies accepted.

Associate Judge Part Time

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Mt. Pleasant, MI
Position Summary:
Under the supervision of Chief Judge, responsible for the timely and efficient administration of justice in all criminal and civil matters brought before the Tribal Court in accordance with all applicable law and shall fulfill all judicial responsibilities of the Chief Judge set forth under Tribal Law. All Tribal Court staff must adhere to mandated reporting laws. This is a contract position.

Qualifications:
Ten years experience as a practicing attorney. Licensed as active member in good standing by the State Bar of Michigan or other state bar. Knowledge of criminal and civil procedure and Federal Indian Law.

Salary: $49,743.20-$62,171.20 Open Until Filled www.sagchip.org/careers/

Associate General Counsel Full Time

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Mt. Pleasant, MI
Position Summary:
Under the supervision of Senior Associate General Counsel, provide general legal services to the tribe and its enterprises in a broad variety of matters including: contract law, employment law, administrative law, real estate transactions, Indian gaming regulation, taxation, jurisdiction disputes, environmental law, cultural resource preservation, child welfare, and drafting legislation consistent with representation provided by the General Counsel.

License, Certification, or Special Requirements:
Licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan. Native American preference shall apply to all positions
Salary: $86,486.40-$108,118.40 Open Until Filled https://www.sagchip.org/careers/

Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Decides Stitt v. City of Tulsa

Here:

Briefs here.

Minnesota Federal Court Orders Tribal Court Exhaustion in White Earth Land Use Dispute

Here are the materials in Vipond v. Degroat (D. Minn.):

1-1 Tribal Court Proceedings

4 Amended Complaint

15 Motion for Stay

21 Tribal Court Response to Motion to Stay

24 Motion for Preliminary Injunction

33 Opposition to Motion for Stay

37 Tribal Court Opposition to Motion for PI

38 Tribe Opposition to Motion for PI

44 Reply ISO Motion for PI

47 Magistrate Order

49 Tribe Opposition

50 Plaintiff Objections

55 DCT Order

Eighth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Wrongful Death Suit against BIA Cops for Killing Innocent Tribal Citizen

Here are the materials in Martin v. Gorneau:

Appellant Brief

Federal Actors Brief

Municipal Actors Brief

State Actors Brief

Unpublished Opinion

Prior post here.

SCOTUS Denies Bibeau v. Commissioner

Order list here.

Just goes to show that there really is no opportunity for Indian people or tribal nations to persuade the federal judiciary to correct its past mistakes. There is no room for long-term litigation strategies.

Petition here.

The clown motel thing is not a reflection on the Court, this pic just has the word “tax” in it.

California Federal Court Rejects Tribal Challenge to Placement on PACT Act Noncompliance List

Here are the materials in Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians v. Garland (C.D. Cal.):

1 Complaint

47 ATF Motion for Summary J

51 Opposition

54 Reply

65 DCT Order

Grant Christensen on Article IV: The New-ish Hope

Grant Christensen has published “Article IV and Indian Tribes” in the Iowa Law Review (PDF). Here is the abstract:

Unlike the first three articles of the Constitution which create the three branches of the federal government and articulate their limited powers, Article IV establishes a set of rules to police the actions of states and knit them together into a single union. Notably absent from Article IV is any mention of the tribal sovereign. Concomitantly, there has been no comprehensive academic discussion addressing how the tribal sovereign complicates the purposes of Article IV. This piece advances a completely new understanding of Article IV and its implications in federal Indian law. It argues that where Article IV advances rights to individual citizens (i.e., a citizen’s right to enforce a court judgment or their claim to the protection of the Privileges and Immunities Clause) then states may not use an individual’s connection to any tribal sovereign as an excuse to deny them the protections of those rights. In contrast, where Article IV speaks to rules designed to ensure states treat each other respectfully (i.e., requests for extradition, claims under the Equal Footing Doctrine, or any attempt to enforce the Guarantee Clause) then Article IV’s rules do not permit states to abridge, abrogate, modify, or erode the inherent rights of tribal nations. As the Court has recently opined, tribal governments themselves were absent from the Constitutional Convention and so constitutional limitations on the inherent powers of state sovereigns do not extend to tribal governments.  

Michigan Federal Court Dismisses Employment Suit against Hannahville Gaming Operation

Here are the materials in Parrotta v. Island Resort and Casino (W.D. Mich.):

7 Amended Complaint

9 Motion to Dismiss

10 Opposition

11 Reply

12 Magistrate Report

13 Objections

14 Response

15 DCT Order

Harvard NALSA Indian Law Symposium III

Keynote Speaker Dean Stacy Leeds
Wiliame Gucake, Amelia Kendall, Megan Davis, and Fletcher
Elizabeth Reese, Jade Araujo, and Sarah McClellan