Share this with future Native lawyers! The Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI) is accepting applications for PLSI 2018. Join other future Native American lawyers at the oldest and most successful pre-law program for American Indians and Alaska Natives. For more information and to download an application, go to http://ailc-inc.org/PLSI.htm.
Important Dates:
March 23 — Applications Due
May 30-31 — Registration
June 1 — Mandatory Orientation
June 4 — Classes Begin
July 27 — Program Concludes
Here is the agenda: Continue reading
Here are the materials in Smith v. United States (D. Ariz.):
It’s was a month ago, but here goes:
1 CA-CV 16-0521 Hopi v. AZ Snowbowl
Thanks to D.C. for sending this along.
Briefs here.
Here:
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari
Questions presented:
1. Whether the court of appeals had jurisdiction over the appeal filed by a nonparty when the nonparty did not participate in any capacity in the district court proceedings.
2. Whether the Tenth Circuit improperly invoked the Indian canon of construction to deprive surface-estate owners who are members or successors-in-interest to Indian tribe members of important property rights by overriding clear regulatory language for the express purpose of favoring the economic interests of an Indian tribe without examining congressional intent.
Lower court materials here.
UPDATES:
Here:
From the report:
We investigated allegations that a senior U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) official expressed to other DOI employees his intent to assist two American Indian tribes he had worked with before becoming a DOI employee. In addition, we learned during our investigation that the senior DOI official may have encouraged the hiring of former business associates involved in the guarantee of a DOI loan to another Indian tribe; the senior official himself had been involved in issuing the loan before he started working at the DOI, and the tribe had defaulted on it. The senior official allegedly suggested that a subordinate needed to approve payment of the loan guarantee even though the DOI had already decided not to pay it. He also allegedly asked a DOI employee to hire one of his relatives.
We found that in the short time he worked for the DOI, the senior official made several comments that created an appearance to other DOI employees that he was planning to give preferential treatment to entities he had relationships with. We confirmed that soon after he began working for the DOI, he told three DOI employees that he intended to continue assisting two tribes that he had worked with before coming to the DOI. We found that he assisted the tribes as a DOI employee only once, when he volunteered to schedule meetings between the tribes and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The senior DOI official also spoke to his subordinates about hiring his former business associates and paying the guarantee on the loan he was associated with; although this did not violate regulations, his statements made his subordinates uncomfortable. In addition, we confirmed that he asked a DOI employee to hire his relative, but he claimed that he had been joking when he made the request.
The senior official left the DOI after we began our investigation. We provided this report to the Deputy Secretary of the Interior for any action deemed appropriate.
Related post.
The Ninth Circuit has denied mandamus relief to the U.S. Here.
NCAI Summer 2018 Legal Internship – Domestic Violence
NCAI is hiring a summer intern to assist us in our work concerning domestic violence in Indian Country. Students must have completed at least one year of law school by the start of the internship. Intern applicants must be able to serve a minimum of 16 hours per week, for a minimum of six weeks. The internship is based in our Washington, DC office. Internships are unpaid, but many schools will offer college credit or financial assistance, and some tribes may be willing to sponsor NCAI interns from their tribe. NCAI will be glad to provide information to your school or tribe to assist in securing credit or financial support for your internship.
The intern will work directly with a team of NCAI staff to plan and coordinate NCAI’s outreach and advocacy work concerning Domestic Violence, specifically NCAI’s projects on VAWA 2013 expanded criminal jurisdiction and on mapping domestic violence resources throughout Indian Country. Responsibilities include legal research, drafting legal memos, helping organize the summer 2018 meeting of the Inter-Tribal Working Group, helping assess gaps in domestic violence services, and organizing webinars on legal topics.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until a candidate is selected. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Interested applicants should apply by emailing ereese@ncai.org a resume, law school grade sheet, writing sample, and cover letter that includes a brief explanation of your interest in the position, tribal affiliation (if any), and two references.
Here is “‘Decolonizing’ Roller Derby? Team Indigenous Takes Up the Challenge.”
Turtle Talk 
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