Friday Job Announcements

Job vacancies are posted on Friday. Some announcements might still appear throughout the week. If you would like your Indian law job posted on Turtle Talk, please email indigenous@law.msu.edu.

Department of the Interior

Attorney-Advisor, Office of the Solicitor, Division of General Law, Employment and Labor Law Unit, Washington D.C. (Closes 9/26/16)

Department of Justice

Law Student Volunteers, The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan is currently recruiting 4 Student Volunteers for Winter/Spring 2017. This is a volunteer (unpaid) position and is intended to last for one semester in Detroit. Closes Monday, October 3, 2016.

Gila River Indian Community

Protective Services Attorney, Office of General Counsel. Closes 9/30/16

Supervising Protective Services Attorney, Office of General Counsel. Closes 9/30/16

California Indian Legal Services

Senior Staff Attorney, Eureka office.

Procopio’s Native American Law Internship Summer 2017

Link: Now Accepting Applications for Procopio’s Summer 2017 Native American Law Internship Program

Applications are due Friday, October 28th by 5 p.m. PST. Internship applications should include:

  1. A writing sample
  2. Law school transcript
  3. Resume
  4. Cover letter identifying why this is an opportunity you would like to pursue, any tribal governmental experience you have and why Native American legal issues are significant to you.

The program is ten weeks and begins after May 15, 2017.  Applications can be emailed to: ted.griswold@procopio.com or sent via USPS mail to:

Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, LLP
Attention: Ted Griswold
525 B Street, Suite 2200
San Diego, California, 92101

Friday Job Announcements

Job vacancies are posted on Friday.  Some announcements might still appear throughout the week.  If you would like your Indian law job posted on Turtle Talk, please email indigenous@law.msu.edu.

ASSOCIATION OF VILLAGE COUNCIL PRESIDENTS, BETHEL, ALASKA

ICWA Director

Responsible for the overall operations of the ICWA department and personnel. Supervision of the ICWA Program involving case management oversight entered into on behalf of the compacted villages in the AVCP region.

Required – Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in a Human Services field of study or in a related field with a Master’s degree preferred. Work experience and training which provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities for the position can be substituted on a year-for-year basis. Three (3) years of successful experience as a Program Manager, including staff supervision, management networking, communications and staff development, grant writing and reporting and fiscal management.

Tribal Court Development Coordinator

Provides direct services to the villages in enhancing or creation of tribal courts under the directive of the center Director, including tribal court program planning, program reporting, assistance with training and technical assistance, tribal court reporting software troubleshooting and training of the software to tribal court staff. This position will research and draft policy and legal documents for the tribal court use, will assist member tribes and work directly with the Assigned Court Assessment Team under the guidance of the federal partners. Other duties include providing clerical and office support for the Tribal Justice Center (TJC). The Tribal Court Development Coordinator will work with the Director to seek funding sources for the tribal courts in conjunction with the tribes.

High school diploma or GED is required. A Bachelor’s or an Associate’s degree from an accredited university is preferred. A minimum of two to three (2-3) years of progressive experience in working with tribes is required.

To apply: www.avcp.org

SWINOMISH INDIAN TRIBAL COMMUNITY

Tribal Prosecutor

Nature of Practice: The Tribal Prosecutor represents the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Tribal Court in criminal prosecutions, Wellness Court hearings, exclusion proceedings and civil code violations. The Prosecutor reports to and is supervised by the Director of the Office of Tribal Attorney. The Prosecutor also drafts ordinances and may provide advice and recommendations to the Police Department and other departments of the Tribe, as well as the Swinomish Indian Senate and its Committees, on legal policy issues. The work involves a creative, holistic, and interdisciplinary approach developed in conjunction with other Tribal departments to achieve restorative justice. The Prosecutor is supported by a legal assistant in the Office of Tribal Attorney. The Office of Prosecuting Attorney is paperless– all files are maintained electronically.

Minimum Qualifications: Candidate must have graduated from an accredited law school; be licensed to practice in Washington State or have the ability to become licensed through reciprocity, or be eligible for and register for the next scheduled Washington Bar Exam; have excellent written, oral, research and analytical skills; have sufficient experience to independently run a prosecutor’s office; have strong interpersonal communication skills; have negotiation and litigation experience; have an ability and desire to thrive in a dynamic, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural work environment; have experience engaging in creative problem-solving and a dedication to problem-solving approaches; have a commitment to restorative justice; be willing to work in a team setting, including with defense counsel; and view the prosecutorial role as a minister of justice rather than simply an advocate. Experience in a therapeutic court and/or tribal court preferred. Strong preference for an attorney with experience in criminal and Indian law, a demonstrated commitment to working with Native or other minority communities, and/or experience as a supervisor. Willingness and ability to independently work in a paperless office strongly preferred. Native American hiring preference will be in effect during the selection of candidates.

Location: Tribal offices are located in the Swinomish Village on the beautiful Swinomish Indian Reservation at the southeastern end of Fidalgo Island in rural Skagit County, Washington, across the Swinomish Channel from La Conner, W A. The Tribal offices are located 90 minutes north of Seattle, and 90 minutes south of Vancouver, Canada.

Salary: Negotiable depending upon experience. The position is full-time. Compensation includes medical, dental & vision, 401 (k) retirement plan, and other fringe benefits.

Application: The Tribe would like to hire an attorney for this position as soon as possible, with initial review of applications on September 13, 2016. Please submit the following: Swinomish employment application (available at http://www.swinomish-nsn.gov or via email), cover letter expressing the reasons for interest in the position and salary requirements; current resume, writing sample and the names of at least three professional references to:

Elizabeth Miller, Paralegal
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
11404 Moorage Way
La Conner, Washington 98257
Tel: (360) 466-7369
Fax: (360) 466-5309
E-mail: emiller@swinomish.nsn.us

YUROK TRIBE

2017 Summer Law Clerk

Download(PDF): Application Packet

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF MINNESOTA, CENTER FOR INDIAN COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT (CICD)

Project Manager/Senior Project Manager

Download(PDF): Job Posting

Fredericks Peebles Seeks 2017 Summer Law Clerks

2017 SUMMER LAW CLERKS

Fredericks Peebles & Morgan LLP (“FPM”) is a nationwide firm dedicated to the practice of Federal Indian Law.  FPM represents Native American tribes and organizations in a wide spectrum of areas including business transactions, litigation, and governmental affairs.

FPM is seeking applications from second year law students for 2017 Summer Law Clerks for offices in Louisville, Colorado; Omaha, Nebraska; and Sacramento, California. Applicants must be enrolled in an ABA accredited law school.  Experience or coursework in tribal and Federal Indian Law is required.  Applicants must also possess excellent analytical, research and communication skills, and the ability to work well independently and as a team member in a fast-paced environment.  FPM offers a competitive hourly wage for a 10 – 12-week summer position.

Applicants should e-mail a cover letter, resume, a writing sample, and law school transcripts to Ann Hacker at ahacker@ndnlaw.com no later than September 30, 2016.  Your cover letter should indicate your preferred office location and addressed to Ann Hacker. If your preferred office location includes our Colorado office a separate cover letter needs to be addressed to the attention of Thomas W. Fredericks.

For additional information about FPM, visit our website at www.ndnlaw.com.

Sonosky, Chambers Seeks 2017 Summer Associates

Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson, & Perry LLP is a national law firm dedicated to representing Native American interests in a wide range of endeavors including trial and appellate litigation, federal Indian law, tribal law, Indian self-determination and self-governance matters, transportation and infrastructure, natural resources, and economic development, among others. The firm’s practice includes representation of tribal interests in federal, tribal and state courts, and before Congress, state legislatures, and federal and state agencies.

We are currently recruiting 2L students for 2017 summer associate positions. If you are interested in applying, please send the following to Will Stephens, Partner at wstephens@sonosky.com (please also copy kwray@sonosky.com):

  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Transcript
  • Writing sample (relevant to our practice area is preferred, but not necessary)

Interested applicants should send information no later than August 31, 2016. Thank you for your interest.

Berkey Williams LLP Look for Summer Associate and Fellow

SUMMER ASSOCIATE – 2017

The Berkeley office is seeking a 1st or 2nd year law student for a summer associate position in 2017. The position requires excellent research and writing skills. We especially encourage Native American students to apply, and students with a demonstrated commitment to serving Indian communities. Please forward a cover letter, resume and one writing sample to Gloria Coronado, gcoronado@berkeywilliams.com. The deadline to apply is October 14, 2016. No phone calls, please.

INDIAN LAW FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM – 2017-2018

Berkey Williams LLP Indian Law Fellowship Program aims to encourage recent law graduates to work in the field of American Indian law and to provide the Fellows with an opportunity to pursue wide variety of projects in Indian country. The Firm’s intent is to provide recent law graduates with the time and resources to tackle a wide variety of the issues in Indian country such as water rights, ICWA, cultural and natural resources protection, among others. The Fellowship intends to contribute to the development of the Indian law leaders of the future, whatever their career paths might be.

About the Fellowship
The one-year Fellowship offers a competitive salary, full benefits, training, and the opportunity to work with experienced attorneys in an established firm focused exclusively on serving Indian tribes and tribal organizations. The Fellow will work in the California office. The Fellowship begins in September, 2017, with some flexibility depending upon the candidate’s schedule. Berkey Williams is committed to recruiting attorneys who will bring a variety of experiences to the Firm’s clients, and to supporting them by providing the resources necessary to building a strong career in Indian law. The projects on which a Fellow might work are subject to the creativity of the Fellow and the needs or demands of a particular client tribe or tribal organization.

Qualifications and Selection Criteria
Applications are encouraged from recent law graduates with a demonstrated
commitment to Indian law. Preference is given to candidates, both Indian and non-Indian, who demonstrate personal or professional experience with Indian communities. High academic achievements are certainly considered, but they are weighed with other equally significant factors: personal accomplishments, professional goals, cultural competence, and the capacity to work conscientiously and independently as needed. Candidates with interest in specific public interest projects are encouraged to bring their proposals to the Firm. Candidates are encouraged to seek their own funding as well, as the Firm’s ability to offer the fellowship is contingent on funding. Membership in the California Bar, or the Bar of another state, though not essential, is a significant factor in the firm’s evaluation of candidates.

Applying for the Fellowship
Interested law graduates should send a cover letter, resume and a writing sample to
Gloria Coronado, ICWA/Administrative Assistant, at gcoronado@berkeywilliams.com. No
phone calls please. Deadline to apply is October 31, 2016.

ABOUT BERKEY WILLIAMS

The firm is a private, for-profit partnership with a significant public interest focus. The Firm has four attorneys and two paralegals in Berkeley, California, one attorney in Washington, DC, and one attorney in Syracuse, New York. The Firm works exclusively for Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Natural resources protection, environmental justice, water and fishing rights, recovery of ancestral lands, cultural resources, tribal sovereignty, self-governance, economic development, Indian child welfare, employment, and health care are representative areas of the Firm’s work. More information may be found on the firm’s web site: http://www.berkeywilliams.com.

Internships at Interior

FYI~ The Office of the Solicitor is still accepting applications for Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 interns.  Students may apply at https://solicitor.doi.gov/intern_extern.html (for now, ignore the deadlines).  Interns may work in:

  • Division of General Law (contracts, employment, etc.)
  • Division of Indian Affairs (serves Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education)
  • Division of Land Resources (serves Bureau of Land Management, maybe U.S. Geological Survey)
  • Division of Mineral Resources (serves Office of Surface Mining and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement)
  • Division of Parks & Wildlife (serves National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
  • Division of Water Resources (serves Bureau of Reclamation, also does Indian water rights)
  • Immediate Office (the Solicitor’s front office)
  • Office of Indian Trust Litigation
  • Office of Ethics

Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Looking for Summer Legal Intern

Download job announcement here.

NAACP LDF Summer 2008 Internships

For details, please see here.