Public Interest Indian Law Fellowship Program

Public Interest Indian Law Fellowship Programs

Berkey Williams LLP (Berkeley, CA)

Position Type:  Fellowship

Practice Area(s): Indian/Native American

Geographic Preference(s): West (CA, HI, NV, UT, CO, MT, WY)

Description: Berkey Williams Public Interest Indian Law Fellowship

Berkey Williams LLP (BW) established the Public Interest Indian Law Fellowship Program in 2005. The aims of the Fellowship are to encourage recent law graduates to work in the field of Indian law and to provide the Fellows with an opportunity to pursue public interest projects in Indian country. The Fellow is encouraged to develop innovative legal strategies for projects which may not traditionally be feasible endeavors for a private law firm. The Firm’s intent is to provide bright, creative law graduates with the time and resources to tackle public interest, social justice, and related issues in Indian country. The Fellowship intends to contribute to the development of public interest Indian law leaders of the future, whatever their career paths might be.

About Berkey Williams

The firm is a private, for-profit partnership with a significant public interest focus. The firm has three attorneys and two paralegals in Berkeley, California, one attorney in Washington, DC, one attorney in Bozeman, Montana, two attorneys in New York, and one attorney in New Mexico. The firm works exclusively for Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and currently has clients throughout the United States. Natural resources protection, environmental justice, water and fishing rights, recovery of ancestral lands, tribal sovereignty, self-governance, economic development, Indian child welfare, employment, and health care are representative areas of work. The Firm’s work is funded primarily by its fee-paying tribal clients, as well as generous contributions from private foundations. More information may be found at the firm’s web site: www.berkeywilliams.com.

 About the Fellowship

The one-year Fellowship offers a competitive salary, full benefits, training, flexibility in balancing work and a private life, 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, 2013, 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. In the past, the Berkey Williams Fellow has worked for organized but unrecognized California tribes seeking to protect cultural sites threatened by land development, and tribes whose children are subject to state juvenile dependency proceedings. The Firm’s public interest and pro bono work includes projects intended to protect cultural sites, promote Indian-organized educational institutions, connect Indian communities to electric and telecommunications grids, recover ancestral lands, expand economic development opportunities for tribes, and others.

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 and identification 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 resume and a writing sample to Gloria Coronado, Administrative Assistant, at gcoronado@berkeywilliams.com. If you have any questions, please email. Deadline to apply is January 31, 2013.

Desired Class Level:  RECENT GRADS

Posting Date: December 17, 2012

Expiration Date: January 31, 2013

Contact: Gloria Coronado, Administrative Assistant

2030 Addison Street Suite 410 Berkeley, California 94704 United States

http://www.berkeywilliams.com

Resume Receipt:  E-mail, Other (see below)

Default email for resumes.: gcoronado@berkeywilliams.com

How to Apply:

Interested law graduates should send a resume and a writing sample to Gloria Coronado, Administrative Assistant, at gcoronado@berkeywilliams.com. If you have any questions, please email. Deadline to apply is January 31, 2013.

Additional Documents:

Writing Sample, Other Documents

 ID: 21907

Job Posting – Attorney Advisor DOJ Office of Tribal Justice

Subject: OPENING: Attorney Advisor DOJ Office of Tribal Justice

I would like to share with you and ask you to disseminate the following vacancy announcement.  The Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) for the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as Attorney Advisor to provide counsel and assistance to the Director and Deputy Directors.

Justice seeks to attract, retain, and promote individuals of exceptional ability and talent from all walks of life. The work environment and atmosphere is open, diverse, collegial, and inclusive. There are active affinity groups for African-American; Asian-American; Hispanic; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT); and Native American employees, which are open to all DOJ employees regardless of background. Justice fosters a work environment where people of all backgrounds and experiences may reach their full potential.

Thank you for your help in disseminating this vacancy announcement.  This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html.

OFFICE OF TRIBAL JUSTICE (OTJ)
Attorney ADVISOR / GS-13 to GS-15
ANNOUNCEMENT: OTJ ATY-13-001

About the Office: The Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) is the primary point of contact for the Department of Justice with federally recognized Native American tribes, and advises the Department on legal and policy matters pertaining to Native Americans. OTJ promotes internal uniformity of Department policies and litigating positions relating to Indian country and ensures that the Department clearly communicates policies and positions to tribal leaders.

Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: OTJ is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as Attorney Advisor to provide counsel and assistance to the Director and Deputy Directors. OTJ attorneys:

  • Provide advice on significant tribal justice matters and assist in policy and legislative development and review.
  • Provide advice to OTJ leadership on Department components litigating, protecting or otherwise addressing Native American rights and/or related issues.
  • Review proposed legal actions submitted by divisions that require OTJ approval or coordination.
  • Perform legal research on assigned questions or law or policy and prepare reports and memoranda.
  • Assist in coordinating with attorneys and officials of the Department, other government agencies, and interested parties to provide guidance and advice to ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory and policy requirements.
  • Assist in maintaining liaison with federally recognized tribes, and work with the appropriate federal, tribal, state, and local officials, professional associations, and public interest groups.
  • Develop, coordinate and execute special projects as assigned by the Director or the Deputy Directors.

Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree with at least two years of post J.D. experience, and be an active member of a bar (any jurisdiction). Applicants must be proficient in analyzing complex legal information and producing clear and thorough written work, and have excellent interpersonal skills. Experience or familiarity with Federal Indian Law is required. Prosecution and/or litigation experience is strongly preferred but not required. The incumbent must be able to obtain a Secret-level security clearance.

Travel: Frequent.

Location: Main/RFK Building, Washington, DC.

Salary Information: The salary level is in the GS-13 to GS-15 ($89,033 – $155,500) range.

Submission Process and Deadline: Applicants are required to submit a cover letter (highlighting relevant experience) and resume or OF-612 (Optional Application for Federal Employment). Please reference announcement OTJ ATY-13-001 in your cover letter.

Applicants are encouraged to email applications to OTJ@usdoj.gov or fax them to (202) 514-9078 rather than mail them. No telephone calls please. This vacancy will be open until January 11, 2013 or until a selection has been made.

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Tribal Justice(Attn: Application Coordinator)
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Room 2318)
Washington, D.C. 20530

Other legal position announcements may be found on the Internet at: http://www.usdoj.govand http://dojnet.doj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.php.

Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department’s mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans’ preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the “point” system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

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The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.

 

Job Posting – Chief Judge, Standing Rock Tribal Court

Job Announcement

Chief Judge
Standing Rock Tribal Court, Fort Yates, N.D.

OPEN: Until Filled
SALARY: Negotiable

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is soliciting applications for employment of a Chief Judge for the Standing Rock Tribal Court, as an independent contract employee.

The Chief Judge position will be a full time position. The number of hours, days of employment and compensation are all negotiable. The terms of employment will be determined by the agreement of the parties. The contract shall be compensated on an hourly basis.

The statutory prerequisites for employment are: 1) must be at least 25 years of age; 2) must be of high moral character and integrity; 3) must never have been convicted of a criminal offense, other traffic offenses, for which punishment of imprisonment was imposed; 4) must not have been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Services; 5) must be physically able to carry out the duties of the office and 6) must possess a degree of law from an (ABA) accredited law school and a member in good standing of the bar of any state or federal court.

Applications shall be in writing, to include a professional Resume, legal qualifications and any other submissions at the option of the applicant. All applications are considered on merit.

Applications and any inquiries regarding the Chief Judge position may be directed or submitted to Ms. Dellis M. Agard, Court Administrator, Standing Rock Tribal Court, PO Box 363, Fort Yates, ND, Telephone (701) 854-7244 or by Email to dagard@standingrock.org.

The worksite for this position is located at the Standing Rock Tribal Court in Fort Yates, ND. The Sitting Bull College Transit provides bus services, at nominal cost, to and from Bismarck, ND; Mobridge, SD; McLaughlin, SD and Selfridge, ND, coordinated with the tribal work day, which is 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Central Time).