Job Opportunities

Spokane Tribe

Conflict Public Defender, Wellpinit, WA. Responsible for representing defendants in criminal prosecutions in the Spokane Tribal Court. This position is open continuous. Applications can be downloaded at http://www.spokanetribe.com/jobs

Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP

2018 Summer Clerkships and Fellowships. A boutique law firm in San Francisco, CA specializing in government, land use, renewable energy, and environmental law. We have a growing federal Indian law practice, focusing on cultural resource protection, government-to-government consultation, tribal jurisdiction, land use, and renewable energy. Summer clerkships are open to students who will have completed their 2L year. The three-year fellowship is open to recent law school graduates. Applications accepted on a rolling basis, with a firm deadline of Labor Day for both programs.

Tulalip Tribes

Attorney. Closes July 28, 2017.

Hualapai Tribe

Public Defender. Closes August 14, 2017.

Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska

Tribal Child Support Unit Attorney, Juneau, AK. This position’s duties and responsibilities include representing the Tlingit and Haida Tribal Child Support Unit (TCSU) in Tribal and State courts, drafting legal documents for child support and paternity cases, providing legal guidance to the TCSU agency, researching legal issues, interpreting statutes, rules and regulations relevant to child support and paternity. Salary range $68,872 – $87,825 per year.  Position open until 4 pm, August 18, 2017.  Tlingit & Haida accepts electronic applications only. For questions contact Human Resources:  humanresources@ccthita-nsn.gov or Telephone 907-463-7707 or 463-7106.

Mescalero Apache Tribe

Chief Judge. This position is open until filled.

Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians

Court Clerk, Temecula, CA.

Previous Friday Jobs Announcement: 7/14/2017

Note: Job vacancies are compiled and posted on Fridays to Turtle Talk. If you would like your Indian law job posted on Turtle Talk, please email indigenous@law.msu.edu.

ILP Student Summer Job Update – Solveig Parsons

Ladd Gustafson (2L) and Solveig Parsons (3L) are working at SRPMIC Office of the General Counsel. They have written motions and researched a range of topics from leasing and jurisdiction to commercial enterprises and juvenile law. Ladd and Solveig have also shadowed attorneys at multiple ICWA hearings. They have had a great experience of working with amazing attorneys and gaining exposure to different areas of law.

The SRPMIC Office of General Counsel is filled with ILP alumni. The ASU ILP grads include Theresa Rosier (’98), Jennifer Giff (’95), Nicole King (’01), Marnie Hodahkwen (’02), Cheryl Scott (’05), and Mike Mainwald (’13).

ILP Student Summer Job Update – Samantha Oswitch

This summer, Samantha Oswitch (rising 3L), is working as a Judicial Law Clerk for Gila River Indian Community Court. She has had new experiences this summer including observing a full jury trial. She works with the Court Solicitor as well as the Judges. On a daily basis, she help Judges with research, drafting memos, reading documents and providing feedback, and helping draft and edit orders. She has worked on both criminal and civil cases, and she has had the opportunity to see her research cited in Court orders.
Samantha has also had her first solo research assignment when the judge needed an answer before a hearing that was 2 hours later. She has loved her summer job and will be sad to leave.

Job Opportunity – Victim Assistance Specialist

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Knoxville, Tennessee

Position:  Victim Assistance Specialist, GS-301-09
Area of Consideration: Open to Status Candidates
Open Date: July 18, 2017
Close Date: August 1, 2017

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee that is responsible for advocating for victims of federal crimes. Typical work assignments will include:

  • Reviews literature and research regarding new and developing victim issues to obtain information regarding new programs and services for victims of crime.
  • Coordinates with federal investigative agencies to identify cases with victims.
  • Receives calls and correspondence from victims concerning a variety of specific difficulties they may experience as a direct result of a crime.
  • Provides in-court support during hearings and trials.
  • Provides case status updates to victims.

For full job description and application, click here (current federal employees): https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/474735900

For full job description and application, click here (public):
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/474737200

ILP Student Summer Job Update – Christina Andrews

This summer, Christina Andrews (rising 2L) was a recipient of the Native American Congressional Internship, under the bi-partisan Udall Foundation. She is grateful to have been placed with Congressman Raul Grijalva’s office. In her position, she is learning the Legislative Process by working on Bill H.R. 3166, The Native American Suicide Prevention Act 2017, which would require input by American Indian/Alaskan Native communities to the state receiving federal grants to develop and implement statewide suicide prevention strategies. This bill would open constructive dialogue between the state and tribes.

She is also working on a bill to make Consultation with tribes a law. Presently, Consultation at the federal level is not actually defined in statute. There has been an executive order since the Clinton Administration that requires each federal agency to have a tribal consultation policy and to “Consult” with Tribes. Those policies spell out the federal responsibilities, but not necessarily what a state would be required to do. It is worth noting that the executive order has yet to be reaffirmed by the current administration.

ILP Student Summer Job Update – Rani Williams

Rani Williams (rising 3L) is a legal fellow in the office of Nevada United States Senator Catherine Cortez Masto in Washington, D.C. Rani assists the Senator and her staff in her role as a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Committee on Energy & Natural Resources.

Rani’s duties include researching and writing memos on legal questions and statutory interpretation, drafting legislative hearing memos and witness questions, and attending constituent meetings in regards to Indian affairs and natural resources. Rani has the privilege to work with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs staff to learn how federal Indian law and policy is made. She is honored for the opportunity to serve Nevadans and tribal communities. Working for her home state in our Nation’s Capital is such an exciting experience. When she’s not on the Hill, Rani leaves the D.C. area to hike, camp, and meet new people.

ILP Student Summer Job Update – Simon Gertler

Simon Gertler (rising 3L) is having an incredible summer in Alaska. He has been doing work for tribes all over the state, dealing with issues in environmental law, property law, contracts, and even decedents’ estates. He enjoys collaborating with his coworkers in Juneau and has been up a couple times to meet the folks in the Anchorage office. He has also had the opportunity to spend time with the NARF intern whom he met at NALSA moot court this year.

When he’s not working, he’s out hiking, biking, and playing music! Simon is sad to leave Juneau at the end of the summer, but awaits his next adventure in Washington D.C., where he will be externing with the Department of Justice ENRD Indian Resources Section!

ILP Student Summer Update – Dylan Rain Tree

This summer, Dylan Rain Tree (rising 3L) is clerking with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) at the Boulder, Colorado headquarters. NARF is the oldest and largest non-profit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide. Mr. Rain Tree’s assignments are part of on-going legal cases that NARF accepts on behalf of Native American tribal clients whose legal issues are of national importance. Mr. Rain Tree’s work has focused on sacred site protection, tribal court jurisdiction, tribal recognition, and traditional criminal justice systems. His duties include researching and writing memorandums on legal questions of presidential authority, lawsuit immunities, traditional tribal legal procedures, and the new federal recognition regulations for acknowledgement. Overall, Mr. Rain Tree’s clerkship is an exciting opportunity into the legal practice of federal Indian law.