McGirt Webinar Recording – Now available!

Did you miss our recent webinar? Recording of ” “The most significant Indian Law case of the century: McGirt v. Oklahoma” is available here

  • Professor Larry Roberts (Oneida) – Moderator, Executive Director of the Indian Gaming and Tribal Self-Governance Program and Professor of Practice at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law 
  • Stacy Leeds (Cherokee) – Vice Chancellor for Economic Development, Dean Emeritus and Professor of Law at the University of Arkansas 
  • Professor Robert Miller (Eastern Shawnee) – Faculty Director, Rosette LLP American Indian Economic Development Program and Pedrick Distinguished Research Scholar at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law 
  • Jonodev Chaudhuri (Muscogee Creek Nation) – Ambassador, Muscogee Creek Nation, Partner, Quarles & Brady 
  • Derrick Beetso (’10) (Navajo) – General Counsel, National Congress of American Indian

Job Opportunity – Staff Attorney

New Mexico Legal Aid
Gallup, NM

The staff attorney will handle cases and matters involving Federal Indian law and Indian tribal law issues, including representation of low income individuals in tribal court.  In addition, the staff attorney may be required to handle general poverty law work in non-Tribal forums and to conduct outreach in Indian and non-Indian communities.  The attorney will also be active in relevant bar and community activities.   The position will be based in Gallup and will concentrate on Native American and non-Native American cases in northwest counties of the state. It may involve up to may involve up to 50% domestic violence casework. The attorney will report to the managing attorney of the Native American Program and the managing attorney of the Gallup office according to the type of casework.

The staff attorney will handle cases and matters involving Federal Indian law and Indian tribal law issues, including representation of low income individuals in tribal court.  In addition, the staff attorney may be required to handle general poverty law work in non-Tribal forums and to conduct outreach in Indian and non-Indian communities.  The attorney will also be active in relevant bar and community activities.   The position will be based in Gallup and will concentrate on Native American and non-Native American cases in northwest counties of the state. It may involve up to may involve up to 50% domestic violence casework. The attorney will report to the managing attorney of the Native American Program and the managing attorney of the Gallup office according to the type of casework.

Send a current resume and a letter of interest explaining what you would like to accomplish if you are selected for this position to:  jobs@nmlegalaid.org Salary:  DOE, NMLA is an EEO Employer.  Deadline:  March 31, 2020, or until filled.

For full job description, click here.

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Job Opportunity – Temporary Law Clerk

Navajo Nation Judicial Branch
Crownpoint, New Mexico

Closing Date:  July 21, 2020 at 5:00 p.m

Under immediate supervision, performs work of moderate difficulty with responsibility to assist in various aspects of program operations; works under the guidance and direction of professional staff or assigned supervisor; conducts legal or case research for law clerk, justices or court staff; to assist law clerk in preparing cases for adjudication; to assist court clerk during oral arguments or hearings; and performs related duties as assigned. Prepares and assists law clerk with facts of the case and legal issues on appeal; Reviews files and pleadings on appeal; Drafts various court orders; Conducts legal research and verifies legal authority for law clerk and Justices; Analyzes case files to prepare bench memoranda; Recommends disposition of appeals; Performs miscellaneous office and clerical duties; 

Qualifications:
Education, Training and Experience: Bachelor’s degree and enrollment in an accredited college of law. Completion of federal Indian Law class, preferred.

See full job posting here.

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Prof. Miller interviewed on McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision

Professor Robert J. Miller who teaches Federal Indian Law at ASU Law was interviewed by Voice of America – VOA regarding the recent McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision. 

“The Court is upholding this 1832 treaty that the Creek Nation signed with the United States and is holding the United States to those promises.”

Watch the full interview here.

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Prof. Larry Roberts article on today’s McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision

“Today’s decision is a significant win for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and for Tribal Nations across the country. With the Muscogee (Creek) Nation facing opposition from the Trump Administration, this Court made clear that treaties mean something – that they are the supreme law of the land,” said Larry Roberts, ASU Law’s Indian Gaming and Tribal Self-Governance Executive Director.

Read the article on ASU’s American Indian Policy Institute’s blog here.

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Talking Stick Podcast

New episode on the #TalkingStick! “Protecting Tribal Lands and Sacred Places: Current Threats Across Indian Country.” Listen here.

Guests:
Cedric Cromwell, Chairman, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Mark Fox, Chairman, Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation
Harold Fraizer, Chairman, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Ned Norris, Jr., Chairman, Tohono O’odham Nation
Terry Rambler, Chairman, San Carlos Apache Tribe

Another U.S. Supreme Court case ruling and another win for Indian Country

In 2011, a group of law students led by Pat Kincaid (’12), that included Joe Keene (’12), Corey Hinton (’11) and Kevin Heade (’12) joined a national effort of NALSA students to help habeas counsel with the legal research on the Murphy case. The students collaborated with Philip Tinker, who was also a law student at the time attending the University of Tulsa College of Law, to assist with representation at the time. Tinker went on to work at the law firm that represented in the Murphy and McGirt litigation. Mr. Tinker now works at the Kanji & Katzen, PLLC.

The students did research on all of Oklahoma’s history and the absence of a termination act by Congress on the Murphy case. Oklahoma argued that the Enabling Act resulted in the disestablishment of the reservation. The students conducted research on the original treaties and the absence of termination language in the allotment  statute and looked into debunking the Enabling Act argument. The students also focused on theories related to allotments and the extent to which the underlying mineral estate was still in trust.