Author Archives: Darlene Lester

Kevin Gover on Channel 12 today at 4 pm MST – “Indigenous Stereotypes in Sports”

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Watch 12 News today at 4 p.m. for Kim Covington’s interview with Kevin Gover, director of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.  Kevin  will be talking about his keynote lecture and panel discussion on Jan. 30 at the Heard Museum, and ILP co-sponsored event.    Tickets are available to the public at:  http://heard.org/event/indigenous-stereotypes-symposium/ for $5.00.  We hope you will join us!   Seating limited!

Tribal Government E-Commerce CLE Conference just a month away – early rate expires tomorrow!

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Early rate for registration expires tomorrow! Great networking opportunities. Keynote Lunch Speaker is Gary “Litefoot” Davis. Get your CLE credits by attending a conference that focuses on an innovative field of tribal economic development – a new geography of Indian Country.   Agenda and more info at:  http://conferences.asucollegeoflaw.com/ilp_ecommerce/

Changes in Indian law, reservations to be examined at College of Law’s annual William C. Canby Jr. Lecture

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For Immediate Release
For more information contact:
Julie Gunderson, 480-727-5458, julie.gunderson@asu.edu

Changes in Indian law, reservations to be examined at College of Law’s annual William C. Canby Jr. Lecture
Reid Peyton Chambers, a former Associate Solicitor for Indian Affairs with the U.S Department of Interior and founding partner in a law firm dedicated to representing Indian tribes nationwide, will deliver the Seventh Annual William C. Canby Jr. Lecture on Friday, Jan. 31, at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Chambers, who has dedicated his career to teaching Indian law and representing Indian tribes, will give a talk titled, “Reflections on the Changes in Indian Law and Indian Reservations from 1969 to the Present.”

“It’s a personal story for me,” Chambers said. “I’ll be giving my assessment of the changes I’ve seen on reservations and in Indian law since I first began my career in the late 1960s.”

Chambers said one of those significant changes began when Indian leaders on reservations began pushing for tribal sovereignty.

“Before the 1960s the federal government was paternalistic when it came to how they controlled Indian reservations,” Chambers said. “Tribal leaders wanted to get rid of that kind of control and establish their own governments.”

Chambers said that beginning in the late 1960s, the federal government for virtually the first time ever became willing to listen to the demands of Indian leaders, and policies from both Lyndon B. Johnson’s Administration and  Richard M. Nixon’s Administration led to tribal governments  reasserting sovereignty over their reservations.  Chambers said it then became the goal of lawyers representing tribes to affirm in court  that  tribes did have a right to  govern their reservations, as well as to protect tribes’ other treaty rights such as to water and to hunt and fish.

The lecture, presented by the Indian Legal Program (ILP) at the College of Law at Arizona State University, is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of Armstrong Hall on the Tempe campus. It is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a reception in the Steptoe & Johnson Rotunda.

The lecture honors Judge William C. Canby Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a founding faculty member of the College of Law. Judge Canby taught the first classes in Indian law there and was instrumental in creating the ILP.

Chambers, served as Associate Solicitor of Indian Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1973 to 1976. He was the Department’s chief legal officer responsible for Indian and Alaska Native matters. Chambers then joined the late Marvin J. Sonosky, a longtime attorney for Indian tribes, and Harry R. Sachse to found the law firm that is now Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP. The firm specializes in Indian law.

Robert Clinton, Foundation Professor of Law at the College of Law, who invited Chambers to speak at the College of Law said Chambers experience in the field over the last four decades makes him the ideal candidate to speak to the changes that have taken place.

“He has the broadest and widest perspective of anyone in the country, on how Indian law has developed,” Clinton said.

Chambers has taught a seminar on federal Indian law at Georgetown University Law Center and at Yale Law School. He also co-authored the 1982-revised edition of Felix S. Cohen’s landmark treatise on federal Indian law and has published numerous articles.

Chambers taught law for three years as a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles and worked extensively with the Native American Rights Fund and California Indian Legal Services.

For more info or to RSVP to attend in person: please visit  http://conferences.asucollegeoflaw.com/canby2014/

If you cannot attend a live webcast of this event will be available at law.asu.edu/CanbyLecture2014.

Congrats to ILP’s Alum & Faculty member Diane Humetewa who has been nominated for U.S. District Court Judge

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President Obama Nominates Eight to Serve on the United States District Courts 

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama nominated Judge Cynthia Ann Bashant, Stanley Allen Bastian, Diane J. Humetewa, Justice Jon David Levy, Judge Steven Paul Logan, Judge Douglas L. Rayes, Manish S. Shah, and John Joseph Tuchi for District Court judgeships.

“These men and women have had distinguished legal careers and I am honored to ask them to continue their work as judges on the federal bench,” said President Obama. “They will serve the American people with integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice.”

The Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law is honored to have 3 SDOC alums in the 8 nominees!

See full release at:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/09/19/president-obama-nominates-eight-serve-united-states-district-courts

Job Posting July 2, 2010

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JOB OPPORTUNITY: KEWENVOYOUMA LAW, PLLC

Kewenvoyouma Law, PLLC is seeking a motivated, self-driven, and ambitious full-time associate.Kewenvoyouma law, PLLC is a small 100% Indian owned law firm providing legal services exclusively to Tribes, tribal entities, tribal agencies, and Individual Indian business owners.Our firm provides services in the area of Indian law, business transactions, economic development, finance, commercial transactions, business formations, government relations, gaming, water rights, and day-to-day general counsel services to Tribe and corporate counsel services to Indian owned businesses.

Requirements:

·J.D. degree from an A.B.A. accredited law school with Bar License in California and/or Arizona (or pending License)

·0-6 Years of experience

·Demonstrated education or experience in federal Indian law

·Willing to travel

·Strong research, analytical and writing skills

·Strong organizational and communication skills

·transactional law, business law, economic development and gaming experience.

Applicants should submit the following information:

1.Cover Letter

2.Resume

3.Writing Sample

4.Transcripts (if graduated within 0-4 years)

5.Three references

Please submit information via email to debbie@vtklaw.com.Please contact Debbie Kewenvoyouma at 480-705-7550 with any questions.Experience and/or education in transactional work preferred.Native American hiring preference will be provided to qualified attorneys.

Job Opportunity – Navajo Nation Attorney General-Department of Justice Employment Advertisement

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Navajo Nation Attorney General–Department of Justice Employment Advertisement

The Navajo Nation Attorney General seeks an Attorney-Candidate, Tribal Court Advocate, or Attorney to join the Navajo Nation Department of Justice’s Economic and Community Development Unit. The individual who is selected for this position will primarily handle the Division of Community Development’s matters. Although an Attorney-Candidate or Tribal Court Advocate is preferred; Attorney-Candidate, Tribal Court Advocate, and Attorney applications will be considered.

As the Navajo Nation’s Chief Legal Officer, the Attorney General has charge of the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, which advises and represents the Navajo Nation government in all legal matters. The Economic and Community Development Unit provides legal services to the Navajo Nation’s several political subdivisions; including the Division of Community Development, which is tasked with promoting and facilitating the Navajo Nation’s physical and legal infrastructural development. In consultation with the Division of Community Development, the Economic and Community Development Unit will interview and select an individual for this position. The Attorney General is charged with the final approval of the individual selected for this position.

The Attorney-Candidate, Tribal Court Advocate, or Attorney who is selected and approved will work under the direct supervision of the Assistant Attorney General for the Economic and Community Development Unit. The selected and approved individual will perform legal research, and through a licensed Department of Justice Attorney, will provide guidance and assistance to the Division of Community Development. Moreover, the selected and approved individual’s work will primarily concern the Navajo Nation’s Chapter governments’ matters. Although not strict a requirement, the individual selected and approved for this position is preferred to possess at least a minimal understanding of Navajo language.

The selected and approved Attorney-Candidate will be required to:

  • Possess a Juris Doctor degree;
  • Become a member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association within one year of hire;
  •  Become licensed to practice in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, or Utah within one year of hire;
  • Possess basic knowledge and competency of Federal Indian Law and Navajo Nation Law that impacts the Division of Community Development;
  • Possess a basic understanding of Navajo culture and customs;
  • Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills;
  • Possess working knowledge of the Rules of Professional Conduct; and
  • Possess experience interfacing with government officials.

The selected and approved Tribal Court Advocate will be required to:

  • Be a member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association;
  • Possess basic knowledge and competency of Federal Indian Law and Navajo Nation Law that impacts the Division of Community Development;
  • Possess a basic understanding of Navajo culture and customs;
  • Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills;
  • Possess working knowledge of the Rules of Professional Conduct; and
  • Possess experience interfacing with government officials.

The selected and approved Attorney will be required to:

  • Possess a Juris Doctor degree;
  • Be licensed to practice in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, or Utah;
  • Become a member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association within one year of hire;
  • Possess basic knowledge and competency of Federal Indian Law and Navajo Nation Law that impacts the Division of Community Development;
  • Possess a basic understanding of Navajo culture and customs;
  • Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills;
  • Possess working knowledge of the Rules of Professional Conduct; and
  • Possess experience interfacing with government officials.

Salary will be based upon experience and the Navajo Nation Department of Justice’s Personnel and Compensation Plan. The Navajo Nation Department of Justice also offers a competitive Benefits package. To apply, send electronic copies of your letter of interest (no more than two pages), resume (no more than two pages), transcripts (official or unofficial), and one writing sample (no more than three pages) to: blewis@nndoj.org before 5:00 p.m. MST on January 6, 2012. You may call the Economic and Community Development Unit at: (928) 871-6933 with questions.