Author Archives: dwilliams

Job Opportunity: Senior Attorney

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Navajo Nation
Office of Navajo Public Defender
Tuba City, AZ

Closing date: Open until filled

Position no: 243284

Duties and responsibilities: Represents clients, adults and juveniles, in criminal and delinquency proceedings in and out of court. Reviews all court and discovery
documents. Interviews clients; provides information on potential outcomes, defenses, potential consequences, federal prosecution; sentence(s) if convicted; deferred prosecution programs, peacemaking, etc. Develop theory of case and prepare pre-trial motions, responses; replies for trial preparation. Interview and/or depose witnesses. Communicate with prosecutor, probation, service providers. Assist client with referrals, appointments for evaluation, etc. Provide guidance and assistance to court advocates as needed. Prepare, file and complete appeals or Writs to Navajo Supreme Court when necessary. Position requires travel to district and family courts throughout the Navajo Nation.

Minimum Qualifications: 

  • A Juris Doctorate; and four (4) years professional experience as a state licensed attorney. Current
    admission in any state bar with the intention of seeking and securing admission to the Navajo
    Nation Bar Association and either the Arizona, New Mexico or Utah State Bar within one (1) year of
    date of hire.

See full job description: Senior Attorney – Tuba City, AZ

More information: Job vacancy announcement

Job Opportunity: Attorney

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Navajo Nation
Office of Navajo Public Defender
Window Rock, AZ

Closing date: Open until filled

Position no: 244832

Duties and responsibilities: Represents clients, adults and juveniles, in criminal and delinquency proceedings in and out of court. Reviews all court and discovery documents. Interviews clients; provides information on potential outcomes, defenses, potential consequences, federal prosecution; sentence(s) if convicted; deferred prosecution programs, peacemaking, etc. Develop theory of case and prepare pretrial motions, responses; replies for trial preparation. Interview and/or depose witnesses. Communicate with prosecutor, probation, service providers. Assist client with referrals, appointments for evaluation, etc. Provide guidance and assistance to court advocates as needed. Prepare, file and complete appeals or Writs to Navajo Supreme Court when necessary. Position requires travel to district and family courts throughout the Navajo Nation.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Juris Doctorate.
  • Current Admission in any state bar with the intention of seeking and securing admission to the Navajo Nation Bar Association and
    either the Arizona, New Mexico or Utah State Bar within one(1) year of date of hire.

See full job description: Attorney

More information: Job vacancy announcement

The inaugural San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Externship recipients

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ASU Law students Chad Edwards (3L), Brittany Habbart (3L), Lena Neuner (3L) and Ravynn Nothstine (3L) make up the inaugural class of the Indian Gaming and Tribal Self-Governance Programs’ San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Externship Program. This externship program, with funding provided by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, allows promising future leaders to pursue experiences working to further Indian gaming or tribal self-governance, while earning valuable credit hours through a paid externship. 

Edwards worked to further economic development in Indian Country at the Tohono O’odham Gaming Office with Executive Director Jerry Derrick (’91). Edwards is standing in front of the Tohono O’odham Nation “White House,” which houses the Executive and Legislative branches of the Tohono O’odham Nation in Sells, Arizona. 

Habbart gained a behind-the-scenes look at federal agencies while working with the Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office in the Division of Indian Affairs. Neuner worked to protect tribal cultural and natural resources at the Ridges to Riffles Conservation Fund, and Nothstine worked on behalf of the Native American Rights Fund in their Alaska office.

Applications for the fall externship program are open to second and third-year students seeking a juris doctor, current LLM students, and current MLS students. 

For more information, please contact Theresa.Bealieu@asu.edu.   

Submit your application for The Yuhaaviatam of San Manual Nation Externship Program.

Deadline: June 23, 2023

Application directions

We rise by lifting others

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On April 4, two ILP alumni were honored in the Native American 40 Under 40 awards. Congratulations to Krystalyn Kinsel (’15) and Alexander Mallory (’19)! The Native American 40 Under 40 awards represent the best and brightest emerging Indian Country leaders who serve in a variety of fields.

ILP directors and alumni traveled to Las Vegas to celebrate this amazing recognition.

We’re so proud of you both!

Spark Indigenous Joy

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The Federal Bar Association Indian Law conference is a unique time when law practitioners and advocates come together and have an in-depth discussions about the future of Indian Country. It is also a time when organizations that serve the same purpose gather to acknowledge and celebrate Indigenous excellence.

ASU Law’s ILP family met at Sandia Resort for its 23rd annual Alumni & Friends Awards Ceremony and Reception. It was a night full of heartfelt messages and success stories to celebrate this year’s award recipients. Rebecca Ross (’10) received the Alumni Service Award and Stephanie Sfiridis (’16) received the Emerging Leader Award.

Six ILP family presented at this year’s Federal Bar Association Indian Law Conference. On day 1, Faculty Associate Paul Spruhan presented on a panel “Protection of Tribal Sovereignty and Self-Determination Before the U.S. Supreme Court,” ILC Director Patty Ferguson-Bohnee and Liz La quen náay Medicine Crow (’05) presented on “Access to the Ballot Box: Protecting Native American Voting Rights.” On day 2, Jacqueline Bisille (’14) and Rani Williams (’18) presented on “Efforts to Address the Intergenerational Impacts of Federal Indian Boarding School Policies,”Sfiridis presented on a panel “Improving the Land into Trust Process and Best Practices for Tribal Realty and Land Use” and Linda Benally (’03) joined colleagues for a discussion about bias and improvement to support Native American women attorneys during the final presentation “Ethics Panel-Elimination of Bias.”

The National Native American Bar Association (NNABA) also held its annual meeting followed by its 50th Anniversary Celebration with ILP alumni serving on the board: Native Vote Fellow Torey Dolan (’19) as director and Sarah Crawford (’19) as secretary. Native Vote Fellow Blair Tarman-Toner (20’) is NNABA’s newly elected Young Lawyer Representative to the American Bar Association. 

Eight ILP students received the NNABA bar scholarship. Congratulations rising grads: Chad Edwards, Ashleigh Fixico, Brittany Habbart, Michael LaValley, Lena Neuner, Ravynn Nothstine, Autumn Shone and Chanel Simon.

Native American legal warriors and trailblazers shared their wisdom from the early days of Indian Law, inclusion disparity and the need to “uplift our law practice,” as said by Thomas Fredericks, first NNABA president. ILC Director Patty Ferguson-Bohnee , Linda Benally (’03) and Diandra Benally (’05) were recognized as past presidents of NNABA. The Honorable Diane Humetewa (’93) is one of the most recognizable faces in Indian Country for being the first Native American woman to sit on the federal bench. During her special address, Judge Humetewa reflected on her historic appointment and how she felt witnessing the confirmation of two Native American women to the federal bench: Judge Lauren King’s appointment in 2021 as Washington’s first Native American federal judge and Judge Sunshine Suzanne Sykes’ appointment in 2022 as California’s first Native American federal judge. 

“I know that Judge King and Judge Sykes are deeply committed to advancing opportunities for Indigenous law students and lawyers, and they each bring a meaningful voice to their respective district courts on which they sit. And I know through us, we hope that you see that pathways to judicial positions are actually possible.” 

Our Indian Law community is filled with extraordinary advocates who walk with a special vision and purpose, a responsibility that our ancestors tasked us with. We enjoyed seeing everyone and we look forward to elevating the successes of Native American representation in the law. 

Student attorneys at Gila River

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In January, Professor Patty Ferguson-Bohnee and the Indian Legal Clinic students Ashleigh Fixico (3L), Noah Goldenberg (3L), Kristina Major (2L) and Chanel Simon (3L) traveled to the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) Courthouse in Sacaton, Arizona and observed arraignments in person. While at the court, the ILC student attorneys were sworn in to the Gila River Indian Community Court by Chief Judge Anthony Hill (’06). Judge Charles Aragon led an informative tour during which the students met other judges and staff. 

After visiting the courthouse, the student attorneys visited the Gila River Prosecutor’s Office. Chief Prosecutor Voyles and Carleton Giff offered career advice and insight into a prosecutor’s role. ILP alum and prosecutor Dustin Rector (’21) demonstrated the art of a winning closing argument. ILC student attorneys work with the Gila River Prosecutor’s Office on traffic trials.

On March 7, Goldenberg successfully represented the Gila River Indian Community in a civil traffic trial. 

“My experience working with GRIC is a great example of why ASU was the perfect school for me,” said Goldenberg. “I came to law school to study Indian law, with the hopes of working with tribes after graduation. I don’t know of many other opportunities where students have the opportunity to get real, live courtroom experience in tribal courts. I loved being able to work hands on. The whole point of clinic is taking what you have learned in law school and applying it in the real world. It is a unique opportunity and great honor to be able to do that with tribes. ASU Law produces talented Native attorneys, and this was one of the experiences that explains why. My advice to future clinic students is to volunteer and take every opportunity to work in tribal courts. It was an immense honor to contribute to tribal sovereignty and self-determination.”

The Indian Legal Clinic appreciates the Gila River Indian Community for providing clinic students formative career experiences.

____
Honore Callingham (’18)
Law Fellow, Indian Legal Clinic, ASU Law

ILP students compete in UCLA Moot Court

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ILP students Chad Edwards (3L), Samir Grover (2L), Ryan Maxey (3L) and Chanel Simon (3L) competed in the UCLA Williams Institute Moot Court Competition. The competition is the only moot court competition dedicated exclusively to gender and sexuality that involved competitors from across the country. Students prepared an appellate brief on the constitutionality of a hypothetical ban on conversion therapy and gender affirming care under the first and fourteenth amendments. On March 11, ILP teams had the opportunity to argue both sides of the issue at UCLA.

“Being involved with a moot court competition provides a complementary experience to law school classes,” said Simon. “I would recommend future ILP and NALSA students to participate in the competition because it gives you the chance to apply your writing and public speaking skills, while also learning how to improve those skills with feedback from professors, classmates, and volunteer judges. Moot court competitions also provide the opportunity to travel and meet law students from across the country.”

Thank you to our coaches, Faculty Director Patty Ferguson-Bohnee and Native Vote Fellows Torey Dolan (’19) and Blair Tarman-Toner (’21), and volunteer judges for helping them prepare.

Water rights case discussion

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On March 14, NALSA and the American Constitution Society co-hosted a lecture discussion on the U.S. Supreme Court case Arizona v. Navajo Nation. Both Director Derrick Beetso (’10) and Heather Whiteman Runs Him, director of the Tribal Justice Clinic at the University of Arizona, worked with their respective teams and filed an amicus brief in support of the Supreme Court case.

Beetso and the Indian Legal Clinic recently filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Diné Hataałii Association. The brief gives a human identity because it gives an understanding of who the people are. Whiteman Runs Him, with her team, also filed an amicus brief that focuses on the United States v. Winters decision of 1908 on behalf of tribal governments, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the San Luis Rey Indian Water Authority. 

Whiteman Runs Him explains the legal framework of the Winters case: “when the United States sets aside and reserves land for a permanent homeland for an Indian Tribe, like it did in the Treaty with the Navajo Nation, there’s an implied reservation of enough water, sufficient amount of water, to fulfill the purposes of that reservation. Based on that purpose for which the Navajo Nation reservation was set aside, there should be some affirmative duty on the U.S. to take meaningful actions to secure that water and bring that water to a point where the Navajo Nation can use it, rely on it and build on it. And that has not happened.”

Job opportunity: Deputy Attorney General

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Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians
Oakhurst, CA

The position of Deputy Attorney General shall be responsible for protecting all Tribal sovereignty and for providing legal advice and representation to all Tribal officials, agencies, departments, and branches of Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians. The Deputy Attorney General will defend the integrity of the Tribe. The Deputy Attorney General is prohibited from offering individual legal advice or representing individual Tribal Members, but instead serves to protect the rights of all members of the Tribe by administering fair and impartial justice. Maintains confidentiality of all Tribal information.

See full job announcement: Deputy Attorney General