Author Archives: dwilliams

2024 ILP Alumni Awards: Call for Nominations

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The ILP alumni awards are now open. Nominate your classmates and friends! The ILP Awards include Professional Achievement, Alumni Service Award, and Emerging Leader Award. Nominations are due February 23, 2024! Nomination materials should be sent by email to: Kate.Rosier@asu.edu. Awards will be presented at the ILP Alumni & Friends Awards Ceremony at Fed Bar on Thursday, April 4, 2024 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Nomination Guidelines

ILP Professional Achievement Award – This award recognizes outstanding achievement in Indian Law or Tribal Law throughout an individual’s career. The award honors ILP alumni whose achievements in the field of Indian Law or Tribal Law have brought distinction to themselves and real benefit to the Indian community. Nomination Package Requirements:

  • Describe the unique professional achievements in the field of Indian Law or Tribal Law that has brought distinction to the candidate. (maximum two pages)
  • Describe the recognized contributions made by this candidate that demonstrate a benefit to the larger community. (maximum one page)
  • Describe the ways in which the candidate’s achievements are truly extraordinary or exceptional. (maximum one page)
  • Provide at least two letters of support from individuals that can speak to the candidate’s impact on his or her profession.
  • Letters of support should speak to the magnitude of the individual’s impact in the practice of Indian or tribal law or in the Indian community.
  • Provide a 200 word bio of the nominee.
  • Past winners include: Claudeen Bates Arthur (’74) (Posthumous), Gloria Kindig (’89), Kathy Bowman (’86), Rob Rosette (’96), Diane Enos (’92), Ben Hanley (’71) and Herb Yazzie (’75).

ILP Alumni Service Award – This award is given for outstanding service to the Indian Legal Program, and is awarded for extended, extraordinary service to the Indian Legal Program. Nomination Package Requirements

  • Describe the ways in which the candidate has served or supported the ILP and the ILP alumni. Examples can include serving on committees, boards, CLEs, mentoring ILP students, or other volunteer or fundraising efforts or funding commitments. (maximum one page)
  • Describe the ways this service been truly extraordinary. (maximum one page)
  • Describe how the candidate’s service has benefited the ILP. (maximum one page)
  • Please provide at least two letters of support from ILP alumni as part of the nomination package.
  • Provide a 200 word bio of the nominee.
  • Past winners include: Rebecca Ross (’10), Rodina Cave Parnall (’01), Peter Larson (’02), Verrin Kewenvoyouma (’04), Ann Marie Downes (’94), Mary Shirley (’92) and Jeff Harmon (’05).

ILP Emerging Leader Award – This award acknowledges and encourages service to Indian Country and the ILP by alumni who are less than ten years out of law school. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in their professional career, volunteer work, and promotion or support of the ILP and/or ASU NALSA. Nomination Package Requirements.

  • Describe how the candidate has achieved professional success in their legal career.
  • Describe the candidate’s volunteer work.
  • Describe how the candidate achieved an exceptional level of service while balancing the demands of being a recent graduate. (maximum one page)
  • Describe how the candidate was proactive in efforts to become involved in ILP and/or ILP alumni activities. (maximum one page)
  • Describe how the candidate’s service has been sustained over a long period of time or how the service has been innovative or beneficial. (maximum one page)
  • Provide two letters of support from fellow ILP alumni.
  • Provide a 200 word bio of the nominee.
  • Past winners include: Stephanie Sfiridis (’16), Jacob Schellinger (’12), Derrick Beetso (’10), Carolyn Angus-Hornbuckle (’09), Nikki Borchardt Campbell (’09), Steve Bodmer (’06), Elizabeth Medicine Crow (’05), Charles Galbraith (’07), Matthew Campbell (’08) and Michael Corey Hinton (’11).

Job opportunity: Yurok Tribe General Counsel

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Yurok Tribe
Office of the Tribal Attorney
Klamath, CA
General Counsel
Salary: $128,835.20 – Negotiable DOE

Under the general supervision of the Yurok Tribal Council, the General Counsel will assist the Yurok Tribal Council and Tribal Departments in the legal matters related to the business of the Yurok Tribe. Incumbent will be responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling all activities of the Office of the Tribal Attorney. The General Counsel will ensure the efficient and economical use of the resources of the department, including budgeted funds, grant monies, personnel, facilities, and time, to accomplish short-term and long-range objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  1. Perform legal research including extensive analysis of legal positions. Determine and apply legal principles and precedents to problems and issues.
  2. Provides legal advice, counsel and assistance to the Tribal Council and departments in relation to their duties and the operation of the Tribe and its programs in compliance with the Constitution, laws, and policies of the Yurok Tribe.
  3. Negotiates Federal and State contracts.
  4. Provides opinions concerning personnel policies and procedures.
  5. Provides legal advice related to employment classification and dispute resolution.
  6. Drafts appropriate ordinances and policies that assist in the implementation of the Tribe’s Self-Governance objectives.
  7. Represents the Tribe in Indian Child Welfare cases as needed.
  8. Provides opinions on, drafts documents and policies, and attends meetings concerning regulatory and environmental matters.
  9. Reviews and approves contracts entered into by the Tribe.
  10. Prepares legal briefs, develops strategy, arguments, and testimony in preparation for presentation of a case.
  11. Manages all outside legal counsel.
  12. Promotes tribal sovereignty in alignment with the Constitution and laws of the Yurok Tribe.
  13. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Review full job description: 2023 General Counsel

Apply at: www.yuroktribe.org/jobs

Job opportunity: State Policy Advocates

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Protect Democracy is hiring State Policy Advocates in Arizona and Nevada. You can find that job posting here; Full listing of jobs is here.

Protect Democracy is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to preventing American democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. Our diverse, cross-ideological team defends elections, the rule of law, and fact-based political debate against authoritarian threats, and works to shape a better democracy for future generations. 

The State Policy Advocate will be Protect Democracy’s advocacy lead in Arizona or Nevada, working with our full team to design, execute, and contribute to a variety of initiatives that achieve impact and advance Protect Democracy’s mission. The ideal candidates bring a strategic approach and superb communication skills; a flexible, growth-oriented mindset and collaborative approach; a commitment to excellence; and enthusiasm for our mission. 

We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and with policy views across the political and ideological spectrum to apply. Finally, we do not expect any candidate to have 100% of the qualifications listed. 

Job opportunity: Attorney-Advisor

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Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of the Interior, Division of Water Resources  

Attorney-Advisor. Phoenix, Arizona (Telework eligible). The Solicitor’s Office performs a wide variety of the legal work for the United States Department of the Interior. The selected Attorney-Advisor will report to the Division of Water Resources, Branch of Water and Power and provide legal advice on and legal services for matters pertaining to various federal agencies but primarily to the Bureau of Reclamation, including guidance related to federal water-related contracts with Reclamation water users in the western states, including municipalities, water and irrigation districts, and Native American tribes, and interpretation of western water law, laws and regulations of general applicability to Federal agencies, such as the Federal Land Management and Policy Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and other relevant federal laws. Applicants should have the ability to interact and negotiate with Tribes, States, and local governmental entities, regarding contracts, agreements, and other matters.

In addition, SOL attorneys perform the legal work of the Interior and represent the Interior in administrative hearings. SOL works in conjunction with the Department of Justice in representing the Interior in judicial proceedings throughout the United States.  SOL also provides legal assistance in drafting and reviewing proposed legislation, regulations, contracts, title documents, and other legal instruments. Closing date: Friday, October 27, 2023.

More information
Position Title:  Attorney-Advisor
Series/Grade:  GS-0905-12/13/14 (FPL 14)
Duty Station:  Phoenix, AZ
Open Period:  10/13/2023 to 10/27/2023 

Announcement #:  SOL-DWR-24-VN-003 (EXC)

USAJOBS Posting: USAJOBS – Job Announcement

Celebrating excellence, one award at a time

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The Native American Bar Association of Arizona (NABA-AZ) held its 2023 Annual Seven Generations Awards Dinner and Silent Auction and honored several of our ILP family. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients! ILP advisory council member Judith Dworkin received the Lifetime Achievement Award, Angela Willeford-Salazar (MLS ’23) with the Office of Congressional & Legislative Affairs’ Get Out the Vote Committee received the Community Leadership Award and Kiyoko Patterson (’03) received the Member of the Year Award.

Eleven ASU Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) students received the NABA-AZ Scholarship for their academic achievement. Congratulations to ILP students: Rachel Carroll (3L), Keely Driscoll (2L), Shandiin Herrera (2L), Clayton Kinsey (3L), Kaleb Lester (2L), Sadie Red Eagle (2L), Maryam Salazar (3L), Natalia Sells (3L), Ronnie Strode III (1L), Alexandra Trousdale (3L) and Makai Zuniga (2L).

The NABA-AZ are integral to student success and we appreciate their commitment to ILP students.

Consulting with ILP students

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In August, ILP students Keely Driscoll (2L), Shandiin Herrera (2L), Morgan Oakes (2L), Sophie Staires (3L) and Natalia Sells (3L) traveled to O’ahu to assist Professor Derrick Beetso (’10) with a consultation project involving Native Hawaiians and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). 

“It was great learning how different communities can participate in the rulemaking process,” said Oakes. “There is nothing that can replicate listening to community members discussing their past experience and concerns with proposed regulations.”

“I really appreciated the opportunity to attend the Honolulu session and learn more about Hawaiian governmental structures and histories that guide the consultation process and responses there,” said Driscoll. “I learned just how distinct the conversations taking place in Hawaii are from those taking place in the states.”

Also pictured: Colin Kippen, interim CEO, OHA.

Job opportunity: Attorney-Adviser

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Department of the Interior
Office of the Solicitor
Phoenix, AZ

This position is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures.
Merit promotion procedures do not apply.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

As an Attorney-Adviser with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Intermountain region, Phoenix Field Office, located in Phoenix, AZyour specific duties will include:

  • Providing advice on and legal services for matters pertaining to the various agencies within the Department of the Interior, primarily for, but not limited to, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation.
  • Providing advice and legal services on the topics of public lands management and western water law relating to laws and regulations of general applicability to Federal agencies, such as the Federal Land Management and Policy Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, National Reclamation Act, and other relevant federal laws.
  • Providing litigation support on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior and various Interior agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation, to the Department of Justice and practicing before the Interior Board of Land Appeals.
  • Involves knowledge of water law; public lands law; federal and state litigation procedure; the federal Indian trust responsibility and statutes relating to interactions between the federal government and Tribes; federal environmental laws; real property laws; contracts, financial assistance, and cooperative agreements.
  • Requires the ability to analyze legal requirements and succinctly provide advice and counsel to technical/non-legal professionals; and the ability to interact and negotiate with outside entities, including Tribes, States, and local governmental entities, regarding contracts, agreements, and other matters.

For full job description and to apply, go to Job Posting.