JOB: Tohono O’odham Nation Office of Attorney General

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Contact: Jonathan Jantzen, Acting Attorney General

Employer: Tohono O’odham Nation Office of Attorney General
Address1: P.O. Box 830
Address2:
CityStateZip: Sells, AZ 85634

Email: jonathan.janzten@tonation-nsn.gov
Phone: 520-383-3410
Fax: 520-383-2689

AcceptingCalls: Yes
JobTitle: Assistant Attorney General III

Salary: Salary approximately $110,000 with six years of experience; salary negotiable based on experience; group health/life insurance, pension and other benefits provided.

Description: The Office of Attorney General represents the Tohono O’odham Nation in litigation and other legal matters. The Office seeks an attorney with 6 years or more of experience in general Indian tribal law, natural resources and environmental law, to fill an Assistant Attorney General III position.

Applicant must be graduate of accredited law school and admitted to practice in at least one state; licensed in Arizona or admitted within 18 months of employment
Experience: Graduate,Current Bar Members,Taking Next Bar,Bar Passage
Submit: Resume,Writing Sample,References
SubmitOther:
SendBy: Mail,Fax,Email
Deadline: Applications accepted until position filled

Alumni: Sheri Freemont (’01)

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Congratulations to Sheri Freemont, Chief Prosecutor of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. She was recently received the “2008 Director of the Year” award from the Community. Tribal leadership said Ms. Freemont has significantly contributed to the betterment of services of the Community by her amazing leadership.

ILP ALUMNI & COMMUNITY SURVEYS

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Dear Alumni, Current Students & Indian Law Community —

The Indian Legal Program is currently developing a new strategic plan. We do not want to complete the process without you. Your thoughts and comments will help us establish priorities and determine our strengths and weaknesses. This survey covers numerous topics including fundraising, curriculum, areas for growth, etc. and also includes a section for general comments and new ideas.

To make it as easy as possible, we have created an on-line survey to gather information. The Alumni survey is for people who attended ASU College of Law and participated in the Indian Legal Program. The Community survey is for people who know about or may have worked with the Indian Legal Program. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by clicking on the link below. If your link does not automatically take you to the survey, please cut and paste the link into your browser. Your submissions are anonymous. We are only provided the results.

ALUMNI LINK
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ZkT891bvzvgm24zzVYYrjg_3d_3d

COMMUNITY LINK
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2f_2f0n_2f_2fpGpTKMUZSuA6Zjqw_3d_3d

I know your time is valuable. Thank you in advance for your support and feedback.

Kate Rosier, Director
Indian Legal Program
(480) 965-6204

JOB: Chief Judge Mescalero Apache Tribal Court

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POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Chief Judge, Mescalero Apache Tribal Court
SUMMARY
The Chief Judge is responsible for fairly and impartially hearing and deciding judicial matters within the jurisdiction of the Mescalero Apache Tribal Court carrying out the administrative operations of the Mescalero Apache Court System, and supervising the Tribal Court and its employees, including case management and the timeliness of decisions.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Pursuant to Article XXVI, Section 4 of the Revised Constitution of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, the successful candidate for the position of Chief Judge must:
A) Be an individual who possesses at least a one-quarter degree of Indian blood and is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe, nation, band or is an Eskimo, Aleut or other Alaska Native;
B) Be not less than thirty-five (35) years of age, nor more than seventy (70) years of age;
C) Never have been convicted of a felony, nor a misdemeanor within the past year; and
D) Possess a high school education or its equivalent.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Adhere to the Mescalero Apache Tribal Code, the Mescalero Apache Tribal Personnel Policies and Procedures and the Mescalero Apache Tribal Court Departmental Policies.
Hear and determine all types of cases filed in the Tribal Court, including but not limited to: criminal, traffic, civil (e.g. domestic relations, probate, repossession, breach of contract, personal injury), juvenile, and child welfare cases (e.g. neglect, dependency, delinquency, truancy).
In a timely manner, conduct legal research and issue orders in connection with cases heard.
Preside over jury trials.
Serve as Departmental Director for the Mescalero Apache Tribal Court system. Prepare budgets for approval by the Tribal Council, authorize and monitor all revenue and expenses. Establish all department policies not covered by tribal personnel policies. Responsible for the hiring, supervision, and training of all court staff. Monitors the timeliness of judicial decisions and ensures efficiency of the judicial system..
Issue search and seizure warrants, arrest warrants, and orders of protection where appropriate.
Assist in the development of Court rules of procedure in all areas listed above.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:
Must demonstrate oral and written communication skills as well as ability to perform legal research and possess analytical skills commensurate with the position of Chief Judge.
Must demonstrate knowledge of general legal principles in all areas listed in “Duties and Responsibilities”.
Must demonstrates knowledge of Federal Indian Law.
Must understand, appreciate and promote the ideas of tribal self-determination and tribal sovereignty.
Must possess and demonstrate a judicial temperament.
Must have a working knowledge of computers and software.
SALARY:
Salary is negotiable, and is dependent upon qualifications and budgetary concerns.
CLOSING DATE:
This position is open until filled.
SUBMIT RESUME WITH COPY OF CERTIFICATE OF INDIAN BLOOD TO:
John D. Wheeler & Associates
500 E. Tenth Street, Suite 305
Alamogordo, NM 88310

Tsosie a panelist at ABA Law Summit

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Professor Rebecca Tsosie will join a panel discussion at the ABA Environment, Energy, and Resources Law Summit: 16th Section Fall Meeting, on Sept. 17-20 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix. Tsosie, executive director of the Indian Legal Program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and a Willard H. Pedrick Distinguished Research Scholar, will participate in the panel, “Tribal Sacred Places and Cultural Resources on Public Lands,” on Thursday, Sept. 18. Tsosie will be joined on the panel by Diane J. Humetewa, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, and a 1993 alumna of the College of Law, and Jack Trope, executive director of the Association on American Indian Affairs. Indian tribes regard many places outside reservation boundaries as holding religious and cultural importance, and the National Historic Preservation Act does require federal agencies to consult with tribes when such places are affected by their actions. The trio will discuss whether these consultations have been acceptable to all parties. The meeting, sponsored by the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, will offer more than 25 Continuing Legal Education programs, along with a public-service project, keynote addresses and various networking opportunities.

American Indian Law Center

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AILC has launched its new site with vastly improved customer interface.
Albuquerque, August 6, 2008 —

The American Indian Law Center, Inc. (AILC), the nation’s oldest existing Indian-managed and Indian-operated legal and public policy organization in the country, is pleased to announce the launching of the new and improved, customer-focused, AILC website. The site, http://www.ailc-inc.org, is designed to provide information on the numerous services and programs that the AILC makes available to tribal governments and tribal leadership, tribal judges, and incoming Indian law students attending law schools throughout the country.

See attachment and visit http://www.ailc-inc.org to get more information about the AILC.

Snowmaking OK’d at Snowbowl Resort

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Snowmaking OK’d at Snowbowl resort
Aug. 8, 2008 11:00 AMAssociated Press

A federal appeals court has approved snowmaking using reclaimed wastewater at the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort north of Flagstaff.

The decision by a full panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is a blow for Indian tribes that had argued that the use of wastewater for snowmaking on peaks they consider sacred violates their religious freedom.

The full appeals court overturned a ruling by a three-judge appeals panel last year that held that using wastewater on the San Francisco Peaks violated the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Friday’s ruling says the tribes will still have full use of the mountain for their ceremonies and the snowmaking would not affect that.

IGRA Pathbreakers Named

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Native Americans to be honored for their contributions to Indian gaming rights

Six people who have worked to protect and expand Indian gaming rights since the inception of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act 20 years ago will be honored this fall by the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

The individuals, named “Pathbreakers” for their leadership in helping tribes achieve economic freedom, will be lauded during a national conference sponsored by the College’s Indian Legal Program. “Indian Country’s Winning Hand: 20 Years of IGRA” will be Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16-17, at the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino in Scottsdale/Fountain Hills. The Pathbreaker’s Banquet will be Oct. 16 in the resort’s Courtyard Plaza.

Robert Clinton, Foundation Professor of Law and a co-chair of the conference’s planning committee, said Indian gaming has been the “white buffalo of the reservation economies, providing the first successful means of economic self-sufficiency for many tribes since their traditional economies were destroyed or decimated through the processes of non-Indian settlement of their former lands.”

The Pathbreakers, who were selected by their peers on a committee comprising leaders of major Indian gaming organizations and programs, have been in the forefront of efforts to restore tribal self-sufficiency and respect for tribal sovereignty, Clinton said.

“They are modern-day warriors who have successfully and selflessly fought important battles for their people, without any thought of personal gain — the mark of a true tribal leader,” Clinton said. “We are privileged and honored to recognize and celebrate the important work and accomplishments of these Indian Gaming Pathbreakers.”

The six are:
· Frank L. Chaves, Former Chairman, New Mexico Indian Gaming Commission. Chaves has worked on gaming issues with tribal governments in New Mexico for more than 12 years. A member of the Pueblo of Sandia, he served as the director of economic development for the Pueblo and was co-chair of the New Mexico Indian Gaming Association.
· Richard G. Hill Sr., Chairman, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. For nearly 20 years, the Hill name has been synonymous with Indian gaming and tribal economic development. He is a former chairman and spokesperson for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), and he led a national negotiating team in the 1990s to resolve conflicts over Indian gaming between the states and tribal leaders.
· John A. James, Chairman, Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. James has been at the forefront of Indian gaming in California for several decades, from bringing high-stakes bingo to the Cabazon in the 1980s to developing a premiere gaming destination in Southern California. He also is chairman of the Cabazon’s Business Committee and a former executive secretary of NIGA.
· Mark Macarro, Chairman, Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. With the support of the California Nations Gaming Association, Macarro served as spokesman for a number of successful Indian gaming ballot initiatives in that state. He represents the Pechanga in the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and on the board of directors of the NIGA, and is chairman of the Riverside County Sheriff Native American Affairs Commission.
· Clinton M. Pattea, President, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Pattea has served on the Nation’s Tribal Council for more than four decades. Arizona’s success in Indian gaming often is attributed to the visionary leadership of Pattea, who was involved in negotiations in the 1990s with then-Gov. Fife Symington who’d refused to discuss a compact with the Nation.
· Ernest L. Stevens Jr., Chairman, National Indian Gaming Association. First elected in 2001, Stevens is in his fourth term at the IGRA helm. He is a former councilman for the Oneida Nation and former first vice-president and treasurer of the NCAI. Stevens recently received the 2008 Gaming Executive of the Year award from the International Masters of Gaming Law.

The conference is a balanced 20-year retrospective of the successes, failures and impact of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. The conference sponsors are offering an early registration rate of $350, through Sept. 15; thereafter, the rate is $450, through Oct. 10. Pathbreaker’s Banquet tickets are being sold separately for $100 each, through Oct. 8. To register or order tickets, go to www.law.asu.edu/ilp. For more information, call Darlene Lester at (480) 965-7715.