Job Opportunity – Associate Attorney

Posted on by

Rothstein Donatelli
Tempe, AZ

Summary:
Rothstein Donatelli has offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as well as in Tempe, Arizona where we specialize in federal Indian law, including gaming, economic development, Indian Child Welfare Act, Indian health law, labor and employment law, civil litigation, and transactional matters. Rothstein Donatelli is committed to advancing the sovereign rights of Native American tribes.

Requirements:
Rothstein Donatelli is interested in an attorney with two or more years of experience with a demonstrated commitment to the highest quality of legal practice. The ideal candidate will have excellent research and writing skills and experience working with tribal communities. Familiarity with Indian law is preferred.

For more information:
www.rothsteinlaw.com

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, references, and writing sample to Firm Administrator Manya Snyder at info@rothsteinlaw.com.

Job Opportunity – Paid Law Clerkship

Posted on by

Fall Law Clerks – Taylor & Gomez LLP

Paid Law Clerkship.  Seeking two law clerks for Fall Semester 2021.  Typically, it is 4 to 10 hours of work per week, depending on need and availaiblity, for each law clerk.  Please e-mail Resume and Writing Sample.  Looking for two law clerks interested in Civil Cases/Litigation and/or Indian Law.  We have high expectations for our law clerks, so please only apply if you have serious interest in working hard, learning, and getting legitmate, real-life work experience. 

Interviews will be via Zoom.  It is anticipated that some work for the Fall 2021 Semester will be in person in the Office. So, if that would be a problem or issue for you, then please consider whether you should apply.

Eligibility: 2L and 3L

Apply via Email: dg@taylorgomezlaw.com

Application Documents:

  • Resume (Required)
  • Cover Letter (Optional)Transcript (Optional)
  • Writing Sample (Required)
  • References (Optional)
  • Other (Optional)

Contact:
Dominic Gomez
Partner/Attorney
dg@taylorgomezlaw.com
6023948930
4022 East Broadway Road, Suite 113, Phoenix – AZ, United States (USA), 85040

Job Opportunity – Full-time Staff Attorney

Posted on by

Location:
Alaska Legal Services Corporation (“ALSC”),
The Bethel ICWA attorney will be serving clients in cases primarily heard in Bethel, Alaska courts, serving clients in the YukonKuskokwim Delta.

Summary:
Alaska Legal Services Corporation (“ALSC”) is seeking a full-time staff attorney to provide legal services to Association of Village Council Presidents (“AVCP”) member Tribes and tribal members. This position primarily involves representation of tribal clients in state child welfare proceedings and enforcing the Indian Child Welfare Act, and may also involve litigating other Native law matters on behalf of AVCP Tribes and tribal members.

To learn detailed information about this position please contact:
Pearl Pickett
Native Law Supervising Attorney
ppickett@alsc-law.org
907-222-4523
1016 W 6th Ave, Suite 200, Anchorage – AK, United States (USA), 99501

Interested applicants can send the needed documents to:
Resume (Required)
Cover Letter (Required)
Transcript (Optional)
Writing Sample (Required)
References (Required)
Other (Optional)
Send to: ppickett@alsc-law.org

Job Opportunity – Associate Attorney -Sacks Tierney PA

Posted on by

Location:
Scottsdale, AZ

Summary:
For over 60 years, Sacks Tierney has distinguished itself through cause-related volunteerism and legal involvement in local and national issues; offering litigation services and experience competitive with much larger firms; and pioneering expertise in legal areas of special value to Arizona clients.

Requirements: Sacks Tierney is currently seeking a mid-level associate with 2-4 years of experience to join our Indian Law practice. Applicants must have excellent research, analytical, and writing skills.  In addition, the successful candidate must have strong academic credentials, and must be licensed to practice in Arizona.

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript and a writing sample to Laura Nance by email at laura.nance@sackstierney.com.

Job Opportunity – Attorney-Advisor (General)

Posted on by

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DHS Headquarters
Office of the General Counsel

Location:
Washington, DC

Summary:
This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Technology Programs Law Division (TPD).
The primary purpose of this position is to provide legal advice for Government contracts, inter-agency acquisitions, and grants/cooperative agreements entered into by DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate (“S&T”) in the areas of research, development, test, and evaluation (“RDT&E”).

Responsibilities:
As an Attorney-Advisor (General) GS 0905 14/15, your typical work assignments may include the following:
• Provide legal advice to contracting officers, program managers, and senior officials concerning the laws applicable to all phases of the research and development contracting process, including acquisition planning, solicitation and award, contract administration, and the resolution of bid protests/disputes.
• Provide legal advice in the development and negotiation of innovative and R&D centric solicitation and award instruments (e.g., Other Transaction Agreements with consortia, contracts under S&T’s Small Business Innovation Research Program, and Partnership Intermediary Agreements).
• Provide legal advice to grants officers, program managers, and senior officials concerning the laws applicable to all phases of the research and development grants/cooperative agreements process, including solicitation and award, administration, and the resolution of disputes.

Basic Requirements:
You as an applicant must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; and


GS-14 or GS-15:

  • The first professional law degree (LL.B. or JD); or
  • The second professional law degree (LL.M.) AND
  • Specialized professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual’s background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

To see full job description, click on the link below:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/PrintPreview/608852500

Judicial Vacancy Announcement – Tohono O’odham Legislative Branch

Posted on by

Sells, Arizona
Tohono O’odham Judicial Court

Closing date: Monday, August 2, 2021
Position: Judge (one position)
Term: One term ending January 31, 2023

Length of Employment:
The Nation’s judges are appointed by the Tohono O’odham Legislative Council and serve six-year terms until a successor is appointed and sworn in. A Nation’s judge is eligible for reappointment to additional terms in office.

Qualifications:
1) Possess a juris doctorate degree and be licensed to practice in any state, be a member in good standing with a state bar association, and have at least three years of experience as a practicing attorney;
2) Possess an associate’s degree and be an enrolled member of the Nation, and have served as a judge for at least six years or have at least ten years of work experience and training in a judicial or law-related field.
NOTE: See 6 T.O.C. Chapter 1, Subsection 1103(C) at http://tolc-nsn.gov/docs/Title6Ch1.pdf for additional requirements and disqualifications.

See full vacancy description here.

Application requirements:
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit materials electronically.
Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume, three writing samples, and three reference letters along with the completed application forms available at http://tolc-nsn.gov/ to:

ATTN: Leander V. Mase, Chairperson
Judiciary Committee
Tohono O’odham Legislative Branch
Post Office Box 837
Sells, Arizona 85634
(520) 383-5260 leander.mase@tonation-nsn.gov

Indian Legal Clinic: Year in Review

Posted on by

The ILC was one of the only clinics at ASU offered to law students to work in-person, which adapted to work remotely with clients during the pandemic. If there is one thing thing to take away from this last year, it is that the ILC takes nothing for granted. Ten student attorneys, including two students that returned for a second semester, billed over 3,000 hours. 

The ILC worked on 18 cases plus offered two wills clinics. Overall case subject matters included: civil, criminal, family, probate, civil rights, enrollment, land, and federal recognition. The ILC represented clients in tribal, state and federal courts, including filing a brief in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Student attorneys continued the Indian Wills Clinic partnerships with the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians and the Quechan Indian Tribe to draft estate planning documents under the direction of Professor Helen Burtis (’07). In October, 3L’s Mariah Black Bird, Jens Camp, Brendan Clark, Aspen M. Jensen, Dustin Rector and MacArthur Stant II executed 19 wills, financial powers of attorney, and health care powers of attorney for 14 members of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. In March, Brianna Minjarez (2L), Cierra Moore (2L), Vinnie Amato (2L) and Camp created 16 wills for members of the Quechan Indian Tribe.

“With online learning and not seeing as many people in person, it has been hard to stay cause-connected,” said Amato, one of the participating students. “Being able to help draft wills for tribal members over Zoom was a great experience because it refocused me on why I joined the Indian Legal Program. I also gained valuable skills I never would have received otherwise.”

“It was fun to get to know and offer guidance to the student attorneys, whose shoes I was in in the not-so-distant past,” said Simon Gertler (’18) attorney at Rosette, LLP who assisted as a supervising attorney. “It also served as continuing education for me in an area of law that I don’t normally practice. The best part was seeing the clients so appreciative of the students for helping them with their wills! I hope to continue being part of this special program.”

These wills clinics are designed to provide allotment owners with wills that conform to the provisions of American Indian Probate Reform Act.

2020 was a pivotal election year, especially for Arizona and Native voters! The Arizona Native Vote Election Protection Project (AZNVEP) worked tirelessly with partners—the Arizona Election Protection Coalition, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA), All Voting is Local, and the Native American Bar Association of Arizona (NABA-AZ)—to encourage and assist Native voters in the months leading up to the general election despite pandemic challenges. The ILC team included Native Vote Fellow Torey Dolan (’19), and 3L student attorney leads Clark and Rector, and 3L attorneys Camp, Jensen, Stant and Tarman under the supervision of Professor Patty Ferguson-Bohnee. Students even advocated for voting rights through litigation. 

The ILC worked with outside counsel to prepare an affidavit that was filed on election day to extend polling place hours and require polling locations on the Navajo Nation that opened late to also remain open late.

“Working in Chinle, Arizona with Native Vote during the 2020 election was my favorite memory in the ILC,” said Jensen. “It was touching to see many Native voters exercising their right to vote. I saw voters from before sunrise to after sunset. Some of my favorite memories of that day were seeing grandmas and grandpas wrapped up in blankets standing in line before the polls opened, helping a man who biked five miles and asked me to watch his bike while he voted, and helping a woman who stood firm after she was told the polls had closed but steadfastly held her rightful place in line until she eventually voted.”

On Election Day 2020, 100 Election Protection volunteers assisted voters at over 60 polling sites across Arizona and answered over 250 calls through the Native Vote Election Protection hotline. The ILC also worked with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, the Campaign Legal Center, and Osborn Maledon to bring suit against the Pima County Recorder to restore early voting access. 

Student attorneys researched and wrote “Decolonizing the Mindset,” a white paper on the inherent sovereignty of non-BIA listed Tribes. During their 2L year, Nathan Frischkorn and Tarman began drafting the paper in Spring 2020 and Tarman continued to work on it this year. Clark and Jensen prepared a brochure to accompany the white paper that can be used for educational purposes. 

Last autumn, Jensen presented on “Decolonizing the Mindset” to the NCAI Federal Recognition Taskforce during the NCAI Annual Meeting. This spring, Tarman presented her paper to the Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes (ACET). ACET issued a certificate of appreciation to the Indian Legal Clinic for “Outstanding Service to the Cause of Justice for all Indigenous nations and working to decolonize the minds of Indigenous and non-indigenous Americans.”

Frischkorn (3L) and Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren (’20) with the guidance of April Olson (’06) assisted in drafting NABA-AZ’s comment in support of the Arizona Supreme Court amending its pro hac vice rules to allow nonmember attorneys representing Indian Tribes in Indian Child Welfare Act cases to appear without paying the pro hac vice fees or associating with local counsel. The amended Rule 39(a) went into effect January 1, 2021.

The ILC recently filed a brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding the overreach of federal court jurisdiction in tribal affairs. Camp was the lead student attorney on the brief. During the semester, he and Amato assisted with pleadings filed with the District of Alaska in support of a motion to set aside a default judgment for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

“The ILC gave me confidence in my abilities to work in the legal profession,” said Camp. “Thank you for being such an amazing teacher and mentor, Professor Ferguson-Bohnee! I will always appreciate how you treated the ILC student attorneys as colleagues and pushed us beyond our comfort zones. Clinic taught me more than any other course I took in law school, and I largely attribute this experience to your leadership.”

Returning student Camp received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award in recognition of his outstanding trial advocacy and clinical work. Earlier in the year, Camp helped draft a public comment for the National Congress of American Indians to proposed regulatory changes to the definition of habitat under the Endangered Species Act.

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

Torey Dolan (’19)
Native Vote Fellow, Indian Legal Clinic, ASU Law

Danielle Williams
Program Coordinator Sr, Indian Legal Program, ASU Law

Job Opportunity – Navajo Superior Court Position

Posted on by

The Office of the Governor will review applications and interview selected applicants for the vacancy, and Governor Doug Ducey will appoint the new judge pursuant to Article VI, Section 12 of the Arizona Constitution.

Requirements: Applicants must be at least 30 years of age and less than 65 years of age, of good moral character, admitted to the practice of law in Arizona, a resident of Arizona for the past five years, and a resident of Navajo County for the past year pursuant to Article VI, Sections 22 and 37 of the Arizona Constitution

The judicial application form can be downloaded online at the Office of the Governor’s website: https://azgovernor.gov/judges.