Native American

June 20, 2024
New Navajo Law Expected To Double Infrastructure Funds

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren signed into law legislation that will create a new mechanism allowing the federally recognized tribe to transfer $522 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding into a revenue reserve that's expected to nearly double the tribe's infrastructure financing.
June 18, 2024
Ayahuasca Church Says DOJ Should Pay $2.2M Legal Fees

A Phoenix-based church that secured a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice allowing it to legally use ayahuasca for its religious practices is now asking an Arizona federal court to make the government pay $2.2 million, covering the costs of litigating the case and giving its attorneys an "appropriate" bonus.
June 18, 2024
Failure To Return Remains Violates Human Rights, Court Told

A nonprofit tribal organization and a South Carolina tribe are backing a challenge to the U.S. Army that seeks to repatriate the remains of two Native American children from an Indian boarding school cemetery in Pennsylvania, arguing that failure to do so constitutes a continuing human rights violation.
June 18, 2024
9th Circ. Asked For En Banc Review In Youths' Climate Case

Youth plaintiffs have asked the Ninth Circuit for en banc review of a panel's decision to toss their lawsuit against the federal government over the effects of climate change.
June 18, 2024
Hospital Board Says Feds Underpaid Claims By $17M

A Navajo Nation hospital board is suing the federal government, alleging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services underpaid its fiscal year 2016 funding request for contract support costs by $17.4 million without any legal justification.
June 17, 2024
6th Circ. Sends Enbridge Pipeline Dispute To Mich. State Court

A Sixth Circuit panel on Monday remanded a dispute between Michigan's attorney general and Enbridge Energy that looks to shut down dual pipelines that cross the Straits of Mackinac, saying the company failed to timely remove the case to federal court and there are no equitable exceptions to do so.
June 17, 2024
Feds, Tribes Say It's Too Soon To Reopen Monument Suit

The federal government, tribes and conservation groups are fighting a bid by Utah and farming associations to lift a more than three-year stay in a challenge to the Bears Ears National Monument, arguing that the state is already involved in litigation that attempts to nullify the presidential proclamation that established it.
June 17, 2024
NY Says IGRA Doesn't Keep State Lottery Off Tribal Land

The New York State Gaming Commission has asked a federal judge to throw out the Cayuga Nation's attempt to block lottery games from operating on tribal lands, arguing state lotteries do not fall under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act's jurisdiction.
June 17, 2024
BNSF Owes Wash. Tribe $400M For Oil Shipping Trespass

BNSF Railway Co. must pay a Washington tribe nearly $400 million for years of illegally running oil cars across tribal territory, a federal judge in Seattle ruled Monday.
June 17, 2024
High Court Won't Hear Florida Gaming Compact Dispute

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to take up two casino operators' petition to overturn a sports gaming compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe that allows for online betting off tribal lands.
June 14, 2024
Utah Gov. And Land Trust Beat Tribe's Bidding Suit, For Now

A federal judge dismissed claims against Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, several state officials and its trust lands administration in a tribe's challenge accusing them of spinning a racist bidding scheme to prevent it from winning a land auction to purchase land just outside its reservation.
June 14, 2024
Makah Tribe Can Resume Hunting Gray Whales

The Makah Tribe can go back to its long-standing cultural practice of hunting gray whales off the coast of Washington now that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has authorized it to resume ceremonial and subsistence hunting in line with its treaty rights.
June 14, 2024
Feds, Tribes Say Mill Owners Liable For 150 Years Of Pollution

The federal government, the state of Washington and a slew of tribes are suing the owners of a shuttered sawmill and a property group that now oversee the sawmill area's development, alleging that for more than a century, hazardous substances from the operation released into Port Gamble Bay and have harmed its natural resources.
June 14, 2024
Enviros Fight FERC OK Of Pipeline Feeding Mexico LNG Plant

The Sierra Club and Public Citizen called on the D.C. Circuit to review the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's approval of a methane gas pipeline to run between West Texas and Mexico, asserting the agency failed to conduct a thorough analysis of the pipeline's 157 U.S.-based miles.
June 13, 2024
Tribal Casino Tells 7th Circ. Ill. City Rigged Proposal Votes

A proposed tribal casino has asked the Seventh Circuit to undo a lower court ruling that found Waukegan, Ill., did not intentionally discriminate against it when the city chose three other competitors to operate casinos, saying the city ran a rigged review process.
June 13, 2024
Cannabis Cos. Make Deal Ahead Of Expected DEA Downgrade

An attorney and cannabis entrepreneur is betting that the federal government will reschedule marijuana before winter, announcing his equipment manufacturing firm will ally with a Native American-owned cannabis oil processing company to build out a pharmaceutical cannabis extraction facility.
June 13, 2024
Tribes Fight BC's Consultation Policy On Aboriginal Rights

Indigenous nations along British Columbia's U.S. border want a say in projects they claim will threaten the environment and their quality of life after the Canadian province announced plans earlier this year to develop a policy to clarify how tribes located outside the country are consulted on such endeavors.
June 12, 2024
ND Lawmakers Want In On Voting Rights Suit, 8th Circ. Told

The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is asking the Eighth Circuit to reverse a lower court's order that denied its intervention in a bid to redraw the state's 2021 redistricting maps, arguing that two tribes' adopted voting map should be vacated and the lawmakers should be afforded a chance to come up with a remedial plan.
June 12, 2024
Tribes Say Court Must Examine Spill Risks In Gold Mine Row

Half a dozen tribes that oppose a large open-pit gold mine along the Kuskokwim River in southwest Alaska have urged a federal judge to vacate a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorization for the project, saying the government has wrongly interpreted environmental concerns.
June 12, 2024
Oil Cos. Ignore Precedent In Climate Change Row, Tribes Say

Two Washington tribes seeking to remand their consolidated cases against several oil industry giants to state court say the defendants' arguments of complete preemption in their efforts to keep the climate change litigation in the federal circuit misconstrues precedent, including claims to vindicate aboriginal title.
June 12, 2024
EPA Tells DC Circ. Emissions Rules Should Stay In Place

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fired back at attempts to pause two final rules establishing greenhouse gas emissions standards for power plants and expanded methane emissions control requirements for oil and gas infrastructure, urging the D.C. Circuit to keep the rules in place amid myriad legal challenges.
June 11, 2024
Ariz. Wants To Oppose Its Legislature In Monument Lawsuit

The state of Arizona wants to intervene in a lawsuit by its Republican House and Senate lawmakers that challenges President Joe Biden's proclamation designating an Indigenous site in the Grand Canyon region a national monument, arguing that the legislative body lacks authority to assert those claims in federal district court.
June 11, 2024
Army's Claims In Burial Dispute 'Unconscionable,' Tribe Says

A Nebraska tribe seeking to repatriate the remains of two boys from an Indian boarding school cemetery in Pennsylvania has said the U.S. Army's claims that it is exempt from a federal law designed to protect Native American burial sites are "unconscionable."
June 11, 2024
Watchdog Says EPA's Lead Exposure Notice Program Lagging

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is not on track to roll out a public warning system for exposure to lead in drinking water by an October deadline, the EPA's internal watchdog said in a new report.
June 11, 2024
Federal Judgeships To Open In Pennsylvania And New Mexico

Federal district judge seats in Pennsylvania and New Mexico will open early next year, as two appointees of former President George W. Bush have said they will step down.

Expert Analysis

Series

Children's Book Writing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Becoming a children's book author has opened doors to incredible new experiences of which I barely dared to dream, but the process has also changed my life by serving as a reminder that strong writing, networking and public speaking skills are hugely beneficial to a legal career, says Shaunna Bailey at Sheppard Mullin.
How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly enable clients to monitor and evaluate their counsel’s activities, so attorneys must clearly define the terms of engagement and likewise take advantage of the efficiencies offered by AI, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
Series

The Pop Culture Docket: Judge D'Emic On Moby Grape

The 1968 Moby Grape song "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" tells the tale of a fictional defendant treated with scorn by the judge, illustrating how much the legal system has evolved in the past 50 years, largely due to problem-solving courts and the principles of procedural justice, says Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Matthew D'Emic.
Series

Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.
Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.
How Purdue High Court Case Will Shape Ch. 11 Mass Injury

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent arguments in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, addressing the authority of bankruptcy courts to approve nonconsensual third-party releases in Chapter 11 settlement plans, highlight the case's wide-ranging implications for how mass injury cases get resolved in bankruptcy proceedings, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.
Opinion

Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.
Series

Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.
What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.
Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.
Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.
The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.
Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary

The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier

Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.
Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.