Native American

June 04, 2024
Bill Would Give Tribes Stronger Say In Forest Protection

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has introduced legislation that would correct oversights and expand the language of the Tribal Forest Protection Act, arguing that the law has proved too restrictive for Indigenous communities and prevented Alaskan Native corporations from participating in its programs entirely.
June 04, 2024
Telecom Org. Says Expanding Universal Fund Only Way To Go

The head of a major telecommunications industry group is urging Congress to tap big tech in order to keep the Universal Service Fund afloat, saying in a new article that "the solution to affordable connectivity is staring us in the face."
June 04, 2024
Top 3 Groups Lobbying The FCC

The Federal Communications Commission heard from advocates nearly 200 times in May on issues ranging from cybersecurity in schools and libraries to tribal broadband funding and deployment, net neutrality rules and captioning for the hearing- and speech-disabled.
June 04, 2024
Red States Target EPA's Tribal Water Rights Rule

A group of red states has told a federal court that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has turned the Clean Water Act into what they derisively called the "Tribal Rights Act," through a rule that protects Native American rights to water resources.
June 04, 2024
Biden Admin Looks To Take Down Ariz. Monument Lawsuits

The Biden administration is asking a federal district court to dismiss lawsuits by the Arizona Legislature and a rancher that look to undo the national monument designation of an Indigenous site in the Grand Canyon region, arguing the lawmakers lack standing to challenge the Antiquities Act as unconstitutional.
June 03, 2024
Enviro Groups Ask 9th Circ. To Affirm Blocked Logging Plan

Several environmental groups have urged the Ninth Circuit to uphold a Montana federal judge's decision halting a large logging operation in the Kootenai National Forest over concerns about the project's effect on grizzly bears and old-growth trees.
June 03, 2024
DC Judge Axes Ariz. Tribe's $2.6M Veteran Care Claims

A D.C. federal court judge dismissed an Arizona tribe's bid to recoup nearly $2.6 million in Native American veteran care reimbursements from the federal government, saying the tribe has not plausibly alleged that the Indian Health Services' actions in withholding the funding caused any injury.
June 03, 2024
Feds Oppose Fla.'s Plea For Rushed CWA Appeal

The federal government on Monday told the D.C. Circuit it needs more time to decide whether it is going to appeal a lower court's decision to strip Florida of the power to administer a Clean Water Act permitting program.
June 03, 2024
GAO Urges DEA To Streamline Religious Drug Use Requests

The U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a new report that the nation's drug enforcement agency needs to be more transparent about its process for reviewing religious exemption requests from churches that use controlled substances as sacraments.
June 03, 2024
Equifax Judge OKs $1.1M Atty Fees In Debt Reporting Deal

Attorneys will recover $1.1 million in fees for securing $500 payments for class members in litigation alleging Equifax reported unenforceable debts, a decision that comes several months after a California federal judge warned he would likely hold a portion of the fees until he learned the ultimate settlement payout.
June 03, 2024
States Say Biden Admin's LNG Export Pause Is Actually A Ban

A coalition of Republican-led states is urging a Louisiana federal court not to toss its lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's pause on reviewing applications to export liquefied natural gas to countries without free trade agreements, saying the pause effectively amounts to a ban because no timeline is provided.
June 03, 2024
Minn. Tax Court Lowers Home Value Over Native Burial Mound

The valuation of a lakeside parcel including a legally protected Native American burial mound must be lowered because a split of the property as envisioned by assessors would have been unlikely to gain the needed approvals, the Minnesota Tax Court said.
June 01, 2024
Blockbuster Summer: 10 Big Issues Justices Still Must Decide

As the calendar flips over to June, the U.S. Supreme Court still has heaps of cases to decide on issues ranging from trademark registration rules to judicial deference and presidential immunity. Here, Law360 looks at 10 of the most important topics the court has yet to decide.
May 31, 2024
Online Lenders Invoked Calif. Tribe As Usury Cover, Suit Says

Two online lenders that purport to be run by a Native American tribe in California face claims they violated both federal law barring racketeering and Illinois consumer financial protection laws by lending to the state's residents at excessive rates.
May 31, 2024
States, Energy Organizations Urge Demise Of EPA Water Rule

Conservative-leaning states and energy industry groups have asked a Louisiana federal judge to strike down the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule broadening states' and tribes' power to veto projects like pipelines, export terminals and dams over water quality concerns.
May 31, 2024
SD School District Will Resolve Native American Disparity Claims

A South Dakota school district has agreed to resolve a 14-year-old U.S. Department of Education compliance review that found evidence that Native American students were being disciplined more frequently and harshly than others and faced discrimination in the selection for advanced placement and honors courses.
May 31, 2024
As Broadband Subsidy Ends, Biden Pushes For Renewal

The White House pressured Congress on Friday to allocate new funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program as the subsidy officially shut down, cutting off a broadband discount to millions of low-income households.
May 31, 2024
In Rarity, 1 Party's Judges Gain 100% Control Of Circuit Bench

At the First Circuit, the judges' robes are all black, but the judges are all blue. It's a new and unusual instance of one political party's judicial picks controlling each active seat on a federal appeals court, and the Democratic dominance could prove magnetic for ideologically charged litigation.
May 30, 2024
Wash. Tribe Gets Partial Win Against Feds Over Wildfires

A Court of Federal Claims judge partly denied Thursday the U.S. government's bid to toss claims by a tribe in Washington state over massive fires that destroyed forests on reservation land, saying a money-mandating source of law entitles the tribes to compensation.
May 30, 2024
Okla. Tribes Say Bills Won't Deter Poultry Biz From Polluting

The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes says two bills working their way through the Oklahoma Legislature don't go far enough to deter the poultry industry from polluting and threaten to undo decades of progress toward improving water quality.
May 30, 2024
Army Vet Again Files Retaliation Suit Against Casino Owners

A disabled U.S. Army veteran and former table games dealer has again filed suit against Harrah's Casino and its parent company, Caesar's Entertainment, claiming his employment was wrongfully terminated after he requested time off to deal with the aftermath of a fire alarm that triggered his post-traumatic stress disorder.
May 30, 2024
BNSF Says It Owes Tribe Up To $30M For Oil Train Trespasses

BNSF Railway Co. said Wednesday it should pay a Washington tribe either $10 million or $30 million for years of illegally running oil cars across tribal territory, after a federal judge rejected both the railroad's $7 million and the tribe's $445 million calculations.
May 30, 2024
NCAA To End Transfer Rules In Deal With DOJ

The NCAA agreed on Thursday to stop enforcing all rules governing athletes transferring from one institution to another, as part of a proposed consent decree filed by the U.S. Department of Justice to settle an antitrust suit against the organization by 10 states and the District of Columbia.
May 30, 2024
Enviro Groups Launch Fresh Alaska LNG Fight In 9th Circ.

Environmental groups on Thursday petitioned the Ninth Circuit to overturn federal approvals for the Alaska liquefied natural gas project covering impacts on endangered and threatened species, the latest court challenge lodged against the $43 billion project.
May 29, 2024
Navajo President Denies VP's Claims Of Sexual Misconduct

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, while denying allegations by Vice President Richelle Montoya of sexual harassment, bullying and mistreatment, said he intends to ask the tribe's council for workplace policies and procedures for the top offices, arguing that he's well aware that women within the country's largest reservation feel unheard.

Expert Analysis

In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.
How Attorneys Can Be More Efficient This Holiday Season

Attorneys should consider a few key tips to speed up their work during the holidays so they can join the festivities — from streamlining the document review process to creating similar folder structures, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
Clean Water Act Jurisdiction Still Murky After A Choppy 2023

This year brought several important Clean Water Act jurisdictional developments, including multiple agency rules and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that substantially altered the definition of "waters of the United States," but a new wave of litigation challenges has already begun, with no clear end in sight, say attorneys at Nossaman.
A Former Bankruptcy Judge Talks 2023 High Court Rulings

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued four bankruptcy law opinions — an extraordinary number — and a close look at these cases signals that changes to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code will have to come from Congress, not the courts, says Phillip Shefferly at the University of Michigan Law School.
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.