Native American

  • March 18, 2025

    Army Corps' Permit For Offshore Fish Farms Is Voided

    A Washington federal court judge set aside as unlawful a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' nationwide permit intended to speed up offshore aquaculture through the construction of industrial-size facilities in federal ocean waters off the country's eastern and western coasts.

  • March 18, 2025

    DC Circ. Gives FERC Chance To Redo LNG Project Approvals

    The D.C. Circuit Tuesday said it would allow the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to fix problems in its reauthorizations for two natural gas projects in Texas, revising an August 2024 decision vacating the reauthorizations altogether after the commission said President Donald Trump's revocation of environmental orders should clear them.

  • March 17, 2025

    Wash. AG Backs Tribe's $400M Trespass Win Against BNSF

    The state of Washington has said the Ninth Circuit should uphold a trial judge's ruling that BNSF Railway Co. owes nearly $400 million for years of illegally running oil cars across tribal territory, arguing in an amicus brief the railroad must be held accountable for perpetuating "a pattern of disregard for the sovereignty of Native people."

  • March 17, 2025

    Okla. Gov. Looks To Dismiss Tribe's Jurisdiction Dispute

    Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is asking a federal court to dismiss a paused jurisdiction dispute between the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the city of Tulsa, or be allowed to intervene, arguing that the municipality has signaled a willingness to abandon the defense of the state's interests.

  • March 17, 2025

    Calif. Panel Sides With Tribe In Hotel Construction Fight

    A California appeals panel has sided with a Native American tribe in its decision to reverse a lower court ruling and invalidate the city of Clearlake's approval of a hotel project on what was tribal land, finding that the city failed to comply with a state environmental law.

  • March 17, 2025

    Split 9th Circ. Won't Halt Federal Workers Reinstatement Order

    A divided Ninth Circuit panel on Monday denied President Donald Trump's administration an immediate administrative stay of a California district court order requiring reinstatement of some probationary federal workers fired from six agencies, the majority saying a pause "would disrupt the status quo and turn it on its head."

  • March 17, 2025

    HUD, DOI To Identify Federal Land For Affordable Housing

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of the Interior will work together on identifying federal land that could be used as the sites of affordable housing, according to a joint announcement.

  • March 17, 2025

    Filmmaker Questions Netflix Defense In IP Suit Over 'Rez Ball'

    A filmmaker who alleges that Netflix, NBA superstar LeBron James and others lifted elements from one of his scripts to make the streaming service's movie "Rez Ball" has urged a California federal court to deny the defendant's bid to file an early summary judgment motion, saying comprehensive discovery is needed first.

  • March 14, 2025

    Gov't Tells Justices FCC Subsidy Critics Target 'Strawman'

    Opponents of the Federal Communications Commission's nearly 30-year-old telecom subsidy system are making "strawman" arguments by claiming taxing power has been unlawfully delegated away from Congress, the government told the U.S. Supreme Court.

  • March 14, 2025

    Calif. Tribe Looks To Defend Casino Land Trust Decision

    A California tribe at the crux of an Interior Department decision to take 221 acres of trust land for the construction of its casino development wants to intervene in a challenge to the order, saying it and the federal agency have different goals in dismissing the dispute.

  • March 14, 2025

    Green Groups Sue Fed. Agencies Over Frozen Funding

    Environmental groups sued five federal government agencies and their leaders, alleging they illegally froze congressionally approved funding and are hampering the organizations' work.

  • March 14, 2025

    6th Circ. Rejects Tribe's Appeal Of Great Lakes Fishing Pact

    A Sixth Circuit panel upheld a 2023 decree governing fishery management in the Great Lakes on Thursday, finding that a Michigan federal judge had the prerogative to enter the decree over the objections of a Native American tribe. 

  • March 13, 2025

    Students' Regalia Rights Bill Heads To New Mexico Governor

    A bill aimed at protecting the rights of Native American students to wear tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies in New Mexico is heading toward the governor's desk for approval.

  • March 13, 2025

    Seminole Say Minn. Order Backs Bid To Nix Gaming Ad Suit

    The Seminole Tribe of Florida says a recent federal court order that dismissed a Minnesota casino and horse racetrack operator's claims that tribal entities' Class III gaming operations are illegal supports its bid to nix a proposed class action over allegedly misleading advertisements by its Hard Rock Digital gaming vendor.

  • March 13, 2025

    Ore. Tribes Challenge Utility's Eminent Domain Bid

    An Oregon Indigenous community is fighting a bid by Portland General Electric Co. to condemn five acres of public land for the maintenance and operation of its hydroelectric project, arguing that the move is a pretext to eliminate its ceremonial fishing platform at the state's largest waterfalls.

  • March 13, 2025

    Judge Orders Reinstatement Of Many Fired Federal Workers

    A California federal judge on Thursday ordered the immediate reinstatement of certain probationary employees fired from six federal agencies, saying the Office of Personnel Management did not have the authority to direct those terminations, making the firings "unlawful."

  • March 12, 2025

    EPA Puts 'Holy Grail Of Climate Change Religion' In Crosshairs

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it is reconsidering its 2009 finding that some greenhouse gases endanger humans' health and welfare — putting the fate of rules that sprang from that landmark conclusion into question.

  • March 12, 2025

    EPA Says Grant Termination Moots Climate Group's Challenge

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told a D.C. federal judge Wednesday that its cancelation of $20 billion in grant funding for climate change projects renders moot Climate United Fund's claim that Citibank is illegally denying its disbursement requests.

  • March 12, 2025

    Alaska Tribal Groups' Bid To Update Fish Harvesting Rule Fails

    A federal judge has said the National Marine Fisheries Service didn't violate the law by relying on 2004 and 2007 environmental impact statements to determine specifications for a final groundfish harvest rule for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, rejecting two Alaskan tribal organizations' bid to vacate the rule.

  • March 12, 2025

    HUD Rejects NC City's DEI-Incorporating Disaster Relief Plan

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it rejected a draft plan submitted by Asheville, North Carolina, outlining how the city would distribute $225 million in federal relief funds for hurricane recovery due to the plan's incorporation of "DEI criteria."

  • March 12, 2025

    Arizona Lawmakers Reintroduce $5B Tribal Water Rights Act

    A bipartisan group of Arizona federal lawmakers reintroduced a bill to finalize a $5.1 billion water rights settlement for three Indigenous tribes in the Colorado River Basin that, if approved, will resolve one of the Grand Canyon State's longest-running water disputes.

  • March 12, 2025

    ND Lawmakers OK Recommending Tribal Land Taxation Study

    North Dakota would direct state lawmakers to consider studying issues related to the taxation of land owned by enrolled tribal members who reside on Native American reservations under a bill passed by the state Legislative Assembly and headed to the governor.

  • March 11, 2025

    6th Circ. Ends Group's Challenge To Great Lakes Fishing Pact

    The Sixth Circuit on Tuesday rejected a nonprofit's challenge to a pact between Native American tribes and the state of Michigan for allegedly lacking guardrails to prevent overfishing in the Great Lakes, finding it lacked jurisdiction since the nonprofit never intervened in the case and only filed amicus curiae briefs.

  • March 11, 2025

    Trump Admin Shutters EPA's Enviro Justice Office

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday dissolved its more than 30-year-old environmental justice and civil rights office, the latest in a string of EPA actions targeting efforts to ease pollution burdens on historically disadvantaged communities.

  • March 11, 2025

    Judge Rules Tribal Immunity Bars Minn. Casino Lawsuit

    A federal district court judge on Tuesday dismissed a challenge by a commercial casino and horse racetrack operator that claimed several Minnesota tribal entities are illegally dominating the state's gambling industry through Class III gaming.

Expert Analysis

  • When Innovation Overwhelms The Rule Of Law

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    In an era where technology is rapidly evolving and artificial intelligence is seemingly everywhere, it’s worth asking if the law — both substantive precedent and procedural rules — can keep up with the light speed of innovation, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

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    Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

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    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • Scope And Nature Of Judicial Relief Will Affect Loper's Impact

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    The practical result of post-Loper Bright rulings against regulatory actions will depend on the relief courts grant — and there has been controversy in these types of cases over whether the ruling is applied just to the parties or nationwide, and whether the action can be left in place while it's corrected, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

  • 5 Ways To Create Effective Mock Assignments For Associates

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    In order to effectively develop associates’ critical thinking skills, firms should design mock assignments that contain a few key ingredients, from messy fact patterns to actionable feedback, says Abdi Shayesteh at AltaClaro.

  • Mentorship Resolutions For The New Year

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    Attorneys tend to focus on personal achievements or career milestones when they set yearly goals, but one important area often gets overlooked in this process — mentoring relationships, which are some of the most effective tools for professional growth, say Kelly Galligan at Rutan & Tucker and Andra Greene at Phillips ADR.

  • Series

    Coaching Little League Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While coaching poorly played Little League Baseball early in the morning doesn't sound like a good time, I love it — and the experience has taught me valuable lessons about imperfection, compassion and acceptance that have helped me grow as a person and as a lawyer, says Alex Barnett at DiCello Levitt.

  • 7 Employment Contracts Issues Facing DOL Scrutiny

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    A growing trend of U.S. Department of Labor enforcement against employment practices that limit workers' rights and avoid legal responsibility shines a light on seven unique contractual provisions that violate federal labor laws, and face agressive litigation from the labor solicitor, says Thomas Starks at Freeman Mathis.

  • 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2025

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    Lawyers and their clients must be prepared to navigate an evolving litigation funding market in 2025, made more complicated by a new administration and the increasing overall cost of litigation, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.

  • A Look At Sweepstakes Casinos' Legal Issues In Fla., Beyond

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    Scheduled for trial in Florida federal court this fall, the VGW sweepstakes case underscores the growing urgency for gambling states to clarify and enforce their laws in response to emerging online gaming models, as the expansion of sweepstakes casinos challenges traditional interpretations of gambling regulations, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

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    Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

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