I’m proud to be on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s legal team in this first-in-Minnesota tribal appeal of an off-reservation water discharge permit. The Minnesota Court of Appeals has granted a portion of the Band’s appeal…
Last night I attended the amazing annual event that is the Indian Horse Relay and Market at Canterbury Downs, hosted by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. It was great to spend time there with the good folks of Native-owned general…
Pictured: New SWO Associate Judge Sara K. Van Norman (on right) being sworn in. Last week, I traveled to Agency Village on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation in northeastern South Dakota to be sworn in and hear my first cases…
The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) is the go-to resource to find qualified neutrals—including (and maybe especially) for construction projects. This is just one reason that I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been invited to join the AAA National Roster…
There is one summer event around which I’ve postponed family vacations. For which I’ve missed fun, out-of-town conferences. For which I even rescheduled a move. That’s Northern Spark, a free, all-night, public arts festival that takes place in the Twin…
As an attorney working in Indian country, I get questions not only about Indian law, but also about tribes, current tribal issues, and Native people in general. I do my best to respond to these questions thoughtfully—while also acknowledging the…
A key aspect of state and federal government is “sovereign immunity”—or immunity from unconsented lawsuit. The same goes for tribal government. This is an ancient legal concept arising from the idea that the monarch can do no wrong, and therefore…
Say your company has a great prospect to stock an on-reservation, tribally-owned convenience store. Should you just use the same, one-page form contract you’ve used for other deals? Or say you are a general contractor responding to an RFP to…