The Indian Law and Gaming Practice Group provides strategic legal advice from the broad collective experience of attorneys throughout our Firm. We represent not only Indian tribal governments and Alaskan native entities on matters relating to sovereignty, economic development and governmental objectives, but also tribal corporations and affiliated entities, and the non-tribal clients who work with them.
We provide counsel regarding the complex matters of federal Indian law and the interrelationship with state and tribal laws. The Firm works closely with tribal leadership and tribal attorneys, as well as others doing business with tribes, to provide advice to form the foundation for well-reasoned policy and strategic decisions as well as the implementation of these strategies to meet our clients' objectives.
We have significant experience providing legal advice and counsel in a broad range of areas impacted in whole or in part by Indian law, including:
- Tribal sovereignty & tribal jurisdiction, including governmental infrastructure and tribal courts
- Gaming development, regulation & compacts
- State compact issues, cooperative agreements, including cigarette and tobacco tax matters relating to sales in Indian country and matters of mutual governmental interest including law enforcement, prisons, roads and health care
- Economic development & strategic planning issues
- Corporate, resort, casino & hospitality management
- Construction law, financing, leasing and related commercial development
- Labor and employment issues regarding management responses to union organization efforts, equal employment and tribal employment preference issues
- Finance and access to venture capital markets
- Banking and corporate
- Management and collateral agreements, development agreements
- Taxation – tribal/state/federal issues
- Real estate transactions, zoning and land use issues
- Land selection and acquisition for Indian gaming and other tribal purposes
- Natural resource, water & mineral development
- Environmental issues
- Sacred sites, historical and cultural resources
- Federal recognition of tribes, appropriations, contracts and federal advocacy
- Code of laws and tribal regulations/policies & constitutional issues
- Elections and political law
- Health law, including the Indian Health Service and healthcare entities and providers who work with or contract with tribes
- Trial and appellate litigation in tribal, federal and state courts
- Products liability
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Administrative and regulatory representation before tribal gaming commissions, National Indian Gaming Commission, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, state gaming agencies, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, and the Interior Board of Indian Appeals