The firm has a national practice representing Indian tribes and related entities, and a local practice representing businesses, individuals, and public interest groups. Our seven attorneys, who have been with the firm for nearly their entire legal careers, are dedicated to providing outstanding legal services to our clients, many of which the firm has represented for decades.

Members of the firm are admitted to and have litigated in many forums across the United States, including the United States Supreme Court, federal circuit courts of appeal, federal district courts, the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Tax Court, as well as multiple state and tribal courts and administrative tribunals.

Approximately three-quarters of the firm’s practice has involved serving the wide-ranging legal needs of Indian tribes and other Native entities and individuals. Since 1964, the firm has represented tribes and related entities around the country, including in Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, Nevada, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, California and Alaska. We are experienced in virtually all legal issues that confront our Native American clients.

The firm’s attorneys, most of whom have practiced Indian law for their entire legal careers, have litigated cases for our tribal clients in federal, state and tribal courts. The firm has been before the United States Supreme Court on the merits eight times. In our most recent Supreme Court case, the firm’s efforts led to a decision establishing the validity of the Mille Lacs Chippewa’s treaty hunting and fishing rights against a challenge by the state of Minnesota.

In addition to defending treaty hunting and fishing rights, our work involves tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction, taxation, water rights, and natural resource development on- and off- reservation, including, coal, coal bed methane, oil and gas, timber, sand and gravel, limestone, clay, molybdenum and gold. We have negotiated with large corporations over on-reservation projects. We have helped our tribal clients develop and improve tribal constitutions and ordinances and the quality of tribal court systems. The firm also has a long record of advocating for tribal interests before Congress and federal departments and agencies.

General Practice

We also have a long history of effectively serving non-tribal clients, including businesses, individuals and public interest groups, regarding a broad range of issues. The firm has done important work representing environmental protection interests before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Our business law practice involves forming corporations, limited liability companies and other legal entities, and providing advice and representation in commercial transactions, bankruptcy, landlord-tenant, employment, and other matters. We help vindicate the rights of our clients in the areas of employment, civil rights, personal injury, and criminal law, and assist with their estate planning and probates.