Erin Shanley

Partner

EMAIL: eshanley@nativelawgroup.com

PHONE: 303-926-5292

EDUCATION

University of Montana, School of Law, JD (2007)

Brown University, B.A. in Community Health, focusing on Policy and Administration (2002)

ADMISSIONS

Montana

North Dakota

Standing Rock Tribal Court

Fort Peck Tribal Court

ASSOCIATIONS

North Dakota State Bar Association, Indian Law Section and Women’s Law Section

Tribal In-House Counsel Association

National Native American Bar Association

Northern Plains Tribal Judges Association (2017-2018)

Sitting Bull College Criminal Justice Advisory Committee

Great North Innocence Project Board

PUBLICATIONS

Shanley, E. and Jordan R. (2017) Sex Trafficking in Indian Country, M. Chisolm-Straker, H. Stoklosa (eds.), Human Trafficking Is a Public Health Issue:  A Paradign Expansion in the United States, Cham, Switzerland:  Springer International Publishing. 

 

Erin Shanley

Partner

EMAIL: eshanley@nativelawgroup.com

PHONE: 619-818-0430

Erin Shanley is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and descendant of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. She joined the firm in October 2021 as an income partner, working remotely from North Dakota as she establishes a Native Law Group office there.

Erin received her law degree from the University of Montana School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University. She has extensive experience working on federal Indian law matters, and recently served as in-house counsel for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.  Most of her prior work has been focused on tribal criminal justice issues.  Erin served as a judge for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and other tribal courts. She also worked as a judicial systems administrator for the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission.  She served as a child welfare prosecutor for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and as a domestic violence prosecutor and special assistant U.S. attorney in North and South Dakota for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She also developed a public defender’s office for the Fort Peck Tribes. She volunteered with Montana Legal Services drafting wills for tribal members as well.

 Erin is licensed to practice law in Montana, North Dakota, and numerous tribal courts. She also is an educator, having taught classes on criminal justice at United Tribes Technical College and Sitting Bull College. Erin currently lives in Fort Yates, North Dakota on the Standing Rock Reservation with her husband, Lawrence, and two children, Elias and Esmé.