Senators Introduce Indian Buffalo Management Act
On September 22, 2023, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), introduced S. 2908, the Indian Buffalo Management Act. The bill would establish a permanent program within the Department of the Interior to promote and develop the capacity of...
Supreme Court Refuses to Rehear Western Water Case Targeting Tribal Sovereign Immunity, but the Fight Continues
On October 30, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the Klamath Irrigation District’s (KID) petition for certiorari of the Klamath Irrigation District v. United States Bureau of Reclamation, et al., case no. 22-1116. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had...
Interior Grant for Collection of Boarding School Oral Histories
On September 26, 2023, the Department of the Interior awarded a $3.7 million dollar grant to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition to create a permanent collection of oral histories from survivors of the federal Indian boarding school system....
Native Law Group Welcomes New Partner Jane Gardner and Law Clerk Juliette Jackson
Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP is excited to announce two new additions to the team: Jane Gardner who joined the Louisville, Colorado office as a partner on October 16, 2023, and Juliette Jackson who joined the DC office as a Law Clerk on September 6,...
Native Law Group Earns “Best Law Firms” Three Years Running
For the third consecutive year, Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP earned a top tier ranking in the ‘Best Law Firms’ list for 2024. The firm received a Tier 1 ranking in the practice area of Native American Law for the Colorado region and a Tier 3 ranking...
Congress Wraps Up Busy July Ahead of August Recess
Ahead of August recess Congress made significant progress in July on the Interior Appropriations bill and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). All of these bills include important provisions and funding for Indian country. When Congress returns in...
Native Law Group Recognized in the 2024 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP (Native Law Group) proudly announces the inclusion of six (6) of its attorneys in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This is the third consecutive year Native Law Group has been recognized in this highly...
Native Law Group Welcomes New Associate Rebecca Plumage
Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP is pleased to announce the addition of a new associate attorney Rebecca Plumage, who joined the Louisville, Colorado office on August 1, 2023. “We are thrilled to have Becky join the team,” said partner Jeremy Patterson....
Cert Petition in Western Water Case Could Put Tribal Sovereignty Back in Supreme Court’s Crosshairs
On May 11, 2023, the Klamath Irrigation District (KID) filed a petition for a writ of certiorari that could potentially expand the authority of an Oregon state court to adjudicate settled tribal water rights belonging to the Klamath and Hoopa Valley Tribes (Tribes). ...
Written Comments on ICWA Consultation Due Soon
On July 17, 2023, the Department of the Interior, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Justice (the Administration) sent a letter to Tribal leaders asking for input on how the Administration can promote federal protections for Indian children...