Native American

April 12, 2024
Tribes Look To Overturn Enbridge's Line 5 Mich. Tunnel Permit

Several tribal nations are asking the Michigan Court of Appeals to overturn and remand a state commission's permit approval that allows Enbridge Energy to build a Line 5 pipeline tunnel project beneath the Straits of Mackinac, arguing that they and others were barred from introducing evidence relevant to the final decision.
April 12, 2024
Florida Loses Bid To Retain Control Of CWA Permit Program

A D.C. federal judge on Friday rejected Florida's bid to retain some control over a Clean Water Act permitting program that he recently found was improperly handed off to the state by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
April 11, 2024
ND Tribe Banishes SD Gov. After Racially Charged Remarks

A North Dakota tribe has joined two South Dakota Lakota nations in voting to banish South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem from their reservation lands after accusing her of making racially charged public comments about drug cartels allegedly operating on reservations in the state and about Native American parents.
April 11, 2024
FDA Commissioner Says Congress Must Act On Hemp, CBD

The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that the agency did not consider hemp-derived CBD safe enough to be sold lawfully as a dietary supplement, and urged Congress to create a new pathway to regulate the substance.
April 11, 2024
Interior Dept. Finalizes Rule To Strengthen Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday announced a final rule it said is intended to increase participation in its voluntary conservation programs, but environmentalists slammed it as "a huge missed opportunity" to improve conditions for wildlife.
April 11, 2024
DOI Lowers Fees For Solar, Wind Projects On Public Lands

The U.S. Department of the Interior unveiled finalized updates to its renewable energy regulations on Thursday that are aimed at promoting the development of solar and wind energy on public lands by lowering the associated fees.
April 11, 2024
Alaska Native Village Defends Donlin Gold Mine Approvals

Alaska's Native Village of Crooked Creek threw its support behind the federal government in litigation brought by half a dozen tribes challenging its approvals for a massive open-pit gold mine along the Kuskokwim River in southwest Alaska, saying the project will bring meaningful improvements to Crooked Creek.
April 11, 2024
Judge Won't Rethink Ax Of Tribes 'Cultural Resource' Claims

A Washington federal judge has refused to rethink his dismissal of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation's claims for "tribal service losses" stemming from a smelter's Columbia River pollution, saying the tribes did not meet the standard required for reconsideration.
April 11, 2024
US Sends Mixed Messages In Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline Dispute

The U.S. government sent mixed messages to the Seventh Circuit in weighing in on Enbridge's controversial Line 5 oil pipeline, saying a lower court was right to determine that the company is trespassing on tribal lands, but recommended that the case be remanded and that a tribe's public nuisance claim be dismissed.
April 10, 2024
Tribes Sue Social Platforms Over Native Youth Suicides

Two Native American tribes are suing social media giants, accusing them of relentlessly pursuing a strategy of "growth-at-all-costs" that has contributed to the disproportionately high rates of mental health crisis and suicide affecting Indigenous youth that is devastating Indian Country.
April 10, 2024
Lawmakers Ask GAO To Review Native Remains Act

Two Democratic members of the U.S. House have urged the Government Accountability Office to conduct a thorough review of how the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act is implemented, saying tribes have complained of deficiencies in the return of their ancestral remains and cultural objects.
April 10, 2024
Wash. Tribe Says $1M Fine Not Enough To Settle CWA Claims

A Washington tribe is opposing a proposed consent decree that would settle Clean Water Act claims against a hydroelectric dam operator, arguing that a $1 million penalty is vastly too low for violations of the law when the damage continues.
April 10, 2024
FCC Urged To Wait For BEAD Fund Awards Before 5G Auction

Small, independent cable providers want the Federal Communications Commission to hold off on a rural 5G development auction until the U.S. Department of Commerce completes its massive award of high-speed internet build-out funds.
April 09, 2024
Navajo, Mine Operator Look To Settle Last Waste Spill Claims

A New Mexico federal judge has stayed litigation in the Navajo Nation's remaining claims against a Gold King Mine operator stemming from a hazardous waste spill that spurred nearly a decade of litigation after the parties said they reached a settlement in principle.
April 09, 2024
Contractor Says Feds Are Blocking Border Wall Settlement Payout

A construction contractor wants to intervene in litigation over the Biden administration's diversion of border wall funds, saying the federal government has invoked a recent injunction in the case to stymie the company's attempt to recoup lost construction costs.
April 09, 2024
Feds Cancel Disputed Sole-Source Health Deal, Call Suit Moot

The federal government is pressing the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to dismiss a contractor's complaint to a sole-source medical support contract, arguing the suit was moot after the U.S. Army voluntarily canceled the deal.
April 09, 2024
ND Tribes Ignore Precedent In VRA Dispute, 8th Circ. Told

Two North Dakota tribes are attempting to employ a new framework for Civil Rights Act claims against well-established Supreme Court precedent in their bid to uphold Voting Rights Act violations against the state, Secretary of State Michael Howe said, arguing that they fail to meet the burden for voter dilution allegations.
April 09, 2024
Tribal Co. Says Calif. DA Shouldn't Escape Greenhouse Fight

A Native American-owned corporation is asking a California federal court not to throw out its suit aiming to block the San Bernardino District Attorney's Office from destroying its greenhouses, saying federal abstention isn't proper because the state proceeding the DA references is against a different party.
April 08, 2024
Idaho Land Deal Would Sustain Legacy Of Pollution, Tribes Say

A group of Idaho tribes is urging the Ninth Circuit to uphold a lower court ruling granting a partial win in their challenge to a land transfer for a fertilizer plant's expansion, arguing that if allowed to go forward, it would continue a decadeslong legacy of contamination for their communities.
April 08, 2024
DOI Sued Over Absent Western Gray Wolf Protections

Ten environmental groups have slapped the U.S. Department of the Interior with a complaint in Montana federal court challenging the agency's finding that gray wolves in the Western U.S. do not warrant listing as an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
April 08, 2024
Tribes Say Army Corps Mistakes Their Claims In 5th Circ. Row

Two Native American tribes and a conservation group have told the Fifth Circuit that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and an Enbridge Inc. unit have intentionally mischaracterized their claims in litigation seeking to challenge the agency's permit authorization for a major oil terminal on Texas' Gulf Coast.
April 08, 2024
Oak Flat Mining Decision Treads On Human Rights, UN Told

The San Carlos Apache Tribe is urging a United Nations committee to ask the United States to withhold any permissions that would allow Resolution Copper Co. to proceed with any activity on a plot of land known as Oak Flat, arguing that a Ninth Circuit ruling allowing the land transfer merits urgent intervention to prevent further human rights violations on the sacred site.
April 05, 2024
Miami Tribe Sues Auctioneer To Recover Chief's 1795 Medal

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma has sued an auctioneer that deals in rare coins in an emergency action, saying in its California state court lawsuit that it wants to stop the auction of a 1795 peace medal presented to Miami Chief Little Turtle at the Treaty of Greenville.
April 05, 2024
DeSantis Directs Gambling Funds Toward Conservation Efforts

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation providing $150 million for state water infrastructure improvements and directed most of the revenue generated from the state's gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe to conservation efforts, including trail management, invasive species removal and Everglades restoration.
April 05, 2024
Crow Tribe Can Hunt In Bighorn National Forest In Wyoming

A Wyoming federal judge has upheld the Crow Tribe of Indians' right to hunt in the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming, following a Tenth Circuit decision that vacated and remanded his earlier ruling that the tribe's treaty rights had been extinguished by Wyoming's 1890 statehood.

Expert Analysis

4 PR Pointers When Your Case Is In The News

Media coverage of new lawsuits exploded last year, demonstrating why defense attorneys should devise a public relations plan that complements their legal strategy, incorporating several objectives to balance ethical obligations and advocacy, say Nathan Burchfiel at Pinkston and Ryan June at Castañeda + Heidelman.
Law Firm Strategies For Successfully Navigating 2024 Trends

Though law firms face the dual challenge of external and internal pressures as they enter 2024, firms willing to pivot will be able to stand out by adapting to stakeholder needs and reimagining their infrastructure, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Consultants.
The Most-Read Legal Industry Law360 Guest Articles Of 2023

A range of legal industry topics drew readers' attention in Law360's Expert Analysis section this year, from associate retention strategies to ethical billing practices.
Attorneys' Busiest Times Can Be Business Opportunities

Attorneys who resolve to grow their revenue and client base in 2024 should be careful not to abandon their goals when they get too busy with client work, because these periods of zero bandwidth can actually be a catalyst for future growth, says Amy Drysdale at Alchemy Consulting.
In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.
How Attorneys Can Be More Efficient This Holiday Season

Attorneys should consider a few key tips to speed up their work during the holidays so they can join the festivities — from streamlining the document review process to creating similar folder structures, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
Clean Water Act Jurisdiction Still Murky After A Choppy 2023

This year brought several important Clean Water Act jurisdictional developments, including multiple agency rules and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that substantially altered the definition of "waters of the United States," but a new wave of litigation challenges has already begun, with no clear end in sight, say attorneys at Nossaman.
A Former Bankruptcy Judge Talks 2023 High Court Rulings

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued four bankruptcy law opinions — an extraordinary number — and a close look at these cases signals that changes to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code will have to come from Congress, not the courts, says Phillip Shefferly at the University of Michigan Law School.
Series

Children's Book Writing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Becoming a children's book author has opened doors to incredible new experiences of which I barely dared to dream, but the process has also changed my life by serving as a reminder that strong writing, networking and public speaking skills are hugely beneficial to a legal career, says Shaunna Bailey at Sheppard Mullin.
How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly enable clients to monitor and evaluate their counsel’s activities, so attorneys must clearly define the terms of engagement and likewise take advantage of the efficiencies offered by AI, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
Series

The Pop Culture Docket: Judge D'Emic On Moby Grape

The 1968 Moby Grape song "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" tells the tale of a fictional defendant treated with scorn by the judge, illustrating how much the legal system has evolved in the past 50 years, largely due to problem-solving courts and the principles of procedural justice, says Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Matthew D'Emic.
Series

Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.
Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.
How Purdue High Court Case Will Shape Ch. 11 Mass Injury

The U.S. Supreme Court's recent arguments in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, addressing the authority of bankruptcy courts to approve nonconsensual third-party releases in Chapter 11 settlement plans, highlight the case's wide-ranging implications for how mass injury cases get resolved in bankruptcy proceedings, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.
Opinion

Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.