NOVEMBER 2013

Hello, NNABA members:

November is Native American Heritage Month. American Indians and Alaska Natives have made and continue to make tremendous contributions to our country's heritage and prosperity. During National Native American Heritage Month, NNABA commemorates their enduring achievements and reaffirms the vital role American Indians and Alaska Natives play in enriching the character of our Nation. We particularly honor our Native American veterans who have served our nation with dignity and honor.

We hope you are enjoying these e-newsletters. If you have comments or suggestions, we would very much like to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us at adminassistant@nativeamericanbar.org.

Sincerely,

Mary Smith
NNABA President, 2013-2015

NNABA's Exciting New Project: Native American Attorney Research Initiative

Did you know that the legal profession has never formally studied the perceptions, experiences and career trajectories of Native American attorneys? We want to change that, and invite you to be a part of the first-of-its-kind study of Native American attorneys across the legal profession.

To enhance the full understanding and inclusion of Native American attorneys, we are embarking on an exciting new project: a comprehensive research project on Native American attorneys that examines their perspectives, experiences, and career trajectories.

We seek your support on this groundbreaking study. For more information on the study, click here.

For information on how to contribute, click HERE. The net proceeds will be used to fund the Research Initiative. We plan to energize the business and legal communities to further improve the status of Native Americans in the legal profession because it is in the best interest of the profession to do so. We hope you will join us in these efforts with your support.

If you have questions, please contact the National Native American Bar Association at either adminassistant@nativeamericanbar.org or executivedirector@nativeamericanbar.org.

NNABA Applauds the Historic Nomination of Diane Humetewa

On September 19, 2013, the National Native American Bar Association applauded the historic nomination of Diane Humetewa to be a district court judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. If confirmed, Ms. Humetewa will be the first Native American woman in the history of our nation to serve on the federal judiciary.

Ms. Humetewa has had a distinguished career in public service. She is an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe. She previously served as the Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. Earlier in her career, she worked as an attorney on the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee under then Chairman John McCain. Ms. Humetewa also worked in the U.S. Department of Justice and served as an Appellate Judge on the Hopi Appellate Court. To see NNABA’s press release, click here

NNABA Co-Sponsors Federal Bar Association Indian Law Conference

This program in Washington, D.C. will bring together key players in the Indian Law community—attorneys, legislators, tribal officials, and scholars—on Nov. 15, 2013. Click here to view all of the sessions.

Registration rates are as follows:
$200 Members | $250 Nonmembers | $100 Government Employees

For more information, visit the conference website and view the agenda.

NNABA Co-Sponsors Symposia on Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession

Congratulations to NNABA Treasurer Lawrence Baca for his article “Apples, Bananas, Coconuts and Oreos – the Fruit Salad and Dessert of Race: American Indians in the Diversity Discourse” in the newly released “Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession (IILP) 2012: The State of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession” (IILP Review). NNABA is co-sponsoring IILP’s upcoming symposia which will discuss the state of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. NNABA members may register for the symposia with a 50% discount.

The IILP Review will serve as the focal point for seven symposia that are being presented around the country.

· Chicago: Tuesday, December 3rd from 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP

· New York: Tuesday, November 19th from 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Jenner & Block LLP

· Washington, D.C.: Wednesday, November 13th from 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Baker & McKenzie

For a copy of the IILP Review and a more detailed schedule of symposia, visit IILP’s website at www.TheIILP.com.

NNABA Co-Sponsors Gaming Law Minefield

NNABA is a co-sponsor of the American Bar Association’s 18th Annual Gaming Law Minefield Institute to be held February 13-14, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a co-sponsor NNABA members receive the same great rate as ABA members.

For more information, click here

NNABA Joins Letter Urging Funding for the Courts

NNABA joined a diverse array of nonpartisan groups that care deeply about civil and human rights, which are threatened by the current lack of resources provided to the federal courts, and urged Congress to provide adequate funding for the federal judiciary. To see a copy of the letter, click here.

JOIN NNABA NOW!

Our Attorney Membership Form and Student Membership Form are available to download as PDF files. Benefits of being a NNABA member include weekly access to a variety of new, nationwide job announcements by email and on this site. To join, click here.

The membership year runs from April to April and dues are $50 per year. At this time, NNABA is able to accept checks and money orders for payment of dues.

If you have any questions about membership or experience any difficulty with downloading, please feel free to contact us at adminassistant@nativeamericanbar.org.

NNABA PARTNER NEWS

Margaret Brent Award

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession is seeking nominations for the 24th Annual Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards. These awards will be presented at a luncheon on Sunday, August 10, 2014 during the ABA Annual Meeting in Boston.

The deadline to submit the nomination form and supporting materials is the close of business on Monday, December 2, 2013.

For more details click here.