Practice Areas

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The Firm is a full service law firm dedicated to serving the needs of its clients in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.  The depth of our practice areas enables us to deliver co-ordinated legal services.  

The Firm has expertise in the following areas of law: 

Benefits
Working closely with governmental entities on all aspects of employee benefits including extensive experience with 401(k) plans, profit sharing plans, ESOPs, and welfare benefit plans (such as self-funded medical plans). Assist clients with matters involving life insurance programs, property & casualty programs, short-term and long-term disability and other benefits related matters;

Business Transactions
Working closely with governments and businesses with the management, structuring, negotiating, drafting and documenting of business transactions, including construction contracts, general commercial contracts, bank financing agreements, end-user computer agreements, memorandums of agreement with governments, and real property transactions;

Economic Development
Providing advice to municipal and Tribal governments, Tribal enterprises and businesses on the formation of various business structures, including non-profits, preparation of due diligence of investment opportunities, development of codes and tax abatement programs for economic development zones, development of agreements for business incubator complexes, and counsel on establishment of Community Development Financial Institutions and other programs for housing and small business loans to members, and state and federal government contracting;

Employment Law
Legal counsel on employee benefits and labor law, including advice relating to employee contracts, discipline and other personnel matters, preparation of employment policies and handbooks and structuring of benefit programs;

Energy Law
Assisted with development of Tribal energy resources under the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act of 2005;

Environmental Law
Assisted with compliance of federal National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, National Forest Management Act, National Indian Forest Resource Management Act, development of Tribal codes and ordinances to protect Tribal natural resources, applications for treatment as state status, and preparation of environmental assessments, ACE 409 Permits, environmental impact statements and litigation;

Finance
Including assistance in connection with conventional bank financing, taxable bonds, and tax-exempt bonds issued under the Indian Tribal Governmental Tax Status Act of 1982 for government facilities, health clinics, land acquisition, infrastructure, gaming facilities, and other government, public and economic improvements;

Gaming Law
Including compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and the Arizona Gaming Compact, certification issues, vendor contract reviews and licensing;

Government Transactions
Drafted intergovernmental agreements and memorandums of understanding with federal and state agencies for public safety, health care, and education; negotiated, drafted and litigated self-governance agreements with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service pursuant to P.L. 93-638 (25 U.S.C. § 450, et seq.) and 25 Code of Federal Regulations Part 900 and Subpart J; and a multi-million Joint Venture Construction Program Agreement with the U.S. Indian Health Service pursuant to Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Section 818(e), P.L. 94-437, 25 U.S.C. 1680h(e), as amended by P.L. 102-573, and the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act of 2001, P.L.106-291;

Health Law
Advise Tribal clinics on operations, professional contracting, risk management and issues arising under the Self-Determination and Indian Health Care Improvement Acts;

Housing Law
Represented landlords in various Landlord Tenant Courts; provided counsel to various Tribally designated housing entities; assisted with monitoring, compliance and development of new housing through U.S. Housing and Urban Development NAHASDA block grants and Housing Improvement Program, home ownership programs, developed Tribal realty codes, land records codes and other laws to support home ownership on Tribal trust lands;

Federal Indian Law
Protected Tribal sovereignty in attacks against jurisdiction of Tribal courts in Tribal, state and federal courts;

Intergovernmental Relations
Including advice in connection with state and federal legislative process; lobbying federal and state administrative agencies; and federal and state campaign finance, ethics, election and lobbying laws compliance;

Intragovernmental Relations
Including advice on separation of powers, government structure, administrative organization and assistance in development of Tribal laws that advance self-determination, improve stability and enhance sovereignty, and confidential internal audits;

Litigation
Represent Tribal entities in Tribal, State and Federal courts, including treaty rights matters, declaratory actions to prevent improper assertions of regulatory authority by state and local governments and other initiatives to protect Tribal sovereignty; 

Personal Injury
Represent clients in various personal injury matters including slip and fall cases, automobile accidents, premises liability, product liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death cases, bad-faith actions and disability matters; and

Taxation
Advise clients with respect to applicability of, and compliance with, federal, state and Tribal tax laws; advice on structuring ventures as Tribal enterprises as well as structuring ventures with non-Tribal entities to take advantage of favorable tax treatment for Indian country enterprises; and representation in disputes with state taxation authorities and advice relating to the structuring of Tribal benefit programs under the 'general welfare doctrine' to avoid adverse tax consequences.