Indian Civil Rights Icon Lawrence Baca Publishes Article on "The Scourge of Tribal Disenrollment"

Lawrence Baca, longtime U.S. Department of Justice Indian civil rights warrior and former three-term President of the National Native American Bar Association, has published "Today You Are My Brother; But Tomorrow, Maybe Not (The Scourge of Tribal Disenrollment).”

The article appears in the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession’s Review 2019-2020: The State of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession, at page 135.

Lawrence admitted to “stealing liberally from the work of Gabe Galanda – with his permission, of course. See Gabriel S. Galanda & Ryan D. Dreveskracht, Curing The Tribal Disenrollment Epidemic: In Search Of A Remedy,” explaining: “Of the many articles written on this subject theirs is the most thorough and thoughtful.”

An excerpt from Lawrence’s article:

The Supreme Court has granted unto itself the power to declare what tribal governmental powers are “inconsistent with their status” as domestic dependent nations.26 Tribes stand one too many disenrollments and five votes away from losing their immunity from suit in federal court because the Court decides that it is “inconsistent with their status” as sovereign governments to deny basic human rights to their members and remain beyond the rule of federal law.

And there’s this embedded image in the article:

Galanda Broadman, PLLC, is an American-Indian owned law firm that opposes disenrollment. #StopDIsenrollment

Gabe Galanda Teaches Indian Law to Washington State Legislature

On Tuesday, Gabe Galanda delivered a presentation to the Washington State Legislature titled, “Indian Law for the Washington State Legislator.” His remarks can now be seen on TVW.

At the invitation of House State Government & Tribal Relations and Senate State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee Leadership, Gabe educated the Legislators on tribal sovereignty, the government-to-government relationship, and compacts. He discussed Tribal kinship, constitutional status, and Treaties, too.

Gabe also explained to the Legislators the origins of the international Indigenous human rights norm, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), given recent conversation about adopting FPIC in state law and policy.

Gabe’s slides are available here.

Gabriel S. Galanda is the managing lawyer of Galanda Broadman, PLLC, in Seattle. Gabe is a descendant of the Nomlaki and Concow Tribes, belonging to the Round Valley Indian Tribes of Northern California.

Galanda Broadman Is Hiring A Litigation Associate

Galanda Broadman Litigation Associate Position Announcement

September 2019

Galanda Broadman, PLLC, an Indian Country Law Firm with seven lawyers and offices in Seattle and Yakima, Washington, and Bend, Oregon, seeks to add an experienced litigation associate to its growing tribal practice in Seattle.

Galanda Broadman is an American Indian owned firm dedicated to advancing tribal and tribal citizen legal rights, and Indian business interests.  The firm represents tribal governments, businesses and citizens in critical litigation, business and regulatory matters, especially in the areas of Indian Treaty rights, tribal sovereignty, land rights, cultural property protection, taxation, commerce, gaming, serious/catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, disenrollment defense, and indigenous human/civil rights.

The firm seeks an associate who is deeply committed to representing Indian interests, who is state bar licensed, preferably in Washington State, and who has at least two to five years of experience in civil litigation or serving as a judicial clerk. 

Proven motion and civil rules practice, if not trial experience, and the ability to self-direct are critical. Impeccable writing and research skills; critical and audacious thinking; strong oral advocacy; tremendous work ethic; tenacity; and sound ethics are required. 

Salary DOE. 

Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter tailored to this announcement, as well as a résumé, writing sample, transcript, and list of at least three educational and professional references, to Alice Hall, the firm’s Office Manager, at alice@galandabroadman.com. 

Applications directed elsewhere will not be considered.