CURRENT EVENTS

Native American Pre-law Undergraduate Scholars Program (NA-PLUS)
When: June 6-July 3, 2010
Where: UNM School of Law
What: The NA-PLUS is a four-week program for Native American students entering their sophomore or junior year of college in fall 2010 who would like to explore law as a possible profession. This unique program offers students: 1) three academic courses focusing on Indian law and Native legal issues; 2) career and academic advisement in planning an undergraduate program and beyond; 3) workshops outlining the law school admission process; 4) visits to tribal, state and federal courts and law firms practicing Indian Law; 5) mentoring from Native lawyers and law students; and 6) The opportunity to develop relationships with Native students from across the country. The AILC and the UNM Law School are partners in the administration of this program.

Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI)
When: June 2-July 30, 2010
Where: UNM School of Law

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PAST EVENTS

Meet and Greet with PLSI Students and SWITCA Quarterly Meeting
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When: June 18, 2010, 9:45am-3:00pm
Where: UNM Law School, Albuquerque, NM
Who:Tribal judges, tribal leaders, and tribal court staff.
What: The Native American students in this year’s PLSI class are in their second week of the program. Tribal judges, tribal leaders, and tribal court personnel are invited to share their perspectives on the important work of tribal courts. Students will benefit from this rare and valuable opportunity to learn about tribal judicial systems and from the advice and encouragement given by respected tribal leaders and judges.
The SWITCA Quarterly Meeting will include an Indian case law update on New Mexico v. Harrison, (decided in the NM Supreme Court on June 8, 2010) - regarding jurisdiction of state officers to search Indians in Indian Country, among other pertinent cases for tribal courts, and other recent cases.



Tribal leaders, tribal council members, judges, and key executive staff from the Southwest gathered to share insights, strategies, and information on some core challenges facing tribal governments and leaders. Our compelling sessions and distinguished speakers will engage participants in thinking about the directions tribes can take that lead to success.

DOWNLOAD FINAL CONFERENCE PROGRAM
When: March 22-23, 2010
Where: Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
Who Should Attend: Tribal leaders, tribal council members, tribal administrators/executive staff, judges, and tribal court staff. Our conference is especially geared for participants from the Southwest Region including: New Mexico, Arizona, southern Colorado and west Texas.
Topics: (subject to change) Sovereign immunity, federal Indian law and policy, tribal codes and court development, rights-of-way and lease agreements, environmental justice and advocacy, tribal infrastructure and economic development, Indian case law update, among other topics.
THANK YOU to our conference sponsors, PNM and the NM Gas Co. for your support!!

Tribal Governments Invited to Meet with U.S. State Department on Human Rights
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PRESS RELEASE
When: March 16-17, 2010
Where: March 16th at UNM Law School, NM. March 17th at Window Rock, AZ.
What: The American Indian Law Center and the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission invite you to an Indian Country listening session with the U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies to discuss human rights in the United States.  This meeting will specifically focus on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a process which reviews the human rights records of all 192 member States of the United Nations every 4 years.  The United States is one of the States under Review in 2010.

Understanding the New Mexico AIR QUALITY Permitting Process Training for Tribal Communities
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What: Understanding the New Mexico AIR QUALITY Permitting Process Training for Tribal Communities
When: Thursday, January 28th from 8:30 am—12:30 pm
Where: AMERIND Risk Management, Corp.,  Santa Ana Pueblo.
Who Should Attend: Tribal Leaders and Council Members, Tribal Natural Resources and Environmental Directors and Staff, Interested Community Members

Understanding the New Mexico SOLID WASTE Permitting Process Training For Tribal Communities
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When: Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Where: Isleta Casino & Resort, Isleta Pueblo. Rio Grande Room
What: This is a free training for tribal governments on understanding the New Mexico permitting process as it relates solid waste.  The purpose of the training is to introduce tribal leaders, tribal environmental directors, and interested tribal members to the complex state permitting and public participation processes.  The goal is to increase involvement of tribal communities in these processes, as well as to promote environmental justice, public health, and cultural resources protection for tribal communities. 

This training will focus on solid waste permitting and enforcement.  Subsequent trainings will focus on air quality and a final executive session will be geared specifically to tribal leadership to be held during the AILC’s TRANSITIONS conference in early 2010. 

Tribal environmental and natural resources staff are encouraged to attend these trainings as they will provide useful information on the permitting process, practical application to tribal environmental issues, and environmental justice for tribal communities.

The New Mexico Environment Department is partnering with the AILC for these important trainings.

Understanding the New Mexico WATER Permitting Process Training For Tribal Communities
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PRESS RELEASE
When: September 10, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Big Rock Casino Event Center, Espanola, New Mexico
Who Should Attend: Tribal Leaders and Council Members, Tribal Natural Resources and Environmental Directors and Staff, Interested Community Members
What: The purpose of the training is to introduce tribal leaders, tribal environmental directors, and interested tribal members to the complex state permitting and public participation processes.  The training session goal is to increase involvement of tribal communities in these processes, as well as to promote environmental justice, public health, and cultural resources protection for tribal communities.  The New Mexico Environment Department is partnering with the AILC for this important training.

Our first state permitting training will focus on water.  Subsequent training sessions will focus on solid waste, air quality, and a final executive session will be geared specifically to tribal leadership to be held during the AILC’s TRANSITIONS conference in early 2010.  We hope that you will encourage your tribal environmental and natural resources staff to attend these trainings as they will provide useful information on the permitting process, practical application to tribal environmental issues, and environmental justice for tribal communities.

SWITCA-PLSI Meet & Greet and 2nd Quarterly Meeting
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When: June 19, 2009, 10:00 am- 3:00 pm
Where: UNM School of Law
What: The AILC’s Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI) invites you to welcome the Class of 2009! The PLSI is an 8-week Indian legal education program aimed at preparing Indian students to succeed in law school. Each year, we invite tribal judges to have an informal discussion with the PLSI students about the important work of tribal courts and to provide personal advice to Indian law students interested in working in tribal judicial systems.

Following the morning session, a luncheon will be provided.  In the afternoon, we will have our quarterly Southwest Intertribal Court of Appeals (SWITCA) meeting and training session.

1st Annual Forum on Land Into Trust Process
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
When: April 30, 2009
Where: BIA's National Indian Program Training Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
What: The Forum presented an opportunity for tribal leaders and representatives, BIA staff, and DOI solicitors to provide feedback on the Handbook's operation and to begin general discussions regarding execution of land into trust processes.
Background: On May 20, 2008, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) released a Handbook on the Acquisition of Title to Land Held in Trust or Restricted Fee. Tribal leaders and representatives were asked to review the Handbook and to identify areas requiring further discussion.

This Forum was facilitated by the AILC and will serve as a repository for information related to the Forum.
Comments: Submit your feedback regarding the Handbook to the AILC.
P.O. Box 4456
Albuquerque, NM 87196
or via e-mail to: candelaria@ailc-inc.org
Agenda
Tribal Leader Letter (April 6, 2009)
Tribal Leader Letter (October 3, 2008)
Fee to Trust Handbook

2nd Annual Tribal Leaders Conference
"Transitions: Building Stronger Tribal Governance"
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When: February 22-24, 2009
Where: Isleta Hotel & Convention Center, Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico
Who Should Attend: This conference is specially designed for tribal leaders, judges, administrators, law enforcement, and other key personnel to learn about federal Indian law and other processes useful to tribal governments. The goal is to give a “jump start” to tribal administrations to be even more successful in leading their tribal communities in the next year.
Special Event: The AILC had the honor of hosting a panel of former assistant secretaries for Indian Affairs at the 2009 Transitions Conference. To see the video of the panel, "Federal Indian Policy in the New Administration, "
Click here: VIDEO OF PANEL DISCUSSION
What: Panel on Federal Indian Policy in the New Administration
Moderator: Sam Deloria, former Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Interior. President of the Board of Directors for AILC and Director of the American Indian Graduate Center.
Panelists: Carl J. Artman, former Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs for the U.S. Depratment of Interior. A Partner at the law firm Godrey & Kahn, S.C.
Thomas W. Fredericks, former Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Interior. A Partner at the law firm Fredericks, Pelcyger & Hester, LLC.
Kevin Gover, former Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Interior. Director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian.