FEBRUARY 2014

Hello, NNABA members:

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 [email protected].

Sincerely,

Mary Smith
NNABA President, 2013-2015

Participate in Groundbreaking Research on Native American Attorneys! Survey is Now Live!

The National Native American Bar Association (NNABA) is now embarking upon a comprehensive research study that sheds light on the experiences of Native American attorneys and paints a full picture of Native American attorneys across all settings including private practice; government practice in state, federal and tribal arenas; the judiciary; corporate legal departments; and academia. This research will result in a first-of-its-kind study. Ultimately, the findings from this study will be used to develop educational material and programs that will help improve the retention and advancement of Native American attorneys in the legal profession.

The survey should take you no more than 15-20 minutes to complete, and can be taken by any attorney that identifies as American Indian/Alaska Native.

Participate in Survey Here
You can start the survey by clicking on the link here.

Contribute Here
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.

NNABA Supports Historic Nomination Of Diane Humetewa

The National Native American Bar Association supports 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 letter of support, click here.

To see NNABA’s press release, click here.

2014 Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy - Applications Available

Applications are now available for the second annual Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy (CBLA) in Minneapolis, MN, on June 26-28, 2014. The CBLA is a collaborative effort among the American Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, National Bar Association, National Native American Bar Association (NNABA), and National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. The CBLA will strengthen the pipeline of diverse bar association leaders through leadership training and professional development programs. The CBLA is intended for up-and-coming bar leaders who have been in practice for 5-15 years.

Applications must be submitted by 8:00pm EST on February 28, 2014. Participants for the CBLA will be determined by a juried selection process. Applications can be found by clicking here. Applicants will be asked to submit a brief essay of 250-500 words, a CV/resume, and two letters of recommendation. More information about the program can be found on the CBLA website. Please contact CBLA Steering Committee members, NNABA President Mary Smith at [email protected], or NNABA President-Elect Linda Benally at [email protected].

NALSA Career Fair

The 2014 National Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) Career Fair is taking place March 1, 2014, on the campus of University of Oklahoma's law school, coinciding with the 2014 National Indian Law Moot Court competition.

NALSA is still accepting employers for the career fair. If interested or if you have questions, please contact NNALSA National Liaison Jeff Cormell, at [email protected].

NNABA Launches New Website

NNABA has launched a website with new design and functionality. NNABA’s new website is the place to go to see NNABA’s nationwide job announcements, initiatives, letters of support, and press releases. NNABA’s website also has new functionality such as being able to pay membership dues via credit card.

Please visit NNABA’s new website to see all the activities in which NNABA is engaged on behalf of the Native American legal community at www.nativeamericanbar.org.

Congratulations To NNABA’s Young Lawyer Delegates To The American Bar Association

For the first time ever, NNABA is sending three young lawyer delegates to the American Bar Association (ABA) Midyear Meeting to represent NNABA in the ABA Young Lawyer Division (YLD).

Congratulations to:
Naomi Bebo, YLD Council Member
Corey Hinton, YLD Assembly Delegate
Carolyn West, YLD Assembly Delegate

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.

JOIN NNABA NOW!

Our Attorney Membership Form and Student Membership Form can be completed online, and are available to download as PDF files for those who prefer to mail in their forms. 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 $75 per year.

NEW! In addition to checks and money orders, NNABA is now able to accept credit card payment for payment of dues.

If you have any questions about membership or experience any difficulty with downloading, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

NNABA PARTNER NEWS

ABA Midyear Meeting

The American Bar Association’s 2014 Midyear Meeting is being held in Chicago, IL, February 5 - 11 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. To register, click here.

Spirit of Excellence Award Luncheon

The 2014 Spirit of Excellence Awards Luncheon will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago during the ABA Midyear Meeting.

The Spirit of Excellence Award celebrates the efforts and accomplishments of lawyers who excel in their professional settings; who personify excellence on the national, state or local level; and who have demonstrated a commitment to racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession. The ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Legal Profession proudly honors:

Frankie Muse Freeman ● Brenda Harbin-Forte ● Patricia D. Lee ● I.S. Leevy Johnson ● Prof. Leo M. Romero ● Wendy C. Shiba ● Benjamin F. Wilson

Join the celebration! For more information, click here.