Practice Areas & Industries: Miller Nash LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

The history of the Northwest culture is bound with that of the region's Native American tribes. As the region's industries have expanded, so, too, have those of the Native Americans. Miller Nash lawyers serve Native American tribes and organizations on a diverse range of issues ranging from legislative concerns to gaming and economic development. Today's tribal issues go well beyond gaming and casinos. Native American tribes, like other entities, require assistance in government relations and lobbying on their behalf, including drafting legislation and ongoing advocacy. They also require litigation support, and representation regarding their tribal sovereignty concerns.

Beyond this, Miller Nash provides counsel on Indian Civil Rights Act issues, advising tribes on organizational issues under the Indian Reorganization Act, and drafting and revising tribal constitutions and bylaws, ordinances, and codes.

Miller Nash also assists tribes in the complex arena of land use, environmental, and other concerns surrounding land ownership. The firm assists tribes in obtaining permits and governmental approvals for a wide variety of economic development projects, supports tribes in the development of tribal or individually owned trust lands, and represents them in litigation concerning land use and environmental issues.

As Native American tribes continue to emerge as independent, financially feasible forces in regional state economies, Miller Nash has been successful in providing support and legal counsel in such tribal concerns as employment law and labor relations, healthcare, intellectual property, telecommunications, real estate and leasing, and financing.