This program explores key ethical considerations for attorneys representing tribal governments, with a focus on client identity, decision-making authority, supervision, current and former government attorneys, and technological competence.

Through a series of focused sessions, participants will examine who the client is in the context of Tribal government representation, the level of deference owed to client decisions, the ethical landscape current and former government attorneys navigate, and the responsibilities of senior attorneys in supervising junior lawyers. The program also addresses what competent representation looks like in an evolving legal landscape shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

This program will provide 2 hours of in-person ethics continuing legal education (CLE) credits for attorneys practicing Federal Indian law. Content will focus on navigating conflicts as general counsel, maintaining technological competency, special ethics rules for current and former government attorneys, and adequately supervising junior attorneys.

Panelists

JoAnn Kintz is a Partner at Patterson Real Bird & Rasmussen LLP and has substantial litigation and policy experience advancing tribal interests. Ms. Kintz recently served as Deputy Director of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Tribal Justice, where she advised senior DOJ leadership on litigation and legal strategy affecting tribes. She started her career through DOJ’s Honor Graduate program and served as a trial attorney in the Tribal Resources Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). Ms. Kintz earned her undergraduate degree from Columbia University and earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School. She is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Gregory Smith is a Partner in the DC office of Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP, a law firm dedicated to the representation of Tribal Nations and Tribal interests. For over 35 years, Greg has represented Indian tribes and tribal organizations as an attorney and as a government affairs specialist. Greg serves as general counsel for several national and regional Native organizations and also represents a number of tribes on a wide range of matters. Greg’s work on behalf of tribal clients has included successfully advocating for executive clemency; preparing comments for federal rulemakings; and advising tribes on the drafting of constitutions, codes, contracts, ordinances, and regulations. He has also represented his clients on a wide range of matters before virtually every major Federal agency and assisted a number of tribes on economic development and cultural protection matters. Greg is a former trustee of the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution) and is chairman of the board of the School for Advanced Research, Santa Fe, NM. Greg graduated from Cornell Law School in 1986 and from Yale College in 1982.

Registration

Registration is required to attend both the CLE and Networking Reception portions of this event. The CLE portion will begin at 3:15 p.m. ET and the Networking Reception will immediately follow.

• NABA-DC Members can register and attend this event for free.
• Non-Members must pay $30 to register and attend this event. 
• Register here: https://nabadc.com/event-6631966 

CLE accreditation is provided by the National Business Institute (NBI)*

*Accreditation limited to: Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.