Oneida Nation builds in-house legal department

Tuesday, February 13, 2007  

The Oneida Nation of New York is creating its own legal department to handle the many issues the tribe faces.

The department has six attorneys and is looking for more. A staff of about 20, including paralegals and archaeologists, helps out.

Ray Halbritter, the nation's official representative, graduated from Harvard Law School. "The demands on our businesses, and the issues that face our nation, are critical to our future," he told The New York Law Journal. "We are looking to develop a top-flight legal team."

The tribe is currently dealing with a long-running land claim, a massive land-into-trust application and some contentious taxation lawsuits. That's in addition to the day-to-day activities of an enterprise that employs nearly 5,000 and boasts a payroll of $123 million.

Get the Story:
Oneida Nation Builds In-House Department (The New York Law Journal 2/13)

Draft Environmental Impact Statement:
Oneida Nation of New York Conveyance of Lands Into Trust (November 2006)

Relevant Links:
Oneida Nation Trust - http://www.oneidanationtrust.com
Indian Nation Fee-to-Trust Land Acquisition Applications in New York State - http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/ogc/lands.html
Oneida Nation, New York - http://www.oneida-nation.net

Sherrill v. Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

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