Leonard, Street and Deinard attorneys have experience in a broad range of areas related to Indian affairs, including government relations and regulation, construction projects, natural resources and tribal business affairs. In addition to our representation of tribal businesses, we have counseled numerous non-tribal clients so that they could conduct business confidently and effectively in Indian Country. We focus on helping our clients make business deals happen within Indian Country and, if necessary, litigate to protect our clients’ interests.

Leonard, Street and Deinard attorneys have more than a decade of Indian law experience, assisting clients with matters in the states of Arizona, California, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. In North Dakota our attorneys have practiced before the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribal Court, and one of our attorneys served as a specially appointed judge on the Court. We have also defended numerous members of both the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation and the Three Affiliated Tribes in federal court (as part of the federal indigent defense program), with multiple jury trials including the defense of a former chair of the Three Affiliated Tribes. In 2004, we defended a nonprofit corporation in civil litigation in the Standing Rock Tribal Court arising out of a failed housing project. 

Our attorneys have experience of numerous other issues involving Indian affairs, including disputes concerning management of a tribal forest, trust land issues, logging issues, Pub. Law 638 contract issues, Indian health care issues, Indian labor and employment issues, and other day-to-day tribal affairs.  We have has also represented a commercial lender in a reservation boundary dispute involving issues concerning treaty rights and tribal authority within reservation boundaries. 

• Represented an energy engineering company in defense of a putative class action brought in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota alleging claims of trespass, conversion, RICO § 1983, and other civil rights and constitutional violations, all stemming from the extension of electric power lines across Indian reservation land. The case against our client was voluntarily dismissed after we deposed the plaintiffs and served notice of our intended motion to dismiss.
• Represented Menominee Tribal Enterprises (the business arm of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin) in litigation against the United States, resulting in a landmark decision. The United States alleged breach of Pub. Law 638 contracts and violations of the Federal False Claims Act. This was a case of first impression, and the court granted judgment on the pleadings in favor of our client. This decision is reported at United States v. Menominee Tribal Enterprises, et al., 601 F. Supp. 2d 1061 (E.D. Wis. 2009).

Construction Matters

Our attorneys have served as counsel to construction contractors on several projects on Indian land, including casino and hotel projects. These engagements required our assessment of tribal contracting issues, risk assessment under tribal law, and negotiation and drafting of waivers of sovereign immunity and consents to jurisdiction. These matters include:

• Bois Forte Community Redevelopment Corporation Government and Community Services Building; Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (Nett Lake, Minnesota)
• Firekeepers Casino Project; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi (Michigan)
• Flandreau Santee Casino Project; Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe  (South Dakota)
• Four Winds Casino and Four Winds North, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana (New Buffalo Township, Michigan)
• Ojibwa Millennium School, Ojibwa Indian School, Inc., a nonprofit entity chartered by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (Belcourt, North Dakota)
• Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Casino and Satellite Casino, Truck Stop Convenience Store, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (Fort Hall, Idaho)
• Sky Dancer Casino & Hotel Expansion project, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (Belcourt, North Dakota)
• Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California (Middletown, California)
• Defense of general contractor against multi-million dollar construction defect/business interruption claim, Colorado River Indian Tribes (Arizona)
• Defense of general contractor against claim by potential subcontractor involving Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance and bid shopping, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (North Dakota)
• Contract negotiations on behalf of general contractor with Tribes and Tribes’ lenders, Tulalip Tribes (Washington) and Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (Michigan)
• Contract negotiations on behalf of general contractor with Tribe involving wastewater treatment plant, AK-Chin Indian Community (Arizona)