September 7, 2010

NARF's 40th Anniversary Celebration to be held October 29th

September 1, 2010 will mark 40 years since the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) opened its doors in 1970 to tackle a little known area of law – "Indian law" – that was composed of treaties, court decisions, federal statutes, regulations and administrative rulings. Forty years later, NARF has left its mark on over 250 tribes in 31 different states in establishing and protecting their sovereign rights. The survival and strengthened sovereignty of this nation's tribes are due, in no small measure, to the battles waged and won by NARF.

Please join us at our 40th Anniversary Celebration to be held October 29th, 2010 hosted by the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Click here for event details and tickets!


Thank You 2010 NARF Summer Law Clerks

Each summer NARF hosts the summer clerkship program, a ten to twelve week program for second year law students. Law clerk projects consist mainly of legal research and writing. The projects are extremely challenging because NARF practices before federal, state, and tribal forums, and because most of its cases - whether at the administrative, trial, or appellate level - are complex and involve novel legal issues. This year the law clerk program was supported by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians through the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund, University of Denver-Sturm College of Law and the Ungar Foundation/Smith, Shelton, and Ragona LLC.

Meet the clerks who worked with us this summer : Daniel Cordalis, Shannon Michael, Mariah Thompson, Colleen Lamarre and Jaimie Park.


NILL Law Librarian Receives National Award for Public Service


David Selden, NILL Law Librarian, has been awarded the 2010 recipient of the Roy M. Mersky Spirit of Law Librarianship Award for Public Service Committee. The award, was created in order to give special recognition to individual law librarians engaged in significant acts of charitable work or community or social service. David was selected for this award for his commitment to environmental sustainability. " The primary focus of his work concerns encouraging communities, organizations and individuals to develop day to day practices that eliminate waste and reduce carbon emissions, " stated the award announcement. Read more about this award.


National Indian Law Library Receives Facelift from Local Volunteers

Over twenty members of the Boulder Valley Christian Church donated three weekends to give the National Indian Law Library a facelift. This 170 hour volunteer project included caulking, painting of the eaves, windows and trim and installing aluminum coverings on horizontal trim around the building. The Native American Rights Fund and the National Indian Law Library would like to thank these volunteers for their time and talent.



NARF Attorney Appointed as Colorado Indian Commission Member

Steve Moore, NARF staff attorney, will serve as an at-large member of the Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs (CCIA) for a one-year appointment.

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