UM School of Law Hosts Indian Law Week April 16-20

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The Alexander Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana

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MISSOULA – The Alexander Blewett School of Law at the University of Montana, in conjunction with the Native American Law Students Association, will host Indian Law Week Monday-Friday, April 16-20, at UM. This year’s conference is titled “Tribal Treaties Today: Rights, Culture and Sovereignty in Modern Society.”

The conference is open to the public and no registration is required. All events are free except for Thursday evening’s awards ceremony and silent auction.

A schedule follows.

Monday, April 16

  • Noon-1 p.m.: “Contemporary Treaty Hunting Rights” with John Harrison, staff attorney, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Law Building Room 101.

This event is co-sponsored by the Public Land & Resources Law Review and the Environmental Law Group.

  • 5:30-8 p.m.: “Hostiles” film screening. Law Building Room 101.

Tuesday, April 17

  • Noon-1 p.m.: “A Promise of Health and General Welfare” with Gyda Swaney and Cherith Smith. Law Building Room 101.Swaney is an associate professor in UM’s Department of Psychology and director of the Indians Into Psychology (InPsych) program, and member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Smith is assistant director of experiential education of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at UM.

This event is co-sponsored by the Rural Advocacy League.

Wednesday, April 18

  • Noon-1 p.m.: “Empowerment Through Education” with Dr. George Price, Shelly Fyant, Joyce Silverthorne and Dr. Kathryn Shanley. Law Building Room 101.

Price is a lecturer in UM’s Department of Native American Studies and African-American Studies. Fyant is an Arlee District Council member with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Silverthorne is the former director of the Office of Indian Education. Shanley is a UM professor and special assistant to the provost on Native American and Indigenous education.

This event is sponsored by the ACLU of Montana.

Thursday, April 19

  • 5-7 p.m.: “Blackfeet Beaver and Other Opportunities in Natural Resources Management and Sovereignty” with Dr. Rosalyn LaPier, Dylan DesRosier, Dona Rutherford and Kim Paul. Law Building Room 201.

LaPier is an associate professor of Environmental Studies at UM. DesRosier is the Blackfeet Reservation land protection specialist for the Nature Conservancy. Rutherford is the director of the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department. Paul is the climate change coordinator in the Blackfeet Environmental Office.

This event is co-sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and the 2018 International Wildlife Film Festival.

  • 7-10 p.m.: “An Evening with NALSA” awards ceremony and silent auction. Law Building, second floor atrium. Tickets cost $10 at the door.

Friday, April 20

  • 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: “Who is an ‘Indian?’ Disenrollment and Membership” with David Wilkins, Shelly Hulse Wilkins, Angela Russell, Robert Hall, Hunter Genia and facilitated by Maylinn Smith. Law Building Room 219.

Wilkins is a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. Hulse Wilkins is a partner at Wilkins Forum. Russell is a former chief judge of the Crow Nation. Hall is a language teacher. Genia is a council member of the Saginaw, Swan Cree and Black River Band of Chippewa. Smith is the co-director of the Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic.

This event is co-sponsored by UM’s Department of Native American Studies and the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies department.

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Continuing legal education credits for the conference are pending.

Additional conference sponsors include the Student Bar Association, Missoula Urban Indian Health Center and the Indian Law Section of the Montana Bar.