Tribal governments, Tribal entities, and aligned partners navigating sovereignty in practice.
Sovereignty in practice
American Indian Law
All Rise! advises Tribal governments, Tribal entities, and aligned partners on the legal, governmental, and operational questions that shape sovereignty in practice.
Talk with All Rise!
Is this the right starting point?
A clear first look at fit.
Governance, jurisdiction, funding, compliance, litigation, or intergovernmental action requires sovereign-specific counsel.
We start with the Nation’s own law, the responsible institution, the requested decision, and every outside authority or deadline.
What this work involves
Counsel that connects law to the next decision.
American Indian law is the broad practice field encompassing distinct sources of federal, Tribal, and intergovernmental law. We approach that complexity with respect for each Nation’s law, institutions, priorities, and decision-making process.
Related attorneys
People connected to this work
Practice links describe a potential starting point. A conflicts and fit review—and a written engagement—determine who is responsible for a particular matter.
Sovereignty in practice
Begin with the Nation’s own law.
Tribal governments are sovereigns with their own constitutions, codes, courts, institutions, customs, and priorities. Effective counsel starts there, then identifies how federal, state, and local law affect the decision in front of the Nation.
A useful distinction
American Indian law includes Federal Indian law and Tribal law—but they are not interchangeable.
Federal Indian law generally concerns the legal relationships among Tribal Nations, the United States, states, and other governments. Tribal law is the law of a particular Nation: its constitution, codes, courts, institutions, customs, and governmental decisions. Sound counsel starts by identifying which sovereign’s law controls each part of the problem.
Specific service
Tribal ICWA Representation
All Rise! represents Tribal governments in Indian Child Welfare Act proceedings and related coordination involving Tribal law, federal requirements, and state-court process.
PLEASE NOTE: AT THIS TIME, ALL RISE! ONLY REPRESENTS TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS IN INDIAN CHILD WELFARE PROCEEDINGS.
Representative services
Where we can add value
Governance & Sovereignty
Constitutions, codes, ordinances, elections, ethics, separation of powers, records, and institutional design.
Tribal Business & Economic Development
Entity formation, governance, contracting, project structure, risk allocation, and intergovernmental coordination.
Grants & Federal Compliance
Program terms, grant administration, federal regulatory compliance, procurement, documentation, and implementation.
Environmental & Natural Resources
Government authority, consultation, land and resource questions, administrative process, and project review.
Intergovernmental Advocacy
Engagement with federal, state, local, and other Tribal governments on jurisdiction, policy, and shared priorities.
Litigation & Appeals
Tribal, state, and federal disputes involving jurisdiction, sovereign authority, statutory rights, and institutional interests.
Selected experience
Representative Tribal-government work
Publicly described experience, stated without disclosing privileged information, includes:
- Defending sovereign immunity and jurisdictional interests.
- Structuring Tribal businesses, governmental entities, contracts, and economic-development projects.
- Serving as outside general counsel to Tribal institutions and courts.
- Supporting behavioral-health initiatives, grants, and federal regulatory compliance.
- Advising on CARES Act and American Rescue Plan programs and implementation.
- Drafting and revising Tribal codes, policies, resolutions, and intergovernmental agreements.
Resources
Start with a useful overview.
These materials provide general information only. A particular matter still requires conflicts, fit, scope, and current-law review.
Our approach
A disciplined path from facts to action.
- 01
Begin with the Tribal Nation’s own law, institutions, and stated objective.
- 02
Identify the federal, Tribal, state, and local authorities that actually govern the question.
- 03
Build an implementation plan that accounts for operations, leadership, funding, and public obligations.
- 04
Protect sovereignty while giving decision-makers clear choices and candid risk assessment.
Questions clients ask
What to know first
Who does All Rise! represent in ICWA cases?
At this time, All Rise! represents Tribal governments only in Indian Child Welfare proceedings. The firm does not accept parent or prospective-placement representation in those matters.
Can All Rise! draft or revise Tribal law?
Yes, depending on the project. The process should be directed by the Tribal Nation and may include code review, stakeholder input, comparison research, drafting, and implementation planning.
Does the firm work outside Oklahoma?
Potentially. Authority, licensure, court admission, local counsel, scope, and the needs of the Tribal client are evaluated for each matter.
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