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Legal Experience

I am an associate attorney with the law firm of McElroy, Meyer, Walker & Condon, P.C. My practice is dedicated exclusively to representing Indian tribes and their members by providing research and analytical support in the litigation, administrative, and negotiation contexts.

Prior to joining the firm, I served as a Deputy Attorney General with the Colorado River Indian Tribes in western Arizona. In this capacity I represented the tribe, including all its departments and business enterprises, in matters as varied as contracts and leases, land ownership disputes, water quality and other environmental issues, gaming, and TERO compliance, among many others. In particular, I represented the tribe in a significant groundwater contamination cleanup effort involving federal, state, private, and other tribal parties and which raised issues related to the National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. I also drafted tribal ordinances, developed Plans of Operations for several business enterprises, negotiated with the federal government and the states of Arizona and California on behalf of the tribe, and regularly appeared in the Tribal Court to conduct civil and juvenile hearings.

During law school I worked as a Research Assistant for Professor Charles Wilkinson, a renowned public lands and Indian law scholar. My work for him primarily related to the book he was writing at that time, “Blood Struggle: The Rise of Modern Indian Nations,” but also included a semester of independent legal research on the use of the Chinook Jargon language to negotiate treaties with Pacific Northwest Indian tribes.

Employment History

McElroy, Meyer, Walker & Condon, P.C.
(formerly Greene, Meyer & McElroy, P.C.)

January 2009 to present
Associate Attorney
Research and write motions, briefs, and memos related to the representation of Indian tribes primarily in federal court litigation. Issues include tribal water rights, land rights, cultural resources, and other related matters.

Colorado River Indian Tribes, Parker, AZ

August 2007 to December 2008
Deputy Attorney General
Served as in-house counsel to the Tribes, providing legal support to all its departments and business enterprises. Represented the Tribes in negotiations with federal and state governments and agencies. Reviewed and drafted contracts and leases, advised Tribal Council on policy matters, and conducted numerous civil hearings in the tribal court, among many other recurring tasks.

District Court Judge Gerald Rafferty, Centennial, CO

July 2006 to August 2007
Law Clerk
Researched and wrote draft judicial orders and memos, covering an array of legal issues in both civil and criminal cases. Managed the civil docket on the LexisNexis electronic filing system.

Professor Charles Wilkinson, Boulder, CO

September 2003 to June 2005
Research Assistant
Researched, indexed, and cite-checked for the book, “Blood Struggle: The Rise of Modern Indian Nations”. Researched and wrote memos on a variety of legal topics, including the Clean Air Act, NEPA, preemption-era land rights, and the treatymaking process with various Indian tribes.

Natural Resources Law Center, Boulder, CO

Summer 2004
Research Assistant
Authored two reports analyzing whether conservation easements could be implemented into the existing property laws of either the Northern Mariana Islands or the Marshall Islands.

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Washington, D.C.

Summer 2003
Law Clerk
Drafted pleadings supporting governmental employees in whistleblower protection lawsuits. Composed Freedom of Information Act requests related to the Army Corps of Engineers’ compliance with the Clean Water Act.

Serrano Middle School, Montclair, CA

September 2000 to June 2002
Teacher
Taught seventh and eighth grade math, science, social studies, and physical education. Coached basketball and softball.

Education

Juris Doctor, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, CO (2005):

• Associate Editor, Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy
• Recipient, John & Cynthia Schultz Scholarship (federal Indian and environmental law)
• Recipient, Environmental Law Society Summer Scholarship

Bachelor of Arts, Economics,University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA (1995):

• Member, Golden Key National Honor Society
• Member, Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society

Professional Associations

Admitted to Colorado State Bar (January 2006)

Publications

“Transboundary Air Pollution: Developments During 2004,” 16 Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy: 2004 Yearbook 123-132 (Summer 2005)