Sovereignty Protection

Sovereign Indian tribes and nations face numerous threats to their autonomy and self-governance from outside entities.  Berkey Williams LLP assists tribes in a wide range of matters related to the protection of sovereignty, including engaging in political and regulatory advocacy to protect the rights of Indian tribes and nations to carry their own passports and identification cards; coordinating with criminal defense counsel when individual Indian criminal matters threaten tribal sovereignty more broadly; protecting the rights of Indian children to be educated in culturally appropriate ways; successfully defending against lawsuits on the basis of Tribal sovereign immunity; and seeking recourse from international human rights tribunals. The firm also assists our clients in asserting their sovereign rights diplomatically with United States governmental agencies and elected officials, in local, national, and international arenas.