Procopio’s Native American Practice Catches a Rising Star

By:      Ted Griswold | Partner | ted.griswold@procopio.com

I am truly proud and excited to welcome Kerry Patterson as a partner at Procopio.   Kerry is a seasoned tribal attorney that has spent the past 15+ years representing tribal clients and businesses in real estate, governmental, gaming, commercial transactions, finance and economic development in Indian country.   She has developed a significant client base in Arizona and California, helping plan out and implement long-term success strategies for tribal governments that have reaped significant benefits for their tribal communities.  By joining Procopio, Kerry will work with our current practice group to extend the breadth and depth of those successes.

I met Kerry for the first time in 2008, working together as co-counsel for a mutual tribal client.  As a bright, tireless advocate for her tribal clients, I respected her work immensely.  I admired her ability to connect with her clients, engendering a mutual trust and purpose to maximize her clients’ success, protect their sovereignty and realize their self-governance.  That ability to connect requires empathy for your clients, and the strategic savvy to direct them in positive ways.

Now working together as part of the same team, Procopio is able to provide broader services and greater depth for  Kerry’s clients, including self-governance, infrastructure development, education, employment, tax, finance, health care, energy,  intellectual property and complex business transactions.  As importantly, Kerry helps expand our commitment to our tribal clients through giving back to the Native American community.  Kerry’s recognition of Procopio’s commitment to increase opportunities in the Indian community through its internship programs, pro bono assistance to tribal organizations, and voluntary assistance supports our belief that having the honor of representing our clients is joined by the honor of serving their communities.

For more information about Kerry’s background, see here and here.

Kerry Patterson is a partner and a member of the Native American Law and Energy and Environment practice groups at Procopio.  Kerry can be reached at 619.515.3295 or kerry.patterson@procopio.com.

Ted Griswold is head of the Native American Law practice group and primary editor for the Blogging Circle. Connect with Ted at ted.griswold@procopio.com and 619.515.3277.

Now Accepting Applications for Procopio’s 2016 Native American Law Internship Program

By: Theodore J. Griswold | Partner | ted.griswold@procopio.com

Procopio has a long-standing tradition of providing growth opportunities to the communities we serve. Procopio’s Native American Law Practice Group extends this tradition by actively investing in the future leaders of Indian Country through offering paid internships for Native American law students or law students with an emphasis in Native American law. Please join us in identifying qualified legal students within Native American communities that may be interested in being part of this engaging opportunity.

The Native American Law Internship provides an opportunity for a Native American law student, or law student emphasizing Native American Law, to gain hands-on experience dealing with everyday legal issues facing Native American communities. Interns are involved in matters that deal with specific Indian law-related legal practice matters and other legal problems facing tribal governments and Native entities. Procopio Interns reach out to local Native American youth to provide guidance and inspiration regarding educational direction and opportunities.

Interns join a nationwide network of the next generation of Native American Law attorneys in an active alumni program consisting of judicial clerks, governmental attorneys and associates at law firms. If you are interested in where the past interns are following their summer with the Native American Law Practice Group at Procopio then you may want to look a previous post I wrote (“Where are they now? 7 and Counting… The Procopio Native American Internship Alumni). Our alumni is now happily 9 and counting – as we have concluded our Summer 2015 – with Nikke Alex and Anna Hohag.

To learn more about our practice area and issues affecting Native people, you may consider subscribing to our blog by clicking follow on the bottom left of this page. Then, each week, you will receive up-to-date information relating to law, policy and current events in Indian Country from Procopio attorneys and guest contributors.

Applications are due Friday, October 30th by 5 p.m. PST.
Applications should include:

• The blog post writing sample (see below)
• Law school transcript
• Resume
• Cover letter identifying why this is an opportunity you would like to pursue
• Any tribal governmental experience you have and why Native legal issues are significant to you.

The writing sample for the internship program should be a 250-300 word sample blog post on a newsworthy Native legal topic of your choosing written in a way that will appeal to readers. This is a fun way to connect your legal experience, researching and writing into a concise piece fit for publishing.

The program extends between eight to ten weeks and begins after May 16, 2016. Applications can be emailed to: ted.griswold@procopio.com or sent via USPS mail to:

Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch
Attn: Ted Griswold
525 B Street, Suite 2200
San Diego, California, 92101

Our team looks forward to learning more about you, your interests and adding to our nationwide network of Procopio Alumni throughout Indian Country – please apply today!

Ted Griswold is head of the Native American Law practice group and primary editor for the Blogging Circle. Connect with Ted at ted.griswold@procopio.com and 619.515.3277.