On Jan. 17, the Native American Law Section of the State Bar of Texas held its annual CLE conference at the Texas Law Center in Austin. A highlight of this annual event, treasurer and section council member Jay Hurst presented State Bar President Lisa M. Tatum with a Martial Eagle feather as a sign of honor. Tatum, who has some Chickasaw and Cherokee heritage, said she was surprised and truly honored to receive the special gift. (The feather was from a non-native eagle species and had been certified as not falling under the jurisdiction of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or Bald Eagle Act.)
Tatum then led a CLE session on her presidential initiatives, such as the educational program I was the first! Vote for me and the Care Kit, which provides resources for attorneys hosting pro bono clinics. Another highlight of the conference was the session on sovereignty led by Gregory A. Smith, partner in Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker in Washington, D.C., as well as a ceremony of traditional Native American singing, drumming, and dancing by the Eagle Point Singers. One song honored Tatum and two award winners, Shannon Speed, who received the section’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and Jo Ann Battise, who received the Tom Diamond Award of Excellence.
A variety of additional CLE sessions were offered, including “Adoption of Native American Children,” “An Overview of Important Federal Indian Law Cases in 2013 and a Look Toward 2014,” “Legal Issues Specific to Native American and Indigenous Women,” and “Gaming.”