MICHELLE L. LAPENA
Michelle L. LaPena is experienced in a broad spectrum of tribal legal matters including tribal gaming operations and regulation, cultural resource protection, Indian child welfare, tribal taxation, administrative law and general civil litigation involving tribal governments. She is extensively involved in developing statewide policy on tribal taxation, gaming regulation and cultural resource protection. In 1999, she negotiated a tribal-state gaming compact with the State of California. Since that time, she has worked with gaming tribes to implement complex terms in their compacts, including licensing procedures for gaming resource suppliers, revenue sharing distribution to non-gaming tribes and public safety.
Prior to entering private practice, she edited and contributed significantly to reports that were submitted to Congress in August 1997 by the Advisory Council on California Indian Policy. She has served as a trainer for the National Indian Gaming Association, Gaming Regulator Certificate Program and lectured at primary, secondary and university levels on topics related to California Indians and federal Indian law.
In 2003, Michelle was appointed to the Governor’s Children’s Justice Act Task Force which allocates Title IV-E money to child abuse prevention programs in the state of California. Michelle is a member of the Pit River Indian Tribe, and is admitted to practice in California, all federal district courts in California, and the Hoopa Valley Tribal Court. She received her B.A. in 1993 and her J.D. in 1998, both from the University of California, Davis. She was recently featured on the cover of Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine.
Publications:
“Real Estate Transactions in California's Indian Country: How to Conduct Business with California Indian Tribal Governments and Businesses,” Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, January 2006 (Cover Article).
Book Review, “Negotiating Tribal Water Rights: Fulfilling Promises in the Arid West,” by Bonnie G. Colby, John E. Thorson, and Sarah Britton; foreword by David H. Getches. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, American Indian Cultural and Research Journal, Vol. 30, No. 1 (2005).
“A Healing Process,” reprinted in Frontiers: A Journal of Women’s Studies, University of Washington Press, Vol. 23, No. 2 (2002).
Book Review, “To Show Heart: Native American Self-Determination and Federal Indian Policy, 1960-75,” by George Pierre Castile, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, Spring 1999.
“Federal Land Management Practices and California Indians: A Proposal to Protect Native Plant Species,” Environs, UC Davis Environmental Law Review, June 1998.
“A Healing Process,” Prized Writing 1992-1993, An Anthology from the University of California, 1993.
MICHELLE CHI
Michelle Chi joined LaPena Law Corporation as an associate in 2010. Her practice focuses on a wide range of tribal governmental and economic development matters, including fee-to-trust, water rights, environmental and land use compliance planning and permitting, cultural resource protection, tribal code development, and taxation.
Michelle received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 2009. While in law school, Michelle served as president of the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) and the Vietnamese Association of Law Students (VALS).
Michelle received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis in 2004.
VICTORIO SHAW
Victorio Shaw is the newest associate at LaPena Law Corporation. He joined LaPena Law Corporation in 2012. Prior to becoming an attorney Mr. Shaw was a law clerk at the firm from 2008-2011. In addition to clerking, Mr. Shaw was an instructor of Federal Indian Law at the University of California at Davis. Mr. Shaw specialties for the firm include: litigation, tribal development, Indian wills and trusts, arts and entertainment law, and Indian gaming.
Prior to attending law school, Mr. Shaw worked as a litigation paralegal at Winston & Strawn LLP in San Francisco, CA as well as the marketing manager at the Cher-Ae Heights Casino in Northern California.
Mr. Shaw received his J.D. from the University of California at Davis, School of Law in 2011. While in law school, Mr. Shaw was the president of the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA), and an active member of the National Lawyers Guild. Mr. Shaw currently sits on the Board of Trustees for California Indian Legal Services (CILS), and is an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe in Northern California as well as being Karuk, Yurok, and Apache.
He received his B.A. in fine arts from Humboldt State University in 2004 where his studies included: marketing, graphic arts, and Native American Studies.
CRYSTAL M. BLUE
Crystal Blue is the Research and Special Projects Analyst of LaPena Law Corporation. Crystal develops our weekly Legislative Updates, and provides support for our attorneys, including in depth research and administrative responsibilities.
Prior to joining our team, Crystal worked as a Paraeducator for Progress Ranch, a residential treatment center for emotionally-troubled children. She also worked as the Native American Community Intern at UC Davis’ Cross Cultural Center, serving as a liaison between the Native/Indigenous community and the UCD community through programs designed to cultivate multiculturalism through education and advocacy.
She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis, with a major in English and a minor in Native American Studies (NAS).
She is an enrolled member of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians.
|
