Elk River Law Office P.L.L.P.

Indian Trust Land Training Sessions


Who Should Attend?


Why Should You Attend?


Anyone who administers, manages, or owns Indian trust lands:

  • Tribal Council Member and Tribal Leaders
  • Tribal Land Management employees
  • Office of Special Trustee Staff
  • Other federal agencies who deal with Indian Trust Land
  • Indian Trust Land Owners

  • Gain knowledge of current information pertaining to Indian Trust Land
  • Gain a better understanding of the issues regarding Indian Trust Lands
  • Become an educated resource for Indian Trust Land information

Featured Speakers:

Majel M. Russell, Esq., Partner, Elk River Law Office P.L.L.P.
Majel Russell was raised on the Crow Indian Reservation in Southeastern Montana and is an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Indians. Ms. Russell graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 1992 and is a founding partner in the law firm.  She practices in numerous areas of law including, representation of Indian Tribes, Indian housing authorities, Indian businesses, school districts and other tribal entities, and civil litigation in Federal, State and Tribal Courts. Ms. Russell has also served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. where she gained experience working with federal budget priorities, policies and regulations and developing strategies in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles.

Clark Madison, Former Regional Realty Officer, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rocky Mountain Region
Clark Madison is an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Tribes, and a graduate of Montana State University-Billings.  Before retiring, Mr. Madison acted as the manager of the Land Titles and Records Office for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Rocky Mountain Regional Office and he spent 19 years as the Regional Realty Officer in the Rocky Mountain Regional Office. Mr. Madison was a member of the national American Indian Probate Reform Act (AIPRA) team that provided training to the BIA Regional staff, Land Titles and Records Offices and BIA agency staff regarding AIPRA. Mr. Madison also participated in developing regulations for Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations, including surface leasing, conveyances, easements and land records.  Mr. Madison has vast experience dealing with trust land transactions and a unique insight into the impact that AIPRA has had on regulatory procedures.

 

Training Sessions

We offer a variety of specific training sessions in regards to the topic of Indian Trust Land.  Since the topic incorporates many facets, one is able to choose which session(s) best suit their needs.  By focusing on the details of various areas, each session is more effective and targeted to specific needs versus an overabundance of general information that does not necessarily pertain to those attending our training sessions.

Training Sessions that are available and areas they cover:

◊ #1 - American Indian Probate Reform Act:

  • ILCA and all amendments including AIPRA
  • Changes in A & D, consents, leasing, fee to trust, etc.
  • Tribal opportunities- probate codes and purchases at probate
  • New inheritance laws

◊ #2 - Agricultural Leasing:

  • Statutory Authority
  • Trespass
  • Owner Managed Leases
  • Indian Agricultural Resources Management Act
  • Review and discuss regulations
  • Process leases from beginning to end including tribal and individually owned lands

◊ #3 - Probate Process:

  • New regulations and requirements
  • Review AIPRA
  • Putting the probate package together
  • Tribal Probate Codes
  • Review the importance of Indian I.D. numbers
  • Getting land inventories for probate packages
  • Consolidation Agreements
  • Purchases at Probate
  • Testate vs. Intestate probate orders

◊ #4 - Land Title and Records Offices:

  • Keeping land records in the Bureau of Indian Affairs
  • Conveyances and encumbrances
  • Title Status Reports and BIA-INVS
  • Other reports
  • Fractionation-History
  • History of the LTRO including various systems developed and used in the LRTO

◊ #5 - Jurisdiction and Sovereignty of Tribes:

  • Montana Case
  • A-1 Strait
  • Colville

◊ #6 - Mineral Leasing:

  • Statutes, regulations, process, IBIA decisions, etc.
  • Tribal Lands
  • Land Ownership
  • Individually owned lands
  • IMDAs- historical, regulatory requirements, process, etc.
  • Bonds, consents, appeals, etc.

◊ #7–Indian Trust Lands (Superintendents, Tribes, Realty staff, LTRO staff, BLM, MMS, OST, etc.):

  • Las Vegas one session
  • Trust lands historical-fractionation
  • Discretion of Secretary-Administrative Appeals
  • Changes due to AIPRA- A & D, leasing, fee to trust, probate procedures, etc.
  • Leasing and permitting (surface and mineral)
  • LTRO functions, history, reports, etc.

◊ #8 - Long Term Leases:

  • 25 U.S.C. 415
  • New Regulations
  • 415 Requirements
  • Residential Leases including foreclosures
  • Consents - sliding scale
  • Forms
  • Surveys