Summer Associates Visit Albuquerque Museum
Modrall Sperling’s summer associates took a well-deserved break to visit one of the area’s major cultural icons, The Albuquerque Museum. A docent led them on a special tour…
POSTED IN: News
Farm and Ranch Worker Exclusion from the Workers’ Compensation Act Declared Unconstitutional
On June 22, 2015, the Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico declared the farm and ranch workers exclusion from the Workers’ Compensation Act to violate the Equal Protection Clause and therefore is unconstitutional pursuant to the New Mexico Constitution….
POSTED IN: Alerts
Jurisdiction over Suits Against Tribal Entities or Employers
Federal courts must often grapple with the question of jurisdiction over claims brought by a plaintiff against a tribal entity or tribe pursuant to statutes of general applicability, such as the Civil Rights Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”)…
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Roberta Ramo to receive ABA Medal
Roberta Cooper Ramo, the first woman to head the nation’s largest lawyers group and shareholder at Modrall Sperling, has been chosen to receive the ABA Medal, the highest award…
POSTED IN: News
Indian Reserved Water Rights: Groundwater Included
Most Native American tribes have at least some land that was reserved by the federal government for the purpose of creating a homeland for the Tribe. Under the Winters doctrine, established by the United States Supreme Court in 1908,[1. Winters v. United States, 207…
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Employees Volunteer at Roadrunner Food Bank
More than 30 Modrall Sperling employees and family members donated their time on Saturday, June 12th at the Roadrunner Food Bank. Team Modrall sorted and boxed 15,840 pounds…
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Washington Court Rules Property Tax Incentive Benefitting Indian Tribes Is Unconstitutional
Agreements for payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs or PILTs) are used frequently by local governments to incentivize private investment in facilities or infrastructure that will provide a public benefit. A recent case in the State of Washington highlights the risk of…
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Federal District Court Upholds Uranium Mining Within a Traditional Cultural Property Without Further NEPA Review and With Abbreviated NHPA Consultation
On April 7, 2015, in Grand Canyon Trust v. Williams,[1. No. CV-13-08045-PCT-DGC, 2015 WL 1538084 (D. Ariz. Apr. 7, 2015).] the United States District Court for the District of Arizona granted summary judgment to the U.S. Forest Service (“USFS”) on claims brought by…
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Karen Fricks Hired as Director of Accounting/Controller
Karen Fricks has become the new Director of Accounting/Controller for Modrall Sperling. Fricks has worked in a variety of Controller-related positions for Sandia Resort and Casino, High Desert…
POSTED IN: News
Final Clean Water Act Rulemaking: What is a Water of the United States?
Final Rule Issued: On May 26, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) issued their final rule defining the scope of “waters of the United States” regulated under the Clean Water Act (“CWA”).[1. The pre-publication version…
POSTED IN: Alerts