Joanne Willis Newton resume

Law Offices of Joanne Willis Newton
A Professional Corporation

Résumé

JOANNE WILLIS NEWTON
ATTORNEY AT LAW
13223-1 Black Mountain Rd., #284
San Diego, CA 92129
Tel. (800) 690-1558
Tel./Fax: (760) 553-9473
jwn@willisnewtonlaw.com

EDUCATION LL.M. COMPARATIVE LAW (cum laude)

University of San Diego, 1997-98

LL.B. (cum laude)

University of Ottawa, 1989-1992

B.A. PSYCHOLOGY (magna cum laude)

University of Ottawa, 1988-89

B.SC. BIOLOGY (cum laude)

University of Ottawa, 1985-88

MEMBERSHIPS THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA

Admitted 1999

BARREAU DU QUÉBEC

Admitted 1998

THE LAW SOCIETY OF UPPER CANADA

Admitted 1995

EXPERIENCE JOANNE WILLIS NEWTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW

Sole Practitioner, October 2005 - present

I have a general practice with a specialization in federal Indian law and

juvenile dependency appeals, which I initially operated as a sole practitioner

and, since May 2007, now operate as the Law Offices of Joanne Willis

Newton, a Professional Corporation. My clients include tribal agencies,

namely, tribal gaming agencies and a tribal court, as well as individuals in

matters involving federal Indian law and/or state law. I also serve as

General Counsel to a Canadian First Nation. In addition to providing legal

services for clients, I also provide community education services and have

given numerous presentations relating to the Indian Child Welfare Act to

attorneys, judges, social workers and other tribal and county

representatives.

CALIFORNIA INDIAN LEGAL SERVICES

Directing Attorney, July 2003 - November 2004

Senior Staff Attorney, 2001 – September 2005

Staff Attorney, August 1998 - 2000

As a staff attorney, I provide

legal services to California Tribes and

Native

American

individuals, including: legal research and analysis of

Native law

issues relating to

environmental protection, child welfare,

cultural resource

protection, self-government,

education rights, gaming,

etc.; drafting related

legal memoranda, pleadings, contracts, by-

laws,

ordinances and

resolutions; litigation, including appellate experience;

negotiation;

client

interviews; and community education.

As Directing Attorney, I managed the entire staff of the Escondido

office.

In addition to

supervising the day-to-day administrative matters

involved in

operating the office, I

actively managed the legal work in the

office

through case reviews, case acceptance

meetings, mentoring junior

attorneys, and directly supervising our intake system. I was

also

responsible for networking with other legal services and for client

development,

while maintaining the full caseload of a staff attorney.

CREE NATION OF CHISASIBI

Attorney, 2002-2003

As an independent contractor, I carried out several projects on behalf of

the Cree Nation

of Chisasibi and related entities, including: analysis and

revision of personnel policies

and procedures for Chisasibi Centre Inc.;

drafted personnel policies and procedures for

Chisasibi Co-op; analyzed

and revised existing by-laws; consulted with members of

Chisasibi

Police

and Band Council and developed recommendations for local

alcohol

regulation.

GRAND COUNCIL OF THE CREES OF EEYOU ISTCHEE

Attorney, 2000

As an employee of California Indian Legal Services, I worked with the

Cree Nation

Government Working Group, which was tasked with

developing a new self government

model for the Eeyou Nation, and

prepared a report summarizing the legal context in

which Aboriginal self-

government has evolved, describing specific Aboriginal government

models

from around the globe, and exploring the applicability of such

models to

the

Eeyou Nation

JAMES BAY CREE CULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER

Corporate Secretary, January 1996-August 1997

I was responsible for: researching corporate records and applicable

legislation; drafting

by-laws, resolutions and minutes; updating and

maintaining corporate records; organizing

meetings; preparing briefs;

consultations with directors and staff.

Administrative Assistant/Researcher, 1986-1995

I assisted the Executive Director in the general administration of the

Center

and worked

on specific projects, including: archival research;

cataloguing

reference materials; authored

and designed three children’s

books; drafted

declaration of Cree Language Rights and

contract; and edited and

designed Cree Language Study.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CANADA, CANADIAN FIREARMS

CENTER

Core Materials Writer, January 1997 - April 1998

I specialized in legal and Aboriginal issues, developing core training

materials on the

Firearms Act and its regulations for those involved in

the

administration, implementation

and enforcement of the legislation.

Analyst, Aboriginal Issues Unit, April - December 1996

I worked on consultations with Aboriginal communities on the

implementation of the

Firearms Act and the development of Aboriginal

regulations under the Act and assisted

counsel with developing

regulations

and resolving other legal issues.

DEPARTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AND NORTHERN

DEVELOPMENT

Researcher/Writer, 1994-1996

I drafted chapters of a policy manual dealing with the management of

reserve lands,

which also involved extensive research of applicable

policy

and law and consultations

with departmental staff.

NAHWEGAHBOW, HAWKEN

Researcher/Writer, 1995

I provided legal research and writing services, as an independent

contractor, in respect of

various files relating to the affairs of the

Wemindji, Chisasibi and Whapmagoostui Cree

Nations.

CREE SCHOOL BOARD

Researcher/Writer, 1993-95

I revised existing general by-law of the Board and drafted a new by-law

concerning

delegation of powers, which involved extensive research of

applicable laws, collective

agreements and internal documents as well as

consultations with senior and management

staff and presentations to the

Council of Commissioners. I also wrote a report on the

history of

formal

Cree education, covering the period up until the signing of the

James

Bay

and Northern Quebec Agreement.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CANADA

Articling Student, 1993-94

I articled in four sections of the Department, including Department of

Indian Affairs and

Northern Development Legal Services, the

Administrative Law Section, Civil Litigation,

and the Human Rights

Law

Section. This work involved legal research, analysis and

writing, as

well

as observing counsel before various court proceedings, negotiations,

interviews and other meetings.

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA LEGAL AID SOCIETY

Member of Landlord Tenant Division, 1991-92

Under counsel’s supervision, I interviewed clients, provided legal

advice,

managed files,

drafted legal documents, negotiated settlements

and

performed the groundwork for the

establishment of a new division

serving

Native clientele.

OTHER EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

member of Cree Nation of Chisasibi
panel attorney with Appellate Defenders, Inc. since November 2005
member of the San Diego County Bar Association and Native American Lawyers
Association
President and member of the Board of Directors of California Indian Law Association
active member of the Indigenous Law Students Assoc., University of Ottawa, 1991-92
volunteer as trained Canadian Mothercraft birth companion for pregnant teens, 1993-97
volunteer with Children’s Aid Society’s Head Start program from 1998-89
volunteer with Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 1987