Description

The Staff Attorney is responsible for providing general legal services for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Attorney General’s Office, including representing the Tribe and its departments and agencies in providing legal advice and services to tribal government departments, agencies, and enterprises, and independently performing a full range of legal work for the office. The Staff Attorney may also represent the AGO in Choctaw tribal in court proceedings, potentially in both civil and criminal matters. In addition, this position requires a working knowledge of Tribal, Federal, and State Laws and Regulations. Research and writing skills are also required.

Responsibilities and Duties Include: 

1. Represent, advise, and perform legal research for the Tribe’s departments, agencies, and businesses and drafting correspondence, memoranda, opinions and resolutions;
2. Researching and proposing draft language for changes to the Tribal Code and policy changes;
3. Initiate on reservation mental health and alcohol and drug commitment proceedings and voluntary and involuntary treatment actions against patients who require institutional treatment; initiate exclusions and other civil proceedings; initiate exclusion proceedings in tribal court and other litigation as necessary;
4. Prosecution of criminal offenders in Tribal Court, representation of the Tribe in Extradition and other preliminary proceedings and coordinating prosecution activities with the United States Attorney’s Office;
5. Representation of the Tribe in various civil actions in Tribal, State and Federal Courts;
6. Assist the Attorney General in representing the Executive Branch in administrative proceedings;
7. Assist the Attorney General in conducting periodic in-service training for Tribal agencies;
8. Review of contracts to be executed by the Tribe;
9. Assist the Attorney General in business, real estate, and contract matters involving Tribal Government programs, agencies and businesses;
10. Attend Tribal Council meetings and committee meetings; attend Business Enterprise Division meetings;
11. Provide advice to and assist other attorneys, paralegals, and lay advocates as assigned by the Attorney General;
12. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

•  Minimum qualifications include a four-year college degree plus a Juris Doctor (JD) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and two (2) years of experience preferred.
• Applicant must be a member in good standing of the Mississippi Bar Association and be admitted to practice law in the State of Mississippi, before the State and Federal Courts of Mississippi and admitted to Tribal Court or eligible for admission to the Choctaw Tribal Court.
•  Applicants may be required to demonstrate their level of knowledge through an examination.
•  Some travel will be required.
• Personal transportation, liability insurance, and a valid MS Driver’s License are required for this position.
• Find more information at: https://www.choctaw.org.