Amber’s practice focuses on tribal sovereignty issues, including environmental issues, economic development, and complex Indian Country litigation. Her experience also includes work on transactional matters, including entity formation, environmental compliance and permitting.
Amber’s work involves a number of environmental statutes, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the State Environmental Policy Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, Washington’s Model Toxics Control Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
Amber has worked in the Native American Unit of the Northwest Justice Project, working to further tribal interests and to provide access to justice to low-income tribal populations. At her former firm, K&L Gates, Amber represented the Duwamish Tribe, pro bono, in its efforts to seek federal recognition.
Amber was born and raised in Chehalis, Washington. In her free time, Amber enjoys reading, hiking with her dog, and going to street fairs.
Amber is an enrolled member of the Chehalis Tribe.
Cases
In the matter of Tesoro Savage, LLC (Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council 2018) (rejecting Tesoro Savage’s application to build the Vancouver Energy Distribution Terminal)
Union Pacific Railroad Company v. Wasco County Board of Commissioners, et al. (Columbia River Gorge Commission 2017) (upholding Wasco County’s decision to deny Union Pacific Railroad Company’s application to construct a mainline track)
Alexander v. Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (Grand Ronde Ct. App. 2016) (reversing the disenrollment of 66 Grand Ronde Tribal Members who directly descend from a Treaty Chief)
CTGW v. Thurston County Treasurer (Thurston Cty. Bd. of Equal. 2014) (prevailed against a county tax assessor who attempted to tax roughly $60 million on personal property owned by a joint venture between a tribal government and a publicly-traded company; company found 100% tax exempt).
Education
University of Washington School of Law, J.D., 2011
Pacific Rim Law & Policy Journal, Managing Editor of Production
Native American Law Students’ Association, President
Minority Law Students’ Association, President
Washington State University, B.A., Business, summa cum laude, 2008
Bar Admissions
State of Washington
U.S. Court of Appeals (Washington, D.C. Circuit)
Chehalis Tribal Court
Cow Creek Tribal Court
Swinomish Tribal Court
Tulalip Tribal Court
Nooksack Tribal Court
Quinault Tribal Court
Grand Ronde Tribal Court
MEMBERSHIPS
Washington State Bar Association
Environmental and Land Use Law Section
Indian Law Section
Northwest Indian Bar Association
Governing Council, 2011-2012
King County Bar Association
American Bar Association
National Lawyers Guild Review, Editorial Board, 2017-Present
Recent Publications
Standing Rock and the Erosion of Tribal Rights, National Lawyers Guild Review, Volume 73, Number 3, Fall 2016.
Supreme Court Moves Washington in the Wrong Tribal Direction, King County Bar Association Bar Bulletin, May 2015.
Indian Country Stylebook, December 1, 2014.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Personal Liability Exposure for Tribal Officials in the Wake of Maxwell v. County of San Diego, Turtle Talk, June 2014.
Koontz: The Latest Chapter in Land Use Permitting and Takings, K&L Gates Environmental, Land and Natural Resources Alert, November 2013.
Recourse Carve-Out Liability for Borrowers and Guarantors, Washington State Bar Association Creditor Debtor Rights Quarterly Newsletter, Summer 2012.
Awards
Super Lawyer, 2017–2020
