Association will host 25th annual Coming Together of Peoples Conference

On March 25 and 26, the Indigenous Law Students Association (ILSA) will host its 25th annual Coming Together of Peoples Conference at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

As an important member of the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEO), ILSA provides an organization and forum for University of Wisconsin law students while contributing to the advancement of indigenous peoples.  ILSA facilitates communication between law students, the UW law faculty and staff, and greater community on matters that relate to the interests of Native students. 

Additionally, ILSA provides support to its members by maintaining study groups, assisting with job searches, and hosting monthly social activities.  ILSA continues to host the longest student-run conference on Indian law to advance the development of scholarship in Indian law.

On Thursday, March 24, the conference begins with a welcome reception at Brocach Irish Pub.  During the following two days, the University of Wisconsin Law School will host several different panels of practitioners and scholars who will explore the latest trends in Indian law and their impact on the indigenous community.

Friday’s sessions, held in Room 2260 of the Law School from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will discuss the implications of modern debt and finance on Indian Tribes, the increasingly frequent application of federal labor law on reservations, and the challenges of taxation in Indian country.  Additionally, Larry Roberts, general counsel of the National Indian Gaming Commission, member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, and a 1995 graduate of the UW Law School, will deliver a keynote address at 1:45 p.m exploring 25 years of Indian law.  At 5 p.m., ILSA will host a reception with Edmund Manydeeds, UW System Regent.

Topics on Saturday include the complex jurisdictional issues involved in administering a criminal code in Indian country, recent Supreme Court trends in Indian law, and past, present and future innovations in tribal property law.  These panels will be held in Law School room 2211 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m..

The Coming Together of Peoples Conference is free and open to the public.  To learn more about the agenda for the conference, distinguished speakers, and related events, click here.