University of Wisconsin Law School alumnus Donald (Del) Laverdure of the Class of 1999 has been named Deputy Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs in the Obama Administration.

Prior to his appointment, Laverdure served as chief legal counsel for the Apsaalooke (Crow)  Nation, of which he is an enrolled member, working on a broad array of issues and serving as the Crow Nation’s lead negotiator on several large energy projects. He has also held judgeships including Chief Justice for the Crow Tribe Court of Appeals.

As a student at the UW Law School, Laverdure was named Indian Law Student of the Year and served as president of ILSA, the Indigenous Law Students Association. He was selected as a William H. Hastie fellow, focusing on Indian tax law, and taught as an adjunct professor.

He then went on to teach at the Michigan State University College of Law, where he was founding director of the Indigenous Law Program. In private practice as a tax attorney, he was involved in structural tax planning and tax litigation for large and small corporations, nonprofit organizations, and more than 20 Indian nations.

Laverdure will help shape policies affecting Native Americans in the areas of energy, economic development, self-governance, homeland security, environment, and cultural resources.

Laverdure told a reporter for Indian Country Today shortly after his appointment by Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry EchoHawk, “I am excited to join the EchoHawk team and to do my best for all Indian nations. I firmly believe that I have a solid background and set of experiences to bring a unique perspective to the department -- private practice, tribal court judge, law professor and chief legal counsel – in addition to living in the Southwest, Northern Plains and the Midwest.

The full article on Laverdure and his appointment is available here.
 

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