Special Projects

Ethics of Genetics and Native Americans

The Native American Law Center has partnered with the Health Law Program at the UW Law School and the University of Washington School of Medicine in an effort to look at ethical and legal issues related to genetic research and Native Americans. The Center will look at the use of genetic information in a legal, cultural and ethical context in order to develop a culturally respectful protocol for the collection and study of Native American genetic information.

Tribal Public Defender Support

The Native American Law Center also is pursuing its development as a resource for tribal public defender agencies through consultation on specific legal issues and development of materials for emerging tribal defender agencies. The Center utilizes student researchers to maximize benefits to tribes for development of these materials and to provide a real-world experience to students interested in working with tribes following graduation.

Water Rights Mediation

The Center serves as the legal mediator in an effort to agree on a management regime in the Nooksack River Basin that would provide for tribal treaty based claims to water for salmon habitat and the need for out of stream uses by tribes and non-tribal parties.  This unique effort is taking place outside of the litigation context and serves as a pilot project for innovate dispute resolution in the natural resources arena.

Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law (2005 ed.)

Center Director Robert T. Anderson is a co-author and member of the executive board of Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law.  In addition to producing the 2005 edition, Professor Anderson and many students are at work on preparing bi-annual supplements to keep the leading Federal Indian law treatise current.