Live Event Details

Beyond the Cases: A Path to Practicing Indian Law

Hosted by San Diego County Law Library

Cost: Free

About the Program: Mark Vezzola, deputy general counsel for the Pechanga Band of Indians, a federally recognized sovereign Tribal nation located in Temecula, will share a little about his career path before delving into the fascinating aspects of Indian law and introducing some key concepts and case law that every practitioner must understand to successfully represent or work with Tribal governments. Indian law touches on virtually every other field of law, from child welfare to economic development, while presenting complex issues and bestowing significant rewards. At the heart of Indian law is the unique relationship between the United States and sovereign Tribal nations, with the role of state law an important consideration.

About the Speaker: Mark Vezzola is the Deputy General Counsel for the Pechanga Band of Indians, a sovereign tribal nation, located in Temecula, California. His responsibilities include representing and advising various tribal entities, including the tribe’s court, school board, social services agency, and Pechanga Resort Casino, developing and updating ordinances, policies, and procedures, and advocating for the tribe’s interests in matters in state and tribal court. Previously, Mark served as a directing attorney at California Indian Legal Services, chief judge for the Pala Band of Mission Indians, chief judge for the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, adjunct professor of American Indian Studies at Palomar College, and adjunct professor of American history at San Diego Mesa College. Mark previously served as a board member for the California Indian Law Association and on the San Diego County Bar Association’s Client Relations Committee. Mark graduated from UMass- Amherst with a B.A. in history, a minor in Anthropology, and certificates in Native American Studies and International Relations, and UCLA with a J.D. and M.A. in American Indian Studies. During law school, Mark clerked for the Hopi Appellate Court, interned at the Office of Tribal Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington DC, participated in research for Carole Goldberg’s 2007 final report on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice under Public Law 280, and assisted with editing the 2005 edition of Felix Cohen’s Handbook of Federal Indian Law.

MCLE: 1 hour participatory General MCLE credit

Registration: REGISTER HERE

Attendance Certificate: Once we verify attendance via the login and log out times, you will receive an emailed Attendance Certificate from refdesk@sdlawlibrary.org. This may take up to 24-48 hours, please check your spam/junk folder.