Planning for the Future
Investments and Portfolio Management
As Tribes prosper, they often start making direct and indirect investments in other businesses and assets. There are many unique features related to constructing an investment portfolio for a Tribe, including their tax-advantaged status.
Sonnenschein’s transactional attorneys provide a full range of legal services to Tribal and Tribal-affiliated clients in connection with their investment activities. We advise clients with respect to the start up and growth of new enterprises and in connection with the acquisition and disposition of operating businesses and other investments.
Working with financial advisors, our corporate attorneys regularly represent Tribes in negotiations with private equity funds, hedge funds, and real estate funds. We also advise the Tribes on negotiating agreements with brokers, administrators and placement agents. Our real estate lawyers regularly advise Tribes in connection with the acquisition and disposition of real estate investments.
Strategy & Planning
We work with clients and their advisors to develop short-term and long-term plans, seeking to identify and prepare for problems before they happen. Such plans deal with client-specific issues like succession planning, leadership development, evaluating potential advisors, and financial and operational issues.
Training and Education
We believe that the best way to empower people is through education and training. This is an area of great interest to many of our Tribal clients. When dealing with a new or unfamiliar topic, our approach to client relationships is to take the time necessary to educate the client so the client can make the best decision.
We often conduct "mini-seminars" in areas like governance, best practices, tax, pension plans, investments and other areas of interest. We have assisted in developing programs to educate new leadership and committee members.
We are currently working with one Tribal client to develop a more formal leadership training program that will include developing a curriculum and bringing teachers, professors and outside professionals and trainers to the Tribal gathering hall.
Preserving Tribal History and Culture
Sonnenschein regularly advises tribes and tribal-affiliated clients on a wide variety of issues related to historic and cultural preservation. Our team of attorneys and policy professionals is experienced in advising tribes on National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance and litigation associated with tribal economic development projects. We have also helped tribes use state and federal preservation laws to challenge proposed development projects which threaten to destroy tribal historic and cultural resources.
In addition, Sonnenschein assists tribes in designing, implementing, and obtaining federal certification of their own historic and cultural preservation programs and institutions, including Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs).
