Several Northern Arapaho Business Council members, and two former casino managers have sued the Wyoming tribe’s new law firm, Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton, claiming that the firm improperly influenced the council, wrongfully fired the managers and conspired to prevent two council members from attending a meeting.
The law firm has asked the Ninth District Court to dismiss the case because, it alleges, the court lacks jurisdiction to try matters involving tribal governance disputes. In a court brief the firm argues, “Despite the Plaintiff’s efforts to mask it as something else, their Complaint merely presents the political minority’s discontent with the Tribe’s governance, operation of tribal businesses, and bitterness with not being in the majority.” The filing continue, “Plaintiffs paint the Tribe’s leadership in the starkest paternalistic terms, as though all are mere pawns of Defendants, incapable of making decisions on the Tribe’s behalf.”
The lawsuit came on the heels over a culling of tribal advisers that happened as allegations of wrongdoing surfaced. The Business Council did not renew the contract of then CEO Jim Conrad, one of the plaintiffs. Then the council fired its longtime law firm Baldwin, Crocker & Rudd and a lobbyist.
The Business Council beat back a recall effort and its actions were backed by the General Council, which is composed of all voting-age members. It then sued the former law firm, claiming that it failed to return money held in trust and tribal documents, and overbilled the tribe.
