Columbia Law School Profiles Katie Brossy
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Columbia Law School has profiled Akin Gump senior counsel Katie Brossy in its “How I got Here” series.
Among the topics covered, Brossy, a Columbia Law alumnus and a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, discussed her:
Experience in the firm’s public law & policy practice – “A big portion of the work that I have focused my practice on has been in the area of Indian Water Rights Settlements.” Adding that, “The best thing about my job is seeing that the work we do makes a difference in the day-to-day lives of Native people. We’ve been able to utilize mandatory statutory authority under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act to build two new schools for the Gila River Indian community in Arizona. It’s an innovative approach for working on infrastructure in Indian country.” Learn more on that effort here.
Choice to become a lawyer – “Being an attorney is a way to really impact issues on the ground, so I went to law school knowing that I specifically wanted to work for Native people on Native issues.”
Her path to the firm and Washington, D.C. – “I wanted to join a larger firm that had an excellent reputation for working on tribal law and policy issues. […] Congress is here, the administration is here. It is the place if you want to be working on current Native policy and relevant issues. A common phrase among our practitioners is, ‘All roads in Indian country lead to D.C.’”
To read the full profile, click here.
In 2019, Brossy led the firm’s pro bono representation of the Chief Standing Bear Trail Foundation in its pursuit to secure placement in the U.S. Capitol of a bronze sculpture honoring Native Civil Rights Icon Ponca Chief Standing Bear. Learn more here.