National Law Journal Quotes Don Pongrace on History, Depth of Firm’s American Indian Practice
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The National Law Journal has quoted Akin Gump American Indian law and policy practice head Don Pongrace in the article “The Law Firms With Native American Practices Get Ready for Busy Times Ahead.” The article reports on the relatively few large law firms with practice areas dedicated to Native American issues that are poised to benefit from increased activity in business, regulation and government pertaining to Native American law.
The NLJ notes that Akin Gump is one of those firms well positioned to take advantage of renewed activity in Native American issues, both in lobbying and legal services.
Pongrace, the article says, has been working on Indian law matters since 1997 and officially launched Akin Gump’s practice in 2000 with just two associates. At the time, he was working with the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona and its general counsel, Rodney Lewis, to help them secure water rights from the government. The Akin Gump team now has 10 lawyers, Pongrace said.
“Rod [Lewis] was a big mentor to me, and when he retired in 2006, he joined us as a senior adviser and worked with us for almost 10 years,” said Pongrace. “He suggested we set up the practice area and was very clear about how to relate to and serve Native American communities. And we follow those tenets to this day.”
Pongrace said he was well aware of the challenges of gaining trust with his clients when he set up the practice. “Early on we took the position that the practice would only represent tribes and community members,” he said. “It’s like labor relations. You can represent the workers, or you can represent management. But you can’t do both. We wanted to open the doors of power in Washington.”
Eight of the 10 lawyers presently in Akin Gump’s practice come from Native American communities, which Pongrace states is essential to being successful, as it provides personal and professional insight into some of the many Native American communities and forms of governance. Pongrace also cited deep government experience as another critical attribute.
