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 Juarez, Debora G.
Practice Areas:Tribal Sports & Entertainment Law Debora Juarez is a Member in Williams Kastner’s Seattle office. With a unique and vast experience building relationships with Washington State’s Indian tribes, Ms. Juarez concentrates her practice on providing legal and financial counsel to tribes in the areas of debt financing, corporate structure, economic development, natural resources, gaming and tribal-state inter-local agreements, among others. Ms. Juarez began her career as a King County Public Defender where she provided legal representation to indigent criminal defendants. This practice required extensive trial and appellate expertise in the areas of misdemeanor and felony crimes, including juvenile representation. Later, she joined Evergreen Legal Services, Native American Project, where she represented a majority of Washington’s 29 tribes in such areas as treaty rights, natural resources, Indian Child Welfare and economic development. After serving as an appellate and trial Judge pro-tem, she was appointed a Judgeship to the King County Superior Court. Ms. Juarez performed all duties as Judge, including presiding over both felony criminal and civil trials. Thereafter, she accepted the position of Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, where she acted as lead policy and legal advisor under two gubernatorial administrations. Ms. Juarez worked extensively with both state and tribal governments regarding economic diversity and initiated the Tribal Economic Vitality Initiative (TEVI). The TEVI project culminated in a historic (regionally and nationwide) tribal-state economic development study entitled The Tiller Report. The Report has undergone two printings and continues to serve as an important and powerful economic analysis regarding the tribes of Washington State and ongoing economic contributions to the state economy. As such, she was offered the opportunity to create a Tribal Finance Group with a global investment firm. The Tribal Finance Group was a new undertaking for this major Wall Street firm and proved successful by providing tribes with first-rate financial advice and planning tailored to the needs of tribal governments and enterprises. Ms. Juarez also provides legal skills to the corporate and investments communities that do business with tribes by providing an experienced, knowledgeable and stable platform to support successful tribal economic development. In 2009 and 2010, Ms. Juarez was named to Super Lawyers by Washington Law & Politics magazine. She was also named one of the Top Lawyers of 2007 by Seattle Magazine, and in June 2007 she was honored with the Enduring Spirit Award by the Native Action Network for her lifetime achievements in bettering Native American communities. Ms. Juarez is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation and lives in Seattle with her two daughters Raven and Memphis. Experience:Former King County Superior Court Judge; Judicial experience, presiding over civil and felony criminal cases at trial level, general jurisdiction court. Served on Rules Committee, Appellate Committee, and Community Relations/Access to Justice Committee. Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, Legal and Policy Advisor for two state administrations (Governors Lowry and Locke, executive agencies and 27 federally recognized Indian tribes), handling complex litigation, compacts, and lobbying efforts. Development of financial programs and services for Indian Country, including tax- exempt financing (bond financing), tribal investment portfolios and investment banking. Legal and policy counsel involving Indian tribes, including economic development, natural resources, energy, state and federal regulatory matters (tax issues,administrative reviews), and Indian health. Complex federal litigation regarding treaty rights, natural resources and constitutional claims. Legal representation of eligible tribal governments in areas including general treaty rights, jurisdiction, taxation, natural and cultural resource protection and child welfare. Representation of indigent criminal defendants in Misdemeanor, Juvenile and Adult felony criminal proceedings. Media coverage: "Opening the Doors Wide for Native Athletes," Indian Country Today, July 1, 2009. "State sues tribe over reburial," The Seattle Times, October 5, 2005. Articles: Co-Author, "Kinship Commerce: New Developments in Inter-Tribal Trade," Indian Country Today, December 5, 2008. Co-Author, "Leveraging Tribal Sovereign Economic Advantages to Attract Private Investment in Indian Country," Indian Country Today, May 11, 2005. Recent Presentations: "Tax-Exempt Economic Development Bonds & Related Tribal Financing Opportunities," Picture This!, Williams Kastner, Seattle, WA, September 15, 2009. Panelist, "Re-Establishing Inter-Tribal Trade Ties," Nez Perce Economic Summit, Lewiston, ID, September 10, 2009. Admitted to Bar: Washington State Affiliations:Washington State Bar Association |
