NAIHC Announces Lawyer of the Year at the Annual Legal Symposium
Plenary session also included discussion on NAHASDA Neg Reg, legislative and litigation updates.
LAS VEGAS, Nev.--December 7, 2011--This year, the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) created the Lawyer of the Year Award to acknowledge the important contributions made by the legal profession in the field of tribal housing. The award recipient is Edmund Goodman, a partner in the Portland office of the Indian law firm of Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP.
"This year we honor Mr. Ed Goodman, who is a friend and true advocate for tribal housing issues. We are pleased to present him with the first NAIHC Lawyer of the Year award. It is certainly well deserved and well earned," said NAIHC Chairwoman Cheryl A. Causley. "He proves his dedication every day by working on behalf of tribal housing programs to help put families in homes across Indian Country. We thank him for his service."
Mr. Goodman's specialty is Indian housing law, including matters under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA), landlord-tenant issues, personnel and administrative situations. He represents a number of tribal housing departments and Tribally Designated Housing Entities. The Northwest Indian Housing Authority (NWIHA) nominated Mr. Goodman for the award.
"It is truly an honor and deeply humbling to be selected for this award by NAIHC. NAIHC is a great organization, a truly essential resource, and an amazing collection of people - its accomplished board, its dedicated staff, and its wonderful membership," said Mr. Goodman. "It is a privilege to serve with a great community of lawyers working in Indian housing. The spirit of cooperation and collaboration is unique, because all these attorneys are focused on NAIHC's core mission, and this applies not only to attorneys for tribes and TDHEs, but also to HUD's attorneys as well."
Each year at the annual Legal Symposium, NAIHC will recognize a lawyer that exemplifies outstanding commitment and exemplary service on behalf of tribes and tribal housing programs.
The Legal Symposium's plenary session also included a discussion by Department of Housing and Urban Development officials regarding the NAHASDA Negotiated Rulemaking process.
NAIHC's Legal Symposium will continue with a day and half of breakout sessions on legal and regulatory issues facing tribal housing programs. NAIHC membership will reconvene in February 2012 for the annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.