Alaska Employment Law

Omar Stratman’s long battle to prevent Woody Island from obtaining ANCSA benefits is over.  The 9th Circuit has affirmed Judge Singleton.

Judge Wallace Tashima writes:

In 1976, Omar Stratman began his quest to challenge the Secretary of the Interior’s (the “Secretary”) certification of Woody Island as a native village under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (“ANCSA”). Thirty-two years later, we must decide whether Congress ratified the Secretary’s favorable 1974 eligibility determination when, in 1980, it enacted the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (“ANILCA”) which listed Woody Island’s village corporation, Leisnoi, Inc. (“Leisnoi”), as a “deficiency village corporation” entitled to lands under ANCSA. We hold that it did. Therefore, we dismiss Stratman’s appeal as moot.

Stratman v. Leisnoi, Inc., Koniag, Inc., et al., 2008 WL ______ (9th Cir. Oct. 6, 2008)

Michael Snider of Anchorage represented Stratman.  Collin Middleton represented Koniag, Inc.  John R. Fitzgerald of Boston represented Leisnoi, Inc.  David Shilton of DOJ in D.C. represented the Interior Secretary.