Cooperative Formation in Indian Country with Eva Seidelman, Aaron Sims, and Bijiibah Begaye

Attorneys Eva Seidelman and Aaron Sims will provide an overview of legal issues relating to forming cooperatives in Indian Country. They will discuss some basic principles of tribal sovereignty and Indian law; issues of entity choice, taxation, employment and securities/financing in Indian Country (on tribal land); and how to approach cooperative legal services with cultural and historical contexts in mind. Bijiibah Begaye, Executive Director of Cooperative Catalyst (formerly of NM), will provide an overview of cooperatives in indigenous communities on Turtle Island, including examples.

Aaron Sims (Pueblo of Acoma) is an owner-attorney at Chestnut Law Offices, PA (CLO), a New Mexico law firm focused on serving Pueblo Indian tribal governments and organizations, and cooperatives. Mr. Sims' practice focuses primarily on Pueblo general counsel representation for tribal governments, and he has worked on a wide range of issues including water rights, business development, cultural resource protection, and various tribal regulatory and administrative matters.

Eva Seidelman is an associate at Chestnut Law Offices. Her practice includes cooperative formation, and other business, housing and community development legal service, as well as general counsel representation to tribal governments and organizations. Ms. Seidelman leads CLO’s partnership with Cooperative Catalyst to provide legal services to cooperatives throughout the Southwest, and has practiced cooperative and community development law for almost a decade.

Bijiibah Begaye is Executive Director of Cooperative Catalyst (formerly of NM), which engages in cooperative development services throughout the Southwest, with a focus on indigenous communities. She has visited and studied numerous indigenous cooperatives throughout Turtle Island. Her biggest influences come from being raised in Coalmine Mesa on the Navajo Nation where her family has managed Staggered Hearts Ranch for over 40 years.