JR is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation and has dedicated much of his legal practice to serving tribal nations. He also represents clients in business-related matters and child welfare proceedings, with a particular focus on cases involving Native families. JR joined the firm in late 2024 after several years of practice with Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP.

 

JR works across a broad range of matters that come before tribal governments, including drafting tribal resolutions, ordinances, and correspondence on behalf of governing bodies. He regularly handles tribal employment matters, including developing personnel manuals for tribes and tribal enterprises, and applying federal and state labor laws in the tribal context. His experience includes representing tribal TERO departments, with a focus on commercial activities, Indian preference, and regulation of businesses in the oil and gas sector.

 

His work in tribal governance led him to become the primary drafter on revisions to several tribal codes and ordinances, including leading a comprehensive overhaul of a Montana tribe’s law and order code in 2023.

 

JR also advises tribes on financial asset management and economic development. He has worked with national investment and banking institutions and has served as lead counsel on tribal portfolios exceeding $500 million. His work has supported both short-term objectives, such as increased tribal dividends and expanded services, and long-term goals, including infrastructure development and investment strategies for tribes reliant on natural resource revenues. He has prepared multiple investment policy statements and portfolio management policies, which has also expanded his practice into broader commercial transactions, including business formation and development.

 

Building on this experience, JR developed significant expertise in tribal internet gaming. He has negotiated, drafted, and implemented online sports betting agreements and platforms in multiple states, working with gaming providers to establish necessary infrastructure. He has experience navigating federal and state regulatory frameworks and has overseen all stages of tribal gaming operations, including launch, compliance, and ongoing regulatory and accounting requirements.

JR has litigated in both tribal and state courts in criminal and civil matters. He served as a litigator for a tribal family services department from 2019 to 2021 and continues to represent tribes in ICWA cases. While he prioritizes negotiation and mediation in complex, multi-party ICWA matters, he is prepared to litigate when necessary. His work has expanded to include representation of tribal members in family law matters, including allocation of parental rights and grandparent rights under Colorado law. Since October 2025, he has also served as primary criminal defense counsel for a Colorado tribal nation, handling criminal matters in tribal court.

 

JR’s commitment to his practice is rooted in his cultural background and personal experience. He was raised near Lawton, Oklahoma, is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, and is the proud father of his son. He enjoys sports, is an avid Oklahoma City Thunder fan, and spends his free time outdoors in Colorado or reading when time allows.

 

Education:    

University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D. American Indian Law Certificate (2019); University of Oklahoma, B.A., Political Science and Native American Studies, (2016).

 

Practice Areas:

Federal Indian Law; Tribal Governance; ICWA; Economic Development and Commercial Transactions; Internet Gaming and Sports Betting; Jurisdiction and Land Matters; Legislation and Code Drafting; Criminal Defense.

 

Bar Admissions:

State of Colorado, State of Utah, Utah District Court, Various Tribal Courts.