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An enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Vanya Hogen has practiced Indian law for nearly 20 years, representing tribal governments and their business partners. Vanya is an experienced litigator in federal, state, and tribal courts, and has successfully handled multi-million-dollar litigation and arbitration matters over key aspects of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Meanwhile, she maintains an active transactional practice, focusing primarily on Indian gaming and tribal financing.
Vanya won an important victory in the South Dakota Supreme Court that stopped South Dakota from imposing its motor-fuel taxes on Indian reservations in the state. And she has won both federal- and tribal-court victories in disputes over tribal rights to control reservation land use.
Vanya was named as “Lawyer of the Year” in Native American Law for Minneapolis in 2012, and has been named as a "Super Lawyer" in Minnesota ten times, as a “Best Lawyer” in Native American law in 2009-2012, and is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell. She is a frequent speaker at Indian-law seminars around the country. Vanya is also a judge for the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Tribal Court. In addition, Vanya is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy (Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota Chapter), and serves on the Board of Governors for the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
Vanya's Indian-law experience includes:
- City of Duluth v. Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa. Successfully represented tribe in dispute over casino revenue-sharing agreements with City of Duluth. (Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2012).
- Wells Fargo v. Lake of the Torches Economic Development Corporation. Successfully urged federal court to find that tribal corporation’s bond indenture was void under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. (Federal District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2010 and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2011)
- Saginaw Chippewa Tribe v. Granholm. Successfully represented tribe in federal-court dispute over reservation boundaries and tribal jurisdiction. (Federal District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 2010)
- Wichita Tribal Casino. Represented The Alan Wayne Company in successful negotiations for casino financing and development agreements with the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. (2008)
- K&D Gaming v. Osage Nation. Successfully represented casino developer in dispute with tribe over validity of casino agreements in arbitration proceedings. Also successfully defended the enforceability of an arbitration clause in federal and tribal courts. (2007)
- Tunica-Biloxi Tribe v. Bridges. Represented tribal government in suit challenging Louisiana's imposition of sales taxes on vehicles purchased by the tribe on its reservation. (Federal District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, 2006)
- Ottawa Tribal Casino. Represented developer and lender in agreements with the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma for construction of a new casino, including obtaining a favorable decision from the National Indian Gaming Commission on the status and validity of the agreements. (2006)
- Pourier v. South Dakota Dept. of Revenue. Successfully represented tribal-member-gas-station-owner challenging application of South Dakota's motor fuel tax on the Pine Ridge reservation. (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2003 and 2004)
- Augustine Casino Development and Financing. Advised casino developer in agreements with the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians to develop, manage and finance new casino facility and achieve approval of the client's management agreement at the National Indian Gaming Commission. (2002)
Recent Presentations:
- Understanding Diverse Cultures and Working with Diverse Clients, Minnesota CLE, 2012
- Lake of the Torches: Lessons Learned for Tribes and Lenders, Minnesota CLE and Minnesota American Indian Bar Association, 2011
- Doing Business in Indian Country, South Dakota Bar Association, 2009
- Tax Management for Tribes, Conference Co-Chair and Presenter on Legal Incidence of Tax Issues, Law Seminars International, 2009
- Federal Review of Tribal Economic Decisions in the Gaming Context: Paternalism or Protection, Harvard Law School 2008
- Construction on Tribal lands, American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry, 2006
- Policing Indian Casinos: The Role of Tribal Gaming Commissions, Minnesota American Indian Bar Association, 2006
- Construction on Tribal Lands: Indian Tribes, Tribal Sovereignty, and Tribal Business Organizations, American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry, 2005
- Taxes Levied by and on Tribes and Tribal Peoples, Federal Bar Association 30th Annual Indian Law Conference, 2005
- Tribal Environmental Issues, Minnesota American Indian Bar Association Indian Law CLE, 2005
- The Pitfalls of Practicing Construction Law in Indian Country, Minnesota Bar Association Construction Law Section, 2004
