Phone: (651) 644-4710
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Mr. Schoessler has extensive experience in tax, land tenure, gaming, tribal rights, and general tribal governmental matters. From 1977 to 1992, Jim was the lead attorney in the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General responsible for Indian-law issues. In that capacity, he advised all Minnesota state agencies, the Minnesota Legislature, and four Minnesota Governors on Indian-law issues, including issues relating to the establishment and regulation of gaming. He directed the Natural Resources Division of the Minnesota Attorney General's Office from 1982 to 1992, and had principal responsibility for the litigation of major cases involving Indian law and Indian lands, and the development and protection of natural resources.
Since 1992, as a member of the firm, Jim has served as special counsel to several tribes within and outside Minnesota on a wide range of matters, including gaming, elections, taxation, tribal courts, tribal law enforcement, construction and development agreements, tribal corporations, federal regulation, and state and tribal jurisdiction. Mr. Schoessler has extensive tax expertise -- he successfully negotiated tax agreements between Minnesota tribes and the state of Minnesota and was involved in a similar effort involving Michigan tribes and the state of Michigan. He also settled tax disputes between Minnesota tribes and the Minnesota Department of Revenue and has secured private letter rulings for tribal clients from the Internal Revenue Service.
Mr. Schoessler has litigated Indian law cases at every level of the federal court system, including the United States Supreme Court, Minnesota State Court system, and numerous tribal courts in Minnesota and elsewhere. Jim was the attorney of record and lead negotiator in a land claims case brought by the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe against the United States in the Court of Federal Claims, which case yielded a $20 million judgment for his clients.
A frequent lecturer on Indian law issues, Mr. Schoessler organized and directed the first statewide continuing legal education seminar to be held in Minnesota on the subject of Indian law and gaming. He has lectured on Indian law issues at the William Mitchell College of Law, the University of Minnesota, continuing legal education courses, and various conferences within Minnesota and elsewhere.
Jim's representative cases include:
- Leech Lake Band of Chippewa v. Cass County, Minnesota, 908 F. Supp. 689 (D. Minn 1995)
- Leech Lake Band of Chippewa v. Cass County, Minnesota, 108 F. 3d 820 (8th Cir. 1997)
- Leech Lake Band of Chippewa v. Cass County, Minnesota, 524 U.S. 103 (U.S. Supreme Ct. 1998)
- United States v. Reserve Mining Company, 412 F. Supp. 705 (D. Minn. 1976)
- United States v. Reserve Mining Company, 514 F. 2d 492 (8th Cir. 1975)
- United States v. Reserve Mining Company, 543 F. 2d 1210 (8th Cir. 1976)
- United States v. Reserve Mining Company, 419 U.S. 802 (1974)
- Maxam v. Lower Sioux Indian Community, 829 F. Supp 277 (D. Minn. 1993)
- McCarthy & Associates v. Jackpot Junction, 490 N.W. 2d 156 (Minn. Ct. App. 1992)
