Wenona Singel is Of Counsel to the firm. She graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. magna cum laude in Social Studies in 1995, and received her J.D. in 1999 from Harvard Law School, where she served as the Vice Chair of the Native American Law Students Association. Wenona is an enrolled member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.

Wenona's experience includes representation of tribal clients in economic development as well as litigation matters. She was heavily involved in the negotiations between the State of Michigan and Michigan tribes to draft an omnibus tax agreement, and she has experience in real estate acquisitions and financing, including a tribal bond issuance. Wenona has also done a considerable amount of work for the Grand Traverse Resort, a 960 acre tribally-owned resort with 660 rooms, three golf courses and more than a dozen condominium associations. Her work for the Resort has included drafting and reviewing contracts, advising on employment law matters, negotiating contract disputes, researching development opportunities and drafting corporate governance documents.

Wenona has also served as an Appellate Justice of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Tribal Court and was a member of the Tribe's Economic Development Commission. As part of her role on the commission, she participated in establishing policies for tribal economic growth and she drafted legislation pertaining to the legal infrastructure for economic development.

Prior to joining the firm in 2001, Wenona worked for Dickinson Wright PLLC in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where she maintained a transactional practice with a focus on real estate financing, acquisitions, and development. Wenona is taking a leave of absence during the 2006-2007 academic year to serve as an Assistant Professor of Law at Michigan State University College of Law and Associate Director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center.

Return to Attorney Listing