Kanji & Katzen, P.L.L.C. is a dynamic firm with a simple mission: to provide tribal clients with the highest quality legal representation possible. The firm represents tribes across the country on a wide variety of Indian law issues, including treaty fishing and hunting rights, Indian gaming, environmental protection, reservation boundaries, taxation and jurisdictional matters. The firm's principals formed after years of achieving successful outcomes for their clients in complex litigation matters. The firm's attorneys trained at the nation's top law schools, and possess an unyielding commitment to excellence in their legal work.

The firm's efforts focus primarily on litigation, and the firm's attorneys are as comfortable trying factually intensive cases at the trial court level as they are in briefing complicated issues of law to appellate tribunals. One of the firm's principals served as a United States Supreme Court law clerk, and the firm accordingly possesses special insight into Supreme Court litigation. The firm has also established a sophisticated transactional practice in response to its clients' needs, and it works closely with other leading firms on legislative and regulatory matters.

The firm's caseload spans a great diversity of clients and matters. By way of example, the firm works very closely with the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in its efforts to improve tribal success before the Supreme Court. The firm co-authored the widely acclaimed amicus briefs filed by NCAI United States v. Lara (October Term 2003) and Inyo County v. Paiute-Shoshone Indians (October Term 2002). The firm is also active in the federal Courts of Appeals, and has enjoyed great success there. For instance, the firm's principals briefed and argued for the Tribes in the landmark Ninth Circuit shellfish case, which resulted in a strong endorsement of tribal treaty shellfishing rights. The firm also recently argued on behalf of NCAI and over 40 Tribes in the First Circuit case of Carcieri v. Norton, which involves a challenge to the federal government's ability to take land into trust for the Tribes.

The firm has enjoyed similar success at the trial level. For instance, the firm was lead counsel for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians in its successful trial defense of its Turtle Creek Casino under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and then defended that decision on appeal in the Sixth Circuit. See Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians v. United States Attorney for Western District of Michigan, 198 F.Supp.2d 920 (W.D. Mich. 2002), (affirmed by 369 F3d 960 (6th Cir. 2004)). The firm currently serves as lead or co-lead counsel for Tribes in numerous additional trial court proceedings.

On the transactional and negotiations front, the firm was heavily involved in the successful omnibus tax negotiations between the State of Michigan and its twelve federally recognized Tribes, and is presently immersed in tribal real estate acquisition and financing work.