Beyond the Cases: A Path to Practicing Indian Law (General MCLE)

This event originally aired on March 10th, 2026. The handout for this presentation can be found here: https://sandiegolawlibrary.org/wp-con.... About the Program:  Mark Vezzola, deputy general counsel for the Pechanga Band of Indians, a federally recognized sovereign Tribal nation located in Temecula, will share a little about his career path before delving into the fascinating aspects of Indian law and introducing some key concepts and case law that every practitioner must understand to successfully represent or work with Tribal governments. Indian law touches on virtually every other field of law, from child welfare to economic development, while presenting complex issues and bestowing significant rewards. At the heart of Indian law is the unique relationship between the United States and sovereign Tribal nations, with the role of state law an important consideration. About the Speaker:  Mark Vezzola is the Deputy General Counsel for the Pechanga Band of Indians, a sovereign tribal nation, located in Temecula, California. His responsibilities include representing and advising various tribal entities, including the tribe’s court, school board, social services agency, and Pechanga Resort Casino, developing and updating ordinances, policies, and procedures, and advocating for the tribe’s interests in matters in state and tribal court. Previously, Mark served as a directing attorney at California Indian Legal Services, chief judge for the Pala Band of Mission Indians, chief judge for the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, adjunct professor of American Indian Studies at Palomar College, and adjunct professor of American history at San Diego Mesa College. Mark previously served as a board member for the California Indian Law Association and on the San Diego County Bar Association’s Client Relations Committee. Mark graduated from UMass- Amherst with a B.A. in history, a minor in Anthropology, and certificates in Native American Studies and International Relations, and UCLA with a J.D. and M.A. in American Indian Studies. During law school, Mark clerked for the Hopi Appellate Court, interned at the Office of Tribal Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington DC, participated in research for Carole Goldberg’s 2007 final report on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice under Public Law 280, and assisted with editing the 2005 edition of Felix Cohen’s Handbook of Federal Indian Law. The San Diego Law Library is a State Bar of California licensed MCLE provider. Viewing this class provides 1 hour of GENERAL self-study credit. Attendance certificates are not provided for self-study. Please use this log provided by the State Bar of California to keep a record of your self study:” https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/d... Provider Information: San Diego County Public Law Library, Provider #11786 If you need this video in an accessible format (audio descriptions, downloadable transcript, etc.) please visit our Accessible Format video playlists or contact us at: https://sandiegolawlibrary.org/report... If you need subtitles, click on the closed caption button at the bottom of the video. The information offered in this short video has been provided as a public service and is intended to provide basic information. This is not legal advice and is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship. The views expressed in this video belong to the speaker and are not a representation of the San Diego Law Library.