Profile
Jennifer Weddle is the Co-Chair of the firm's American Indian Law Practice and has wide-ranging experience in complex regulatory and jurisdictional issues, with a focus in Indian law, handling a variety of matters for tribal and non-tribal clients. She has a dynamic, inter-disciplinary practice that centers on providing strategies for resolving complex jurisdictional problems. Much of her practice focuses in the areas of tribal economic development and natural resources development. Jennifer also has U.S. Supreme Court experience, including serving as one of the attorneys for the respondent in Nevada v. Hicks (2001) and representing the petitioners in Ute Mountain Ute Tribe v. Padilla (2012) and Grand Canyon Skywalk Development, LLC v. Grand Canyon Resort Corporation (2013) and cert stage amici in Saginaw-Chippewa Tribe v. NLRB (2016) and United States v. Cooley (2020) and amici on the merits in Lewis v. Clarke (2017), U.S. v. Washington (2018), Carpenter v. Murphy (2018), McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020), United States v. Cooley (2020), Denezpi v. United States (2021), Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta (2022), Navajo Nation v. United States (2023), and Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe and Northern Arapaho Tribe (2024).
Jennifer's work also includes negotiations for mineral leasing employment matters and representation before federal agencies. She has also been involved in civil litigation, working on numerous complex federal, state and tribal litigation matters, including class action tort litigation and large commercial disputes. Jennifer also has securities litigation experience and products liability litigation experience, and her transactional experience includes oil and gas renewables projects throughout the west, as well as Endangered Species Act work.
Jennifer has broad trial and appellate litigation experience (more than 40 trials), and frequently litigates jurisdictional issues. She is also experienced in sovereign models for consumer lending and energy development. Jennifer frequently assists tribes, banks and non-bank entities with financing and regulatory matters with Indian law components.
Jennifer has wide-ranging project siting experience, including the application of NEPA, NHPA, and other environmental laws on tribal and public lands, including with respect to large linear multi-state energy and infrastructure projects.
Jennifer has deep transactional, regulatory and litigation experience involving very complex matters with both legal and policy components.
Concentrations
- Litigation
- Indian/Native American law
- Environmental and natural resources
- Oil and gas
- Tribal energy development
- Securities litigation
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Consumer finance
- Financial institutions
Capabilities
Experience
- Adjunct Faculty, University of Colorado School of Law, "American Indian Law II," Spring Term 2023
- Adjunct Faculty, University of Colorado School of Law, "American Indian Economic Development," Spring Term 2012
- Adjunct Faculty, University of Denver School of Law, "Indigenous Peoples in International Law," Spring Terms 2003 and 2004
Recognition & Leadership
- Team Member, a Law360 “Environmental Practice Group of the Year,” 2022
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States
- Industry Focus > Native American Law, 2022
- "Recommended Lawyer," 2022
- Dispute Resolution - Appellate: Courts of Appeal, 2021-2022
- "Other Key Lawyer," 2022
- Dispute Resolution - Appellate: Supreme Courts (States and Federal), 2021-2022
- "Other Key Lawyer," 2022
- Industry Focus > Native American Law, 2022
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America
- Oil and Gas Law, 2010-2023
- Native American Law, 2010-2025
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2010-2024
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Colorado Super Lawyers, 2010-2024
- Listed, "Top 50 Women Lawyers in Colorado," 2014-2019 and 2024
- Listed, "Top 100 Lawyers in Colorado," 2017-2018
- Listed, "Rising Star," 2010-2013
- Team Member, The American Lawyer’s “Products Liability Litigation Department of the Year,” 2018
- Listed, 5280 The Denver Magazine, “Top Lawyers, Native American Law,” 2015-2024
- Listed, Euromoney’s Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Energy Law, 2016-2021
- Team Member, "2016 Hot List: Indian Law Practitioners," Indian Country Today, Summer, 2016
- Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers®, Best Law Firms Edition, "Law Firm of the Year," Environmental Law, 2016
- American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, Tenth Circuit Representative, 2018-2024
- American Bar Association Commission on Veterans’ Legal Services 2016-2018
- Member, National Western Stock Show
- Member, Law360's Native American Editorial Advisory Board, 2015-2024
- Member, Advisory Commission to the Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress, American Bar Association, 2015-2018
- Member, National Native American Bar Association
- Immediate Past President, 2017-2018
- President, 2016-2017
- President-Elect, 2015-2016
- Member, National Native American Bar Association Foundation, Board of Directors
- Immediate Past President, 2017-2018
- President, 2016-2017
- President-Elect, 2015-2016
- Colorado Open Lands, Board of Directors, 2010-2022
- Board Member, Law School Sí Se Puede (Past President)
- Member, Federal Bar Association, Indian Law Section
- Immediate Past Chair, 2013-2015
- Chair, 2011-2013
- Vice-Chair 2010-2011
- Secretary 2009-2010
- Participant, Native American Rights Fund Supreme Court Project
- Member, Harvard Law School Alumni Association Council
- Chair, Harvard Law School Native American Alumni Committee, 2006-Present
- Colorado Chair, Native Vote Election Protection Project of the National Congress of American Indians, 2004-Present
- Member, Colorado Lawyers Committee Election Task Force, 2004-Present
- Member, Colorado Indian Bar Association
- President, 2009-2012
- Member, Government Relations Committee, Federal Bar Association, 2009-2012
- Board Member, Colorado Bar Association, Board of Governors, 2005-2008
- Trustee, Denver Bar Association, 2005-2008
- Member, Advisory Committee on the ABA American Jury Project, 2004-2005
- Board Member, Center for Legal Inclusiveness, 2007-2014
- Chair, 2010-2012
- Liaison Member, Chief Justice Commission on Legal Profession, Colorado Supreme Court
- Member, American Bar Association
Credentials
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 2000
- B.A., Classical Languages, University of Michigan, 1997
- Colorado
- Osage Nation Tribal Courts
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico