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THOMAS P. SCHLOSSER
Firm Director / Partner
Tom Schlosser has been a Principal Attorney for MSJS since 1986. He represents Tribes in fisheries, timber, water, energy, cultural resources, contracting, tax and federal breach of trust, and he specializes in federal litigation, natural resources, and Indian tribal property issues. He is also frequently involved in tribal economic development and environmental regulation. In 1970s, Tom represented tribes in the Stevens’ Treaty Puget Sound fishing rights proceedings. He is a founding member of the Indian Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association and also served on the WSBA Bar Examiners Committee. Tom is a frequent CLE speaker, moderator for an American Indian Law discussion group, and part‑time lecturer at the University of Washington School of Law and Seattle University School of Law.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Morisset, Schlosser, Jozwiak, & Somerville, Seattle, Washington 1986 – Present
Principal Attorney/Director
Represent Indian tribes and tribal organizations in federal litigation, natural resources, business development and Indian property issues. See Key Cases below.
Ziontz, Pirtle, Morisset, Ernstoff, Chestnut & Anderson, Seattle, Washington 1979 - 1986
Associate Attorney, 1979-1982; Principal Attorney, 1982-1986
Represented Indian tribes and tribal organizations in natural resource and tribal property issues, including continuing jurisdiction in United States v. Washington (treaty fishing rights); Columbia River hydropower, fisheries and cultural resources matters; Indian tribal enrollment and claims litigation.
Evergreen Legal Services, Seattle, WA 1975-1979
Attorney at Law
Provided legal counsel and representation to small tribes of Western Washington, particularly the continuing jurisdiction litigation in United States v. Washington, 459 F.Supp. 1020 (W.D. Wash. 1978) (treaty fishing rights), tribal government ordinance and Constitution matters; participated in appellate work on Washington v. Fishing Vessel Ass’n, 443 U.S. 658 (1979) (upholding treaty fishing allocation).
EDUCATION
University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia 1972 - 1975
Juris Doctor
President, Legal Assistance Society, 1974-1975
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 1968-1970
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Washington Law Review, Notes and Comments Editor
BAR ADMISSIONS
Washington State Bar Association, Bar Number 06276
U.S. Federal Courts
Supreme Court of the United States
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
Court of Federal Claims
United States Tax Court
U.S. District Courts
U.S. District Court for Western District of Washington
U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Washington
U.S. District Court for Northern District of California
Tribal Courts
Hoopa Valley Tribal Court
Nooksack Tribal Court
ASSOCIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Washington State Bar Association Committee of Law Examiners, Member, 2005-2008, 2012-Present
University of Washington School of Law, Part-time Lecturer, 2009-2016
Seattle University School of Law, Part-time Lecturer, 2017-Present
American Indian Law Delphi Forum, Moderator of this Attorney Discussion Group
Washington State Bar Association - Indian Law Section, Founding Member
Continuing Legal Education (CLE), Frequent Speaker on Federal Indian Law Topics
SELECTED CASES
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Ass’n v. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 426 F.3d 1082 (9th Cir. 2005)
Hoopa Valley Tribe v. Ryan, 415 F.3d 986 (9th Cir. 2005)
Tanadgusix v. United States, 404 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir. 2005)
Westlands Water Dist. v. Hoopa Valley Tribe, 376 F.3d 853 (9th Cir. 2004)
Bugenig v. Hoopa Valley Tribe, 266 F.3d 1201 (9th Cir. 2001)
Karuk Tribe of California v. United States, 209 F.3d 1366 (Fed. Cir. 2000)
Parravano v. Babbitt, 70 F.3d 539 (9th Cir. 1995)
Short v. United States, 50 F.3d 994 (Fed. Cir. 1995)
Shermoen v. United States, 982 F.2d 1312 (9th Cir. 1992)
Hoopa Valley Tribe v. Nevins, 881 F.2d 657 (9th Cir. 1989)
Washington v. Fishing Vessel Ass’n, 443 U.S. 658 (1979)
United States v. Washington, 459 F.Supp. 1020 (W.D. Wash. 1978)