26th Annual California Indian Law Conference
About this Event
Agenda Available
Please join CILA for the 26th Annual California Indian Law Conference & Awards Dinner, October 7–9, 2026, at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. Up to 9.0 MCLE (CA) credits are anticipated (8.0 General and 1.0 Ethics – Participatory), subject to final agenda approval.
Conference registration includes the Welcome Reception on Wednesday evening, buffet breakfast on Thursday and Friday mornings, a plated lunch on Thursday, the Awards Dinner on Thursday evening, and a grab-and-go lunch on Friday. Please provide your entrée selections during the registration process. Coffee, tea, and refreshments will be available throughout the conference.
The CILA Board thanks our 2026 Conference Sponsors for their generosity and support of our mission.
- Golden Bear: Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Deer: Colorado River Indian Tribes
- Otter: Pechanga Band of Indians
- Otter: Procopio
- Otter: Lieff Cabraser Heimann and Bernstein
- Otter: Maier Pfeffer Kim Geary & Cohen LLP
- Otter: Best Best & Krieger LLP
- Otter: Cox Castle & Nicholson, LLP
- Welcome Dinner Sponsor: The Circle Law Group
- Awards Dinner Table Sponsor: Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
- Break: Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard
- Break: Berkey Williams LLP
- Break: Akin Gump
- Break: Peebles Bergin
- Break: Rosette LLP
- Abalone: Jill Grant & Associates, LLC
- Abalone: The Law Office of Lester J. Marston
- Abalone: Rey-Bear McLaughlin, LLP
- Abalone: Drummond Woodsum
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected].
Complimentary Pre-Conference Tour. In partnership with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, we are excited to offer a complimentary pre-conference tour of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum and Agua Caliente Tribal Court on Wednesday afternoon before the Welcome Reception. Shuttle transportation is available from Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage, and will depart at 2:30 p.m. Already registered? If you did not select the tour during registration, please email [email protected] to sign up.
Hotel Accommodations. The CILA room block is sold out.
Learn more about the resort and check general availability at: https://aguacalientecasinos.com/resort-casino-spa-rancho-mirage/
CILA Membership & 2026 Annual Board Elections. The price of 2026-2027 annual CILA membership dues is included in your full conference registation. Please complete your membership registration form here. More information will be provided in the check-out process. To express your interest in running for one of three (3) open Board of Director positions, please fill out this interest form.
Refund Policy. Full registration refunds (less Eventbrite fee, which is nonrefundable) will be processed for cancellations received by 5:00PM Pacific Friday, September 11, 2026, sent via email to [email protected]. After the posted cancellation date, registrations may be transferred to another attendee but not refunded (a change in entree selection may not be possible). No-shows will be billed. Please email [email protected] with questions and written cancellation/substitution requests.
Entree Selections. The awards dinner on Thursday offers your choice of entree selection. Entree selections made after Friday, September 25, 2026, may not be accommodated. Vegan options will be available at every meal.
Anti-Harassment Policy. CILA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. CILA has a zero-tolerance policy for hostile or harassing conduct of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or blocked from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.
Questions? Contact CILA at [email protected] Thank you!
Wednesday, October 7
🕑: 12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
CILA Board Meeting [Optional/Pre-Conference Activity]
Info: The CILA Board will be hosting a CILA Board Meeting ahead of the Conference. This is a working session to include Conference preparations. CILA Members are welcome to join. The meeting will be at the Star Salon. Please RSVP to [email protected] in advance, so we may arrange your access to the room.
🕑: 02:30 PM - 04:30 PM
FREE tour of Agua Caliente Cultural Museum & Tribal Court
Info: The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians invites you to visit their Cultural Museum and Tribal Court! A shuttle from the hotel is available and will depart around 2:30pm and return in time for our Welcome Diner.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM
CILA Welcome Dinner [Optional/Pre-Conference Activity]
Info: Included with your Conference registration, please plan to join our Welcome Dinner to take place at the Event Lawn. We'll have networking, dinner, and fun surprises. Please indicate your plans to attend during Conference Registration to help us with planning. Have your plans changed? Please email us at [email protected] at your first opportunity. Sorry, this event is for Conference attendees only.
Thursday, October 8
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Registration & Breakfast
Info: CILA Registration and Breakfast will open at 8:00AM. Breakfast will be available until 9:00AM. Coffee, tea, and water will be available all day.
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:45 AM
Welcome Remarks
Info: Please join us for welcome remarks from representatives from our host and 2026 Golden Bear Sponsor, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
🕑: 08:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Litigation Update (1.5 MCLE (CA) - Participatory)
Host: Lauren van Schilfgaarde
Info: This panel will provide an overview of recent litigation impacting tribes in California and across the nation, highlighting key cases and emerging legal trends. Attendees will gain insights into how these developments may shape tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, and governance in the years ahead.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Legislative Update (1.5 MCLE (CA) - Participatory)
Host: Jacob Mejia
Info: This panel will review significant legislative developments from the past year at both the California and federal levels, with a focus on laws affecting tribal governments and communities. Presenters will highlight key changes, emerging policy priorities, and potential impacts on tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:45 PM
Keynote Address & Luncheon (0.5 MCLE (CA) - Participatory)
Host: Kimberly Cluff
Info: Join us for a keynote address by Kimberly Cluff - Legal Director, California Tribal Families Coalition (CTFC). Kimberly is a long-time CILA member and has worked exclusively in the field of Indian law since being admitted to the California Bar in 1998. She began her career as a law clerk and then an attorney at California Indian Legal Services before entering private practice as a partner at Forman & Associates. Kimberly then served as In-House General Counsel for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians before joining CTFC as the Legal Director and also returning to graduate school at the Goldman School of Public Policy, U.C. Berkeley. Kimberly’s career has always focused on advocating for tribes and native non-profits, including advocacy and litigation connected to tribal economic development, Intergovernmental agreements, Indian child and family welfare, strengthening of tribal courts and tribal governance, and the development and protection of tribal infrastructure.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Truth & Healing in California - Updates & Next Steps (1.0 MCLE (CA) - Part.)
Host: Christina Snider-Ashtari
Info: This panel will provide an update on the CA Truth & Healing Council (CTHC) and discuss how legal practitioners, policy makers & tribal leaders can assist with uplifting and implementing the remedial recommendations of the Final Report. The CTHC was established via Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-15-19 and is tasked with reframing the dominant culture's history of California to one that is more inclusive of Native perspectives and truths while making remedial recommendations to address ongoing impacts that stem from the California Native American Genocide.
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:15 PM
Employment Law in California Indian Country (1.0 MCLE (CA) - Part.)
Host: Sandra McCandless
Info: This panel will provide an overview of emerging issues in Employment Law. Speakers will provide perspectives and practical tips from both in-house and outside counsel.
🕑: 04:15 PM - 05:15 PM
CILA Annual Membership Meeting & Board Elections
Info: A reminder that CILA Members must confirm their 2026-2027 Membership status ahead of the Annual Membership Meeting by submitting the form found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CILA2026. Membership fees are INCLUDED for all Conference attendees.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Keynote Address & Awards Dinner (0.5 MCLE (CA) - Participatory)
Host: Devon Lomayesva
Info: The annual Awards Dinner will honor two amazing California Native legal practitioners and feature a keynote from artist, professor and advocate, Gerald Clarke. CILA is proud to announce that Honorable Devon Lee Lomayesva is the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Achievement in California Indian Law Award and Anna Hohag is the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Young Attorney Award. The keynote address will be given by Gerald Clarke. Gerald is an enrolled citizen of the Cahuilla Band of Indians and lives in the home his grandfather built on the Cahuilla Indian Reservation where he oversees the Clarke family cattle ranch. He served two terms on the Cahuilla Tribal Council and is currently a Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of California Riverside where he teaches classes in Native American art, history, and culture. Event also features cultural sharing, welcome remarks from the Agua Caliente Band of Indians, networking, fun and more!
Friday, October 9
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Breakfast
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:45 AM
Welcome Remarks & CILA Board Election Results
🕑: 08:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Untaxing the Indian (1.5 MCLE - Participatory)
Host: John T. Plata
Info: This panel will explore how practitioners can utilize state, local, and federal law to reduce tax burdens on Tribal governments & their citizens in pursuit of the Constitution's promise of "Indians not taxed." Panelists are comprised of in-house Tribal legal counsel, former federal leadership, and private sector attorneys and will cover recent Tribal tax regulations including the Tribal General Welfare final regulations and how Tribal governments can utilize state advantaged strategies, including land back through AB 1485 to reduce local tax burdens.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Ethics(1.5 MCLE - Ethics)
Host: Simon Gertler
Info: This panel will explore the nuance of ethical obligations in the realm of ICWA
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Closing Remarks and Grab-n-Go Lunch
Where is it happening?
USD 161.90 to USD 402.00
