Rory E. Dilweg

Rory Dilweg is a Partner at Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti, LLP. He represents Indian tribal governments throughout the United States in all aspects of the law; including: gaming, gaming regulation, taxation, corporate issues, health care, child welfare, grant writing and compliance, and negotiations with state and local governments. He has participated in gaming compact negotiations in Wisconsin and California, as well as acted as lead negotiator for intergovernmental agreement discussions in both states. He has also successfully assisted Indian tribes in navigating the complicated process of funding and operating tribal health systems and Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs.

Prior to joining Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP, Rory was a Founding Partner of Tilden McCoy + Dilweg LLP, a boutique Indian law firm located in Colorado, California, and South Dakota. Before forming Tilden McCoy + Dilweg LLP, he was a Partner in the Indian Law Practice Group at Holland & Knight LLP, a large, international law firm. At Holland & Knight LLP, he provided tribal governments with expert representation in all areas affecting Indian tribes. Mr. Dilweg assisted tribes in California and Wisconsin with land-into-trust applications, gaming management agreements, and environmental issues associated with large-scale gaming and development projects. Rory has exceptional experience working on discreet issues for individual tribes as well as broad policy issues affecting all of Indian Country.

Before joining Holland & Knight LLP, Rory served as in-house counsel for the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin for over six years, including two years as Interim Chief Counsel of the Tribe’s legal department. As Chief Counsel, Mr. Dilweg managed a seven attorney office and provided day to day legal advice to the government of the Oneida Tribe. Prior to becoming Chief Counsel, he was lead attorney for several tribal departments, including the Oneida Health Center and the Oneida Utilities Department.

Mr. Dilweg received his BA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1993 and his JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1996. Rory is currently admitted to the State Bars of Wisconsin and California, and various Federal courts throughout the United States. He is a member of the Federal Bar Association, the Native American Bar Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and the California Bar Association. Mr. Dilweg has been a member of the Wisconsin Bar’s Indian Law Section for the past fifteen years and has twice served as an officer.  During his career, Rory has been a featured speaker at public events on topics including the Indian Child Welfare Act, Indian gaming, and Tribal TANF.

Specialties:

• Federal Indian Law
• Indian Child Welfare Act
• Indian Gaming
• Gaming Regulation
• Indian Lands
• Tribal Finance
• Tribal Governance

Publications & Presentations

Current Status of Tribal/State Compacting: Perspectives from Renegotiation and Litigation ­– 2013 National Indian Gaming Association Annual Conference.

Navigating Tribal Law: Leading Lawyers on Understanding the Unique Procedures, Intricacies, and Challenges Involved with Tribal Cases – Thompson Reuters Westlaw (2012).

Finance and Economic Development Initiatives in Indian Country – 2010 Wisconsin State Bar Convention.

Wall Street, Main Street and Reservation Roads: The Financial Crisis and Indian Country – 23rd Coming Together of the Peoples Conference – 2009

Labor and Employment Laws in Indian Country: Should the NLRB Apply? – 21^st Coming Together of the Peoples Conference – 2007.

Indian Law Forum – 2010 American Bar Association Annual Conference.

Changes to the Land into Trust Process and how it Affects Indian Tribes – 2005 Wisconsin Sate Bar Convention.

ICWA and the Existing Indian Family – 1999 Wisconsin State Bar Convention.