Timothy C. Seward
Partner

Mr. Seward joined the Firm as a partner in 2005 and opened the Firm's newest office, in Sacramento, California.  He comes to the Firm after serving as the General Counsel for the Washoe Tribe of NV & CA for seven years, where he worked on a myriad of issues.  He is a respected authority on Public Law 280 jurisdiction, Tribal TANF, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and protection of tribal sacred sites.  Through his experience as in-house counsel, he has developed a thorough understanding of the challenges confronting tribal governments and personally developed and implemented strategies to resolve these matters and advance the priorities of the tribal government.

Mr. Seward has extensive experience, particularly in California, successfully defending tribal law enforcement authority, tribal court jurisdiction, and reassumed exclusive ICWA jurisdiction.   He has negotiated intergovernmental agreements with the California Attorney General, the Department of Social Services, and several counties. He has drafted and secured federal and state laws, testified before the California legislature on several occasions.  He has worked with tribal councils to exercise tribal authority and advance tribal government priorities by drafting and implementing a wide range of tribal laws, regulations, policies, and bylaws in the areas of environmental regulation, land use, housing, elections, child protection, and procurement.

Mr. Seward played a central role in developing a tribal TANF program that provides services in 13 counties located in two states, which includes funding negotiations, state and county agreements, and drafting of governing policies.  He has secured federal protection of tribal cultural sites, including Cave Rock, filed an amicus brief with the 9th Circuit supporting such decision, and secured tribal acquisition of several sites. 

Mr. Seward is a member of the California Bar, and received his J.D. degree from UCLA School of Law in 1993, and his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Colgate University in 1988.  He co-authored, with Professor Carol Goldberg, "Tribal Courts in California: Prospects for the Future" a chapter in Planting Tailfeathers. 

E-mail: tseward@hobbsstraus.com

Phone: (916) 442-9444

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