Attorney

Catherine Baker Stetson

Catherine Baker Stetson attended Vassar College during her undergraduate career and later earned an M.A. from Brown University and a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.  After obtaining her law degree in 1981, she apprenticed with Ussery & Parrish until leaving to start her firm, Gover & Stetson, with Kevin Gover, in 1986. Since 1982, she has been performing legal work for local tribal governments, in addition to providing legislative and lobbying services.  Cate is a business law attorney with a focus on economic development, contracts, financing, general civil litigation, and management issues.  In 2000 she was appointed by President William J. Clinton to the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas Board of Directors and later was appointed by Navajo shareholder representatives to the Board of the Navajo Community Development Financial Institution.  Cate has received numerous awards and honors, has been listed in Super Lawyers every year since its inception, has served on committees for both the American Bar Association and the New Mexico Bar Association, and has been licensed in six state jurisdictions (Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Washington State, and Washington, D.C.) and numerous tribal courts.

Attorney

Timothy J. Humphrey, Sr.

Timothy J. Humphrey, Sr.received his bachelor’s degree with honors from New Mexico State University, a Masters of Social Work from the Worden School of Social Services in San Antonio, Texas, and his law degree from the University of Montana in 1983.  He is licensed in both New Mexico and Montana.  Tim has focused on environmental issues, corporations, code and regulation development, and housing and construction law.  Tim also provides services in the areas of financing, Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project development and development of alternative energy projects.  He has served as a Vice Chair of the Native American Resources Committee for the ABA’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.

Attorney

Robert F. Gruenig

Robert F. Gruenig graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Political Science from Western Illinois University and later earned a Master of Science in Environmental Biology from Governors State University, his law degree from the Southern Illinois University of School of Law in 2000, and a Master of Laws in Environmental Law (magna cum laude) from Vermont Law School in 2001.  He is licensed in New Mexico and Illinois.  In addition to his work in housing and code development, he has drafted comment letters, briefing documents, and white papers for federal agencies and congressional members regarding regulatory and legislative actions and has also convened and led regional, national, and international committees and workgroups to advance environmental and natural resources protection.  Bob also served two terms a as Co-Chair of the Native American Resources Committee of the ABA’s Section of Environmental, Energy, and Resources.

Attorney

Petra E. Rogers (Diné)

Petra E. Rogers (Diné) graduated cum laude from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts degree in University Studies with a focus on architectural design and art.  In 2001, she earned her law degree with a Certificate of Indian Law from the University of New Mexico School of Law.  She is licensed to practice in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation.  Petra has worked for twenty-five years, primarily for or on behalf of the Navajo Nation.  Before practicing law, she managed the design and construction of shopping centers and numerous housing subdivisions on the Navajo Nation for a private architectural firm, and supervised the planning of several federal hospitals and health centers for the Navajo Area Indian Health Service and finance law as a principal attorney for the Navajo Department of Justice.  As a private attorney, she practiced family law for a non-profit in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, and finance law as a principal attorney for the Navajo Nation Department of Justice.

Attorney

Karis Begaye (Diné)

Karis Begaye (Diné) graduated from North Georgia College in 1999 and obtained her law degree from Whitter Law School in 2003.  She worked in the Navajo Nation from 2005 to 2018, both in the Navajo Nation Department of Justice Economic/Community Development Unit and the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President.  While working within the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, Karis advised the Navajo Nation on the tribe’s gaming industry; she was responsible for the negotiation, drafting, reviewing and enforcing of the Navajo Nation’s business leases and business construction contracts and advised the Navajo Nation on fee-to-trust land acquisitions, which included working with local, state, and federal agencies.  Karis sat as second chair in Navajo Nation vs. Urban Outfitters, involving illegal use of the “Navajo” name, and successfully settled.  She is a past Board member of the Navajo Nation Bar Association and is licensed to practice in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation.