Bio

 RESUMÉ OF EDWARD M. DOBSONP. O.  Box  8   -   Bluff, UT  84512-0008435-672-2467   -   [email protected] Admitted to practice, now retired:State Bar of Montana, Oct. 1987  -  Now  Inactive   (Judicial Member, 8/89-11/98)U.S. District of Montana,  Oct. 1987  – InactiveState Bar of Colorado,  May 1988  –  InactiveNavajo Nation Bar Association,  May 2001  –  2020U. S. Tax Court,  Feb. 2004  –  InactiveCourt of Indian Offenses, Ute Mountain Agency, Oct. 2011  –  InactiveState Bar of Arizona, Feb. 2003 – Feb. 2005Admitted under old AZ Supreme Court Rule which allowed legal services lawyers admitted in another state to provide free legal services in Arizona for two years.  No time limit under later rule.   Pro hac vice – per term:   U.S. Northern District of Indiana, 1988-91U.S. Western District of Pennsylvania, 1988-92Blackfeet Tribal Court, 1989   Education:   Juris Doctor, Univ. of Montana, 1987Non-degree post-graduate work:          Education    - Ohio Univ., 1969-71 (Guidance & Counseling)                              - Univ. of No. Colorado, 1969 (Outdoor Educ.)                              - Florida Atlantic Univ., 1967-68 (Early Childhood Ed.)                              - Univ. of South Florida, 1967 (Early Childhood Ed.)           Radio/TV Admin. - Ohio Univ., 1965-66 Bachelor of Science, Radio/TV Admin., Oklahoma State Univ., 1965   Honors: Montana Law Review - editorial board, 1986-87; business manager,1986-87; staff, 1985-86.Scribes Award - outstanding member, Montana Law Review, 1986-87.Clancy Gordon Environmental Scholar, U. of Montana, 1986-87.McChesney-McCarvel Memorial Scholar, Montana Trial LawyersAssociation, 1985-86.J. P. Acher Memorial Scholar, U. of Montana School of Law, 1985-86.Athletic Mascot - Pistol Pete, Oklahoma State Univ., 1962-63 and 1964-65.  Employment  (now retired):   Commissioner, Navajo Nation Labor Commission, 2018 – 2019. Hearing the labor dispute cases arising after administrative proceedings at the Office of Navajo Labor Relations.  General application and interpretation of the Navajo Preference in Employment Act and other implicated statutes and regulations.   Managing Attorney, Monument Valley (UT) office, DNA – People's Legal Services, Inc., Jan. 2017 to Aug. 18, 2017.  Congressionally funded ten-office legal services provider for eligible low-income applicants, usually Navajo.   Lead DNA counsel, U.S. Tax Court.  Office and positions all terminated in DNA organizational reduction in force.   Director, Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, DNA – People's Legal Services, Inc., and DNA lead counsel, U.S. Tax Court, Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2016.  IRS and LSC grant-funded representation of low-income taxpayers in tax controversy cases for ten-office legal services provider org.  Location: Monument Valley (UT) office, DNA – People's Legal Services, Inc.     Managing Attorney, Mexican Hat (UT) office,  DNA – People's Legal Services, Inc.,  Nov. 2000 to Sept. 2014.  Congressionally funded nine-office legal services provider for eligible low-income applicants, usually Navajo.   Office closed in Sept. 2014 and relocated in Monument Valley, UT.  Employed through 2014 as above.     November 1998 and November 2000  -  Two years of providing volunteer and low-cost legal assistance in the public interest -- mostly through environmental organizations.       Water Master, Montana Water Court, August 1989 – November 1998.  Vested with powers of district court judge in comprehensive statewide adjudication of water rights. Judicial member, State Bar of Montana.   Solo practice, 1987-1992.  General litigation; civil tax defense; phased out this practice after appointment to Montana Water Court judiciary.   Faculty, Blackfeet TribalCommunity College, Browning, MT, 1988-89.   Taught courses in business law and mass communications.   Regional Coordinator, Montana AFL-CIO - successful Spring 1988 campaign to keep property tax ban initiatives off state ballot.   Intern, Office of the Montana Attorney General, Summer 1986.  Wrote criminal appellate briefs; argued orally in Montana Supreme Court.   U. of Montana Law Faculty Research Assistant, Spring 1986.  Employment discrimination.   Field Investigator, American Civil Liberties Union, Summer 1985.   Investigated constitutional issues in foreclosure of Farmers Home Admin. loans in southern Idaho.    Executive Director, Center for the Public Interest, Inc., 1981-84, part-time.  Fund raising and implementation of litigation, administrative appeals, and educational programs.  Emphasis: mining, water projects, wilderness, wildlife.   National Field Representative, Taxpayers Coalition Against Clinch River Breeder Reactor, 1983.  Organized and conducted local press conferences and meetings of constituents with congressional members and staff around the nation.  Result:  breeder reactor defunded.   Northern Plains Representative, Friends of the Earth, 1972-1982.   Community organizer, educator.  Emphasis on coal mining, hardrock mining (1872 law), wilderness, and nuclear power. Appalachian Representative, 1970-72.   State Coordinator, Radioactive Waste, Ltd., 1980-82.  Author of Initiative 84 forbidding disposal of large-quantity radioactive waste, including uranium mill tailings, in Montana.  Coordinated successful 1980 signature drive and ballot campaign.  Coordinated successful 1982 campaign to defeat Legislature's referendum crafted to repeal Initiative 84.   Campaign Coordinator, successful re-election of Montana State Senator Ann K. (Pat) Regan (D), 1982.  Organized volunteers, strategy, logistics, and media.   Presenter, Western Wilderness Course, (Challenge/Discovery), Colorado Outward Bound School, 1978-82.  Programs on conservation history and issues for students in college credit courses.   Instructor, National Outdoor Leadership School, 1976.  Two biology course expeditions in YellowstoneNational Park and Absaroka Mtn. Range, Wyoming.       Sierra Club Foundation field investigator, surface coal mine reclamation, Great Britain and West Germany, 1971.   Residence Hall Assistant Director, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 1969-71.   Head Start Teacher, Greater Jacksonville Economic Opportunity, Florida, 1969.  Teacher and aide supervisor, school for children under 6 years of age.   Head Start Teacher, Seminole Tribe of Florida, 1967-68.  Teacher, aide supervisor, and parent outreach coordinator, school for children under 6 years of age, Big Cypress Seminole Reservation.  Conceived and implemented first program for bilingual education of Seminole children.   Instructor, Speech Department, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 1965-66. D.J., KUSH-AM–1600, 1,000-watt daytimer, Cushing, OK, Fall 1963.DJ-Sportscaster, KVRO, Stillwater, OK, 1961-63.  First ever to broadcast play-by-play college wrestling. First job: Pinsetter, Bellmore Bowl, L.I., N.Y.  1959   (Try to find that job now.)  Personal & Public Service :   Commissioner, Town of Bluff  (UT)  Planning and Zoning Commission,  2021-01 – present.  Commissioner, San Juan County  (UT)  Planning and Zoning Commission, 2022-2023.    Board of Directors, Bluff Animal Rescue Committee,  2019 – present.  Rescue and assistance (food, vaccination, spay/neuter etc.) for stray or distressed dogs and cats in Town of Bluff and surrounding locality; assist Underdog Rescue (Moab) with the above and with canine transition to forever homes.     Board of Trustees, Glen Canyon Institute, 1997 – present.  Second vice-president, 1997-2005.  Secretary, 1999-2001.   Organization studying potential for restoration of free-flowing Colorado River between CataractCanyon and Grand Canyon.   (Trivia:  Once upon a time it was said I was the only member of any judiciary, past or present, who had rowed Cataract Canyon.  Have to be others by now.)                         Board of Trustees, vice-chair, Town of Bluff (UT) Service Area Board, 2013 –2015.      Founding board member and first president, Friends of Cedar Mesa, 2010 – 2014.  Support greater protection for archaeol ogy/ecology on Cedar Mesa  (Grand Gulch Plateau) through education, advocating for Bears Ears NM, smart local policy-making, research, and volunteer service activities.  FCM is now Bears Ears Partnership.    bearsearspartnership.org   https://www.conservationlands.org/bearsearspartnership            Founding member, Board of Directors, 44th Bombardment Group Veterans Association, 1994 – 1998.   Secretary, 1994 – 1998.  Organization dedicated to commemoration of the activities and losses of the 44th Bomb Group (H) during WW II and to providing a forum for continuing interaction of the members.  (The 44th was my father's outfit.)   Board of Directors (national), The Sierra Club, July 2000 – May 2004;   Executive Committee, 2002 – 2004; Secretary, 2003 – 2004;   Other Sierra Club volunteer activities  (interrupted by law school andappointment to Montana judiciary):Member since 1967.Public Lands Grazing Committee,  2008 – present.Wild Planet Strategy Team, 2004 – 2008.Training Governance Committee, 2004 – 2006.Election Review Task Force, 2004 – 2006.Montana Chapter executive committee, 1999-2000; Secretary,           2000;  Chapter delegate to Northwest Regional ConservationCommittee (RCC), 2000; Chapter Vice-Chair, 1983-84.Inspector of Elections (national), 1999.Chair, Mining Subcommittee, Public Lands Committee (national),1983-84.Montana Chapter delegate to Northern Plains RCC, 1983-84.Energy Committee (national), 1982-83.Executive Committee, Yellowstone Basin Group, 1981-84.Membership chair, Yellowstone Basin Group, 1981-83.Newsletter editor, Yellowstone Basin Group, 1981-84.Northern Rockies Chptr delegate to Northern Plains RCC, 1981-82.Chair, Yellowstone Basin Group, 1981-82.Southeast Group organizer, Ohio Chapter, 1971.South Florida organizer, Florida Group, Atlantic Chapter, 1967-68.     (Trivia:  Led the first Sierra Club day-trip in Florida, a wet hike      through the Big CypressSwamp, 1967.)   Other environmental organization activities and recognition:   Council member, Montana Wilderness Association, 1977-79, 1982-83.MWA’s Sutton Award, 1976, and Sedlak Award, 1980.       Founder and co-chair, Montanans for Safe Power, 1975-76.Qualified nuclear regulatory initiative for Montana ballot requiring legislative vote before citing nuclear power plant.  Lost the election but paved the way for successful initiative in 1978 which prohibited nuclear power generation in Montana unless approved by popular vote.      Founder, Athens Ecology Group (Ohio Univ.), 1970, and chief push and chairman, Earth Conference I, April 4-5, 1971, proceedings published by Hon. Ken Heckler (D-WV) in Congressional Record, June 22, 1971.  See:    [PDF] extensions of remarks - US Government Publishing Officehttps://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1971.../GPO-CRECB-1971-pt16-4-3.pdf                 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1971-pt16/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1971-pt16-4-3.pdf  Jun 22, 1971 - the Athens Ecology Group. The conference was held at Ohio University, Athens,. Ohio, April 4-5, 1971, and I am pleased to submit the text of ...<snip>