Maureen H. Geary's Profile Image

Maureen H. Geary

Partner
Phone: (510) 835-3020
vCard

From the Santa Rosa office of Maier Pfeffer Kim Geary & Cohen LLP, attorney Maureen Geary joined the firm in 2008 and serves as general counsel to Indian tribes, Indian health clinics, and Indian non-profit organizations. Maureen's practice includes employment law, environmental law, fee-to-trust acquisitions, economic development, governmental relations, housing, land use and trust resources protection, development of tribal codes and ordinances, tribal TANF and Indian Child Welfare Act cases among other areas of federal Indian law.

Maureen is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. While in law school, Maureen served as a law clerk with the United States Department of Justice, Indian Resources Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division. Prior to attending law school, Maureen received her Master’s Degree in Indian Policy/Political Science from the University of Arizona and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Indian Studies from the University of North Dakota.

Before joining MPKGC as a Partner, Maureen was a Senior Staff Attorney with California Indian Legal Services for 18 years. She practiced in the former Ukiah office, beginning in 1991, and in the Oakland office before opening the Santa Rosa office of CILS. Maureen has a long history of providing legal services to tribes and Indian clients. Early in her career, Maureen worked largely on the untermination litigation involving many of the tribes in the Ukiah service area. Maureen served as the Chair of the CILS ICWA Project and was responsible for the 2006 passage of California Senate Bill 678, a bill which codified the Indian Child Welfare Act in California. She continues to provide trainings on ICWA and Tribal Customary Adoption as well as present at conferences in California and other states on these topics.

Education

  • Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College, J.D., 1988
  • University of Arizona, M.A., 1985
  • University of North Dakota, B.A., 1983

Admissions

  • California
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Federal Claims
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of California
  • United States District Court, Central District of California
  • United States District Court, Northern District of California