The National Indian Gaming Commission has bolstered its legal firepower with the appointment of four attorneys, three of which are new and one making a return to the organization. The three newcomers are Barbara Marvin, Josh Proper and James Lewis, while Esther Dittler rejoins after working as General Counsel for the Seneca Nation’s Tribal Gaming Commission.  

Before coming to NIGC, Marvin worked as a Trial Attorney at the Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division. She graduated from DePaul University, Ill with a master’s degree, and received her Juris Doctor from Washington College of Law, Washington, DC, magna cum laude.

Lewis joins the Commission after working most recently in the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Office of General Counsel. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and received his Juris Doctor from Florida State University.

Proper worked as an Associate Attorney at the law firm of Hobbs Straus Dean and Walker in Washington, DC, and as a Tribal Attorney for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. He graduated from Dartmouth University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and obtained his Juris Doctor from The University of Arizona.

“As their backgrounds demonstrate, they bring a tremendous amount and variety of experience to the Office of General Counsel and NIGC as a whole,” said NIGC General Counsel Michael Hoenig. “We are thrilled to have them on board.”

“The opportunity to welcome attorneys with a diversity of experiences broadens the NIGC legal team’s skillset and supports a resilient workforce for the future,” said Chairman E Sequoyah Simermeyer. “Their proven success will enhance the agency’s ability to serve as Indian gaming’s federal regulatory body.”