BUFFALO, N.Y. – Lee M. Redeye, Counsel at Lippes Mathias, spoke to lawyering seminar students at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. Held virtually, the conversation centered on the current struggles of indigenous people in the United States with an emphasis on prevalent social justice issues such as the stealing of indigenous lands in New York, sovereignty issues, policing on reservations, environmental degradation, gentrification, and more. After learning of the students’ interest in founding an indigenous rights clinic at the CUNY School of Law, Lee provided the students with detailed insight into his experience as the founder of his own Native American Legal Assistance Clinic assisting low-income Native Americans in the Western New York.

Lee focuses his practice on Indian law and commercial litigation matters. Lee has advised Tribes, and Tribal entities, in a wide range of matters from Treaty rights to corporate matters. He is a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians where he previously served as Chairman of the Board for the Nation’s economic development corporation, Chairman of the Board for the Constitution and Law Reform Subcommittee, a Peacemaker’s Court clerk, a Tribal Law Advocate, and a Law Clerk in the Department of Law. Lee has also been actively engaged in the Native American community. He started the Native American Legal Assistance Clinic to assist low-income Native Americans in the Western New York region. Lee received two awards for his work in starting the Native American Legal Assistance Clinic from the Erie County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Lippes Mathias is a full-service law firm with more than 130 attorneys serving clients regionally, nationally, and internationally. With offices in Buffalo, Albany and New York, N.Y.; Greater Toronto Area; Chicago, Ill.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Washington, D.C., the firm represents publicly and privately-owned companies, private equity and venture capital firms, real estate developers, financial institutions, municipalities, governmental entities, and individuals.