David Gover (Pawnee/Choctaw) joined the Native American Rights Fund as a Staff Attorney in May of 2005. Since joining NARF’s Boulder office, David has worked in wide variety of legal arenas, including water rights, treaty rights, repatriation, Indian child welfare, and tribal trust fund matters. David currently serves as the Managing Attorney of NARF’s Colorado office and sits on the organization’s Case Selection Committee.
Prior to joining NARF, David served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and as Legislative Counsel for the Navajo Nation Council.
Education
- University of Oklahoma College of Law, J.D.
- Editor for the American Indian Law Review
- Officer for the National and OU Native American Law Student Associations
- Clerked for Hobbs, Straus, Dean and Walker.
- University of Oklahoma, B.A.
Admissions to Practice
- Various United States federal courts
- Navajo Nation
- Muscogee (Creek) Nation
- Oklahoma
- New Mexico
Publications and Presentations
- Contributing author, A Practical Guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act. (2007-2011)
- Compilation editor, Laws Affecting Indians in the State of Oklahoma. (1996, Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission)
- Presenter, Congressional Outlook for Indian Water Rights Settlements. (2013, 13th Sym. on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims. NARF and Western States Water Council)
- Presenter, Webinar: Tribal Water Codes: What are they and why are they important? (2012, National Congress of American Indians)
- Presenter, Klamath Tribal Water Rights. (2012, University of Idaho)
- Presenter, Negotiated Tribal Water Law Settlements. Oklahoma Water Law CLE. (2012)
- Moderator, Administration’s Settlement Policy Response. 12th Sym. On the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims. (2011, NARF and Western States Water Council)
- Moderator, Settlements and Groundwater. (2009, 11th Sym. on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims. NARF and Western States Water Council)
- Presenter, Assessing Tribal Water Right and Resources. (2009, Oklahoma Tribal Water Workshop)
- Presenter, Constructing Tribal Water Right Claims. (2009, Sovereignty Symposium)
- Presenter, Tribal Sovereignty, Water Quality and the Clean Water Act. (2009, CLE International – Conference on Oklahoma Water Law)
- Panelist, Just Water? Indigenous Water Rights Panel. (2009, Univ. of California, Berkeley)
- Coordinator & Presenter, Funding Tribal Water Rights Protection Efforts. (2008, NARF/ Sac & Fox Nation – Oklahoma Tribal Water Summit)
- Presenter, Water Law Review Symposium Cutting Edge Alternatives. (2008, University of Denver, Sturm College of Law)
- Lecturer, The Indian Child Welfare Act in a Nutshell (2006, Univ. of Colorado, Native American Studies)
- Editor, Navajo Nation Code (2005)
- Presenter, A Practical Guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act. (2005, National Gathering for Tribal-Federal-State Court Relations: Walking on Common Ground, Pathways to Equal Justice)
- Presenter, A Practical Guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act. (2005, National Congress of American Indians Mid-Year Meeting)
- Presenter, Tribal Water Rights: Litigation versus Negotiation. (2005, Univ. of Oklahoma, Native American Studies, Indian Law Symposium)
- Presenter, The Clean Water Act’s “Treatment as States” Policy & Issues. (2005, Muscogee
- (Creek) National Council)
- Trainer, The Navajo Nation’s Legislative Process Amendments of 2003. (2004, Navajo Nation)
- Trainer, The Navajo Nation Committee Rules of Order. (2004, Navajo Nation)
