Lisa M. DeCora
Anchorage, Alaska
ldecora@bigfirelaw.com
TRIBAL AFFILIATION
Enrolled Member Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Community & Environmental Planning, University of Washington (B.A. 1996)
Master of Public Administration, University of Washington (M.P.A. 2000)
Juris Doctor, University of Washington (J.D. 2000)
BAR ADMISSIONS
Alaska; Nebraska; Washington; Winnebago Tribal Court
PRIOR LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Corporate Counsel, Bering Straits Native Corporation (2020-2021); Senior Attorney, Big Fire Law & Policy Group (2019-2020); Attorney, Office of the Regional Solicitor-Alaska, U.S. Department of the Interior (2015-2019); Assistant Regional Counsel, Office of the General Counsel-Region 10, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2001-2009)
ASSOCIATIONS AND HONORS
Alaska State Bar Association; Alaska State Bar Association Alaska Native Law Section; Nebraska State Bar Association; Nebraska State Bar Association Indian Law Section; Northwest Indian Bar Association; Washington State Bar Association; Washington State Bar Association Indian Law Section; Washington State Bar Association Board of Bar Examiners; Super Lawyers Rising Star 2006 and 2009
PRACTICE AREAS
Ms. DeCora served 18 years at the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Indian Health Service. During her tenure at DOI, Ms. DeCora focused on Native Allotment issues, including land-into-trust, trespass, easements, leasing, probate, environmental contamination, rights-of-way, and title opinions; Indian Reorganization Act constitutions and bylaw and Section 17 corporations; and Secretarial elections, including tribal governance and leadership disputes. At HHS, Ms. DeCora worked on tribal self-governance compacts/contracts; contract support cost litigation; federal health care law, including privacy and security issues; compliance with Medicare and Medicaid programs, and Tribal Head Start and Child Support Enforcement. Ms. DeCora has extensive experience with federal regulations, departmental policies, legislative research, and regulatory compliance.
Currently, Ms. DeCora serves Tribes, Tribal entities, and Tribal members in the legal areas of tribal elections, enrollment, personnel, tribal code development, probate, contracts, and regulatory compliance.
Ms. DeCora has experience with many administrative boards including the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, Departmental Appeals Board (now Medicare Appeals Council Review), and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
