April Olson has served tribal governments for over 20 years, first as a social worker and now as an attorney and judge. April is a partner with Rothstein Donatelli LLP and practices almost exclusively in the field of Indian law. April has served as Chief Judge of the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation ("TDN") Tribal Court since 2020. The TDN Tribal Court handles a variety of civil matters, including, but not limited to: child welfare, domestic relations (dissolution and custody), unlawful detainers, civil cases, and domestic violence protection orders. April also serves as a conflict or coverage judge for two other tribes, is an Appellate Justice for the Hualapai Nation, and an Appellate Justice for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
Presenting in the following sessions:
Nov 12, 2025
2:00-4:00 pm
Pre-Conference Session
2 MCLE
ICWA Pre-Conference CLE Event
In-Person ONLY, Walk-ins Welcome
The activity is approved for 2.0 hours of California MCLE participatory credit, including 1.0 hour of general credit and 1.0 hour in Recognition and Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession and Society. MCLE Credit provided by California Tribal Families Coalition (CTFC)
Presenting in the following sessions:
Nov 13, 2025
3:15-4:30 PM
Session 4
1.25 MCLE
Jurisdictional Disputes and Family Law
Lenny Powell, Kendra Martinez, LaTonia Johnson, and April Olson will address the complex topic of tribal court jurisdiction over custody disputes, divorces, and child dependency cases. They will examine relevant ongoing cases, such as Tix v. Tix, discuss when to seek outside counsel from those who have experience in both family law and tribal jurisdiction, and more.
Presenting in the following sessions:
Nov 14, 2025
12:45-1:45 PM
Session 7A
1 MCLE
Ethical Challenges for In-House Counsel
This two-part session will explore the complex and often novel ethical challenges attorneys face when serving as in-house counsel to Tribal governments, with particular attention to Tribal courts, many of which operate with lay judges and customary legal traditions. Roshanna Toya, Lauren van Schilfgaarde, and April Olson will first address key ethical obligations under the California Rules of Professional Conduct (CRPC), the State Bar Act, and relevant case law, ethics opinions, and the ABA Model Rules. In the second hour, they'll apply these rules in practice through a series of interactive, hypothetical scenarios.
Presenting in the following sessions:
Nov 14, 2025
2:15-3:15 PM
Session 7B
1 MCLE
Ethical Challenges for In-House Counsel
This two-part session will explore the complex and often novel ethical challenges attorneys face when serving as in-house counsel to Tribal governments, with particular attention to Tribal courts, many of which operate with lay judges and customary legal traditions. Roshanna Toya, Lauren van Schilfgaarde, and April Olson will first address key ethical obligations under the California Rules of Professional Conduct (CRPC), the State Bar Act, and relevant case law, ethics opinions, and the ABA Model Rules. In the second hour, they'll apply these rules in practice through a series of interactive, hypothetical scenarios.
