1420 Fifth Avenue Suite 3700, Seattle, WA USA 98101
Bree Black Horse is an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and she focuses her practice on Native American affairs and litigation. Bree advises Tribal governments on all aspects of federal, state and tribal law, including tribal sovereignty, economic development, treaty rights, and complex Indian country litigation.
Prior to joining the firm, Bree represented individual, governmental, and corporate clients in tribal, state, and federal trial and appellate courts. She gained experience in a wide range of cases including criminal and civil proceedings involving civil rights, personal injury, property, employment, environmental, family and business law. Previously, Bree served as a law clerk to the Honorable Brian M. Morris in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana in Great Falls, Montana.
While attending law school, Bree was a Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of the American Indian Law Journal and President of the Native American Law Students Association. She worked as a Youth Advocate and Case Manager for United Indians of All Tribes Foundation where she worked with formerly homeless young adults in transitional housing to achieve their professional and educational goals. Bree also served as a judicial extern to Chief Judge Theresa M. Pouley in the Tulalip Tribal Court and as a legal clerk in of the Office of Tribal Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
The Yakima Herald featured Bree as one of its “39 Under 39” for 2022 based on her advocacy work in the Indigenous community. She was also recognized in 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" for Native American Law by The Best Lawyers in America®. Bree was recognized as a Washington “Rising Star” in 2023 and the five years immediately preceding for Native American Law by Super Lawyers magazine. In 2023, the Puget Sound Business Journal named Bree in its "Next Generation in Law" spotlight as a next generation leader in her field. Bree was named as Chapter Member of the Year in 2022 by Washington Women Lawyers. She is a 2019 recipient of the Public Service and Leadership Award from the Washington Young Lawyers Committee of the Washington State Bar Association. The National Center for American Indian Economic Development recognized Bree with its “40 Under 40” Award in 2016.
Experience
Represents Indian tribe in Washington State in ongoing treaty fishing rights litigation (United States v. Washington).
Represents Indian tribe in Washington State in ongoing federal treaty hunting and gathering rights litigation.
Serves as attorney for tribal IV-D child support program in Washington State assisting with all aspects of tribal court litigation, program administration, as well as matters regarding federal and state policy issues.
Provides on-going general counsel services to an Indian tribe in Washington State.
Insights View All
Publication
Publication
Seattle University School of Law J.D. (2013) Douglas R. Nash Native American Law Scholar
Seattle Pacific University B.A. (2010) Political Science and Government
Washington (2014)
Chehalis Tribal Court
Hoopa Valley Tribal Court
Hualapai Tribal Court
Muckleshoot Tribal Court
Nisqually Tribal Court
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal Court
Quinault Tribal Court
Spirit Lake Tribal Court
Tulalip Tribal Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
U.S. Supreme Court
Yakama Nation Tribal Court
U.S. District Court for the District of Montana - Honorable Brian M. Morris (Aug 2014-Jul 2015)
ACLU-WA Board of Directors, Member
Eastern District of Washington Federal Bar Association Board, Officer
LSAC Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars, Program Director (2023)
Washington State Bar Association, Indian Law Section, Chair
Washington Women Lawyers, Yakima Chapter, President
Northwest Harvest Board of Directors, Member
Disclaimer
While we are pleased to have you contact us by telephone, surface mail, electronic mail, or by facsimile transmission, contacting Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP or any of its attorneys does not create an attorney-client relationship. The formation of an attorney-client relationship requires consideration of multiple factors, including possible conflicts of interest. An attorney-client relationship is formed only when both you and the Firm have agreed to proceed with a defined engagement.
DO NOT CONVEY TO US ANY INFORMATION YOU REGARD AS CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL A FORMAL CLIENT-ATTORNEY RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
If you do convey information, you recognize that we may review and disclose the information, and you agree that even if you regard the information as highly confidential and even if it is transmitted in a good faith effort to retain us, such a review does not preclude us from representing another client directly adverse to you, even in a matter where that information could be used against you.
