Michael-Corey Hinton

Practice Areas

Corey Hinton, Leader of the firm’s Tribal Nations Practice Group, advises Tribal Nations, Tribe-owned entities, and entities that interface with Tribes on federal Indian law and policy, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, employment matters, economic development, environmental and natural resource issues, and the fee-to-trust process. A citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe (Sipayik), Corey draws from a uniquely deep well of experience to deliver significant value to his clients.

Corey has substantial experience with the commercial, transactional, and resource management issues related to natural resources – including Tribal and non-Tribal owned Improved Forest Management (IFM) carbon offset projects. In 2016, he assisted the Passamaquoddy Tribe to establish an IFM that was recognized in California for removing 3.8 million tons of greenhouse gases in furtherance of California’s “cap-and-trade” program.

Corey has represented clients before a variety of federal administrative agencies including Indian Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of the Interior (including National Indian Gaming Commission, Office of Indian Gaming, Bureau of Indian Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation). Corey also regularly represents clients in government-building, ethics and employment policies, negotiation and administration of Public Law 93-638 programs, and real estate transactions.

A separate focus of Corey’s work is with non-profit entities that serve indigenous, socially-disadvantaged, and under privileged communities. Corey advises non-profit clients on a wide range of subjects including strategic planning, internal governance issues, employment matters, fundraising, programmatic development, and transactional issues.

Prior to joining Drummond Woodsum, Corey spent time at the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. He is the former president of the Native American Bar Association of Washington, D.C. He’s also a former Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse team member.

Professional Memberships

-Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik

-Washington, D.C. Bar Association

Publications

-Symposium Keynote: “Isolation and Restraint: Maine’s Unique Status Outside Federal Indian Law”, 75 Me. L. Rev. 226 (2023)

-Eli-Tpitahatomek Tpaskuwakonol Waponahkik (How We, Native People, Reflect on the Law in the Dawnland), 74 Me. L. Rev. 209 (2022)

-Co-Author, Supreme Court 2015 Term in Review: Indian Law Cases (2016)

Expert in these Jurisdictions

-Arizona

-Maine

-Penobscot Nation Tribal Court

-U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Awards

Education