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Law Firm Forms Indian Gaming Law Group

SOUTHFIELD, Michigan – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Raymond & Prokop P.C., a full- service law practice with nearly 60 years of service to Michigan clients, announced the formation of its Indian Gaming and Law Industry Group. The industry group will focus on serving Native American tribes across the country with a complete portfolio of legal services.

In conjunction with the industry group launch, Raymond & Prokop announced the appointment of Paul W. Shagen, former Senior Staff attorney for Gaming Operations for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, as co-chair of the new Indian Gaming and Law Industry Group along with firm principal Thomas J. Kenny.

"Paul's vast experience as counsel for the Sault Tribe and his long-term service as a tribal council member will provide great insight into how to best serve the needs of tribal leadership across the country," said Raymond & Prokop Managing Partner Robert H. Schwartz. "I am confident with Paul's expertise, and the firm's already impressive history, that we'll be able to provide some of the most astute and experienced counsel any firm in the country can offer its clients."

The Raymond & Prokop Indian Gaming and Law Industry Group will focus on providing high level counsel on casino gaming and tribal tax issues, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, land acquisition, health care, commercial litigation, technology and governmental relations to tribal clients.

Shagen, who will be based in Raymond & Prokop's northern Michigan offices in Sault Ste. Marie, is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, one of the largest in the United States with a membership of over 32,000. He served as senior staff attorney for gaming operations for the tribe since 2002 and previously provided legal representation for the tribe's government programs, charter schools and 21 non-gaming businesses. He was first elected to the Sault Tribe Board of Directors in 1998 and was again elected to the board of directors in 2003. Shagen is a graduate of the University of New Mexico law school and holds a B.S. in Political Science from Lake Superior State University.

Kenny, who has been with Raymond & Prokop since 1987, acted as chief tax counsel for the 12 federally recognized Michigan Indian tribes in the historic Tribal-State Tax Compact, which was entered into with the State of Michigan in December of 2002. The Tax Compact defined the obligations of the tribe and State of Michigan in the administration and collection of sales, use, income, motor fuel, tobacco and corporate tax in Indian country. He was previously employed by the Department of the Attorney General, State of Michigan from 1980-1987, where he acted as legal counsel to the Department of Treasury in all matters pertaining to the administration of state taxes.

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