What Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker does

Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP is a national law firm founded in 1982 and headquartered in Washington, DC, with additional offices in Portland, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Anchorage, and Syracuse. The firm specializes exclusively in Federal Indian Law, providing legal representation to over 100 tribal governments and tribal organizations nationwide across practice areas that include self-determination and self-governance (ISDEAA), Indian gaming (IGRA), Indian Health Service contract support costs, natural resources, economic development, Alaska Native issues, tribal affairs, finance, and government relations. Its client base is composed of sovereign tribal nations and their governmental entities, with engagements spanning litigation, regulatory advocacy, compact negotiation, transactional finance, and legislative drafting.

The firm does not develop technology products; its core offering is legal services delivered by approximately 50 attorneys and professionals with decades of domain specialization. Many of the firm's founding partners were architects of foundational Indian law statutes, and the firm has filed over 25 U.S. Supreme Court amicus curiae briefs, including the first ABA position on a Federal Indian Law case (Haaland v. Brackeen, 2022), and secured recent Supreme Court victory in Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe (2024). Marketing channels center on a free weekly General Memoranda newsletter, professional referrals, and industry conferences (Indian Gaming Association, ABA, National Indian Health Board).

The revenue model is professional services billing on billable hours, with pricing quote-based and not publicly disclosed; published salary ranges suggest a mid-market compensation structure (mid-level associates $145K-$155K, senior advisor $80K-$100K). Customer acquisition is sales-led, driven by long-tenured tribal relationships, some exceeding 25 years, and referral network within Indian Country. The firm is independently owned as an LLP with no parent company or external investors.

Name

Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker

Legal name

Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP

Website

https://hobbsstraus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP is a national Federal Indian Law firm founded in 1982, serving over 100 tribal governments across practice areas including self-determination, gaming, healthcare, natural resources, and economic development, with six offices and approximately 50 attorneys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Full-service law firm providing comprehensive legal representation to tribal governments and tribal organizations across all aspects of Federal Indian Law, including litigation, legislative advocacy, regulatory compliance, gaming, healthcare, natural resources, economic development, and self-determination/self-governance matters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP is a national law firm that provides comprehensive legal representation to tribal governments and tribal organizations across all aspects of Federal Indian Law. The firm's core offerings include litigation, negotiation, legislative advocacy, and regulatory counsel organized into practice areas such as Self-Determination and Self-Governance, Indian Gaming, Tribal Affairs, Economic Development, Natural Resources, Alaska Native Issues, Programs and Services, and Government Relations.

Product overview

Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP is a national law firm specializing in Federal Indian Law, founded in 1982 and celebrating 40 years of service. The firm does not offer a technology product; its offerings consist of legal services organized into practice areas, supplemented by a free General Memoranda newsletter service covering federal developments impacting Indian Country. The core offering is legal representation for tribal governments across multiple specialized practice areas including Self-Determination & Self-Governance, Indian Gaming, Tribal Affairs, Economic Development, Natural Resources, Alaska Native Issues, Programs & Services, Government Relations & Legislative Advocacy, and Finance. These practice areas operate as distinct but interconnected service lines, with some attorneys practicing across multiple areas to serve clients holistically.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Federal Indian Law Legal Services
• Self-Determination and Self-Governance Practice
• Indian Gaming Practice
• Tribal Affairs Practice
• Economic Development Practice
• Natural Resources Practice
• Alaska Native Issues Practice
• Programs and Services Practice
• Government Relations and Legislative Advocacy
• Finance Practice

Quantifiable outcome

• Recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements for tribal clients from Indian Health Service on Contract Support Cost claims
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Bar Association (ABA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2022Hobbs Straus attorneys collaborated with the ABA's Native American Concerns Committee and ABA Center on Children and the Law to coauthor an amicus curiae brief in Haaland v. Brackeen, the first occasion the ABA has taken a position in a case before the Supreme Court concerning Federal Indian Law Issues. Partners Geoff Strommer, Caroline Mayhew, Katie Klass, Gregory Smith, and Rick Frye participated.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman: Large full-service firm with a Tribal Law practice representing tribes on energy, infrastructure, and finance transactions. Competes with Hobbs Straus on complex tribal financings and federal Indian law matters.
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Global law firm with a substantial Federal Indian Law practice representing tribes on gaming, energy, and government contracting. Competes with Hobbs Straus for high-stakes tribal matters while providing broader transactional capabilities.
• Dentons: Global mega-firm that acquired Fredericks Peebles & Morgan in 2023, instantly creating one of the largest Federal Indian Law practices. Directly competes with Hobbs Straus for premium tribal engagements while offering unmatched geographic and practice breadth.
• Greenberg Traurig: Major global firm with a Native American Law practice serving tribes and tribal enterprises on gaming, economic development, and government contracts. Overlaps with Hobbs Straus on large tribal financings and commercial matters.
• Holland & Hart: Large full-service firm with a recognized Native American Law practice serving tribal clients in the West. Competes with Hobbs Straus on tribal energy, natural resources, and gaming matters while offering broader corporate and litigation capabilities.

Others

• Native American Rights Fund (NARF): National nonprofit legal organization dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes. Comparable to Hobbs Straus in Federal Indian Law subject matter expertise, but operates as a nonprofit advocacy organization rather than a fee-for-service law firm.

Direct peers

• Kanji & Katzen: Native American and Alaska Native law firm representing tribes, tribal organizations, and ANCSA corporations. Closely comparable to Hobbs Straus in serving Alaska Native and lower-48 tribal clients with similar practice areas including self-determination and gaming.
• Ziontz Chestnut: Seattle-based law firm with a nationally recognized practice in Federal Indian Law, focusing on tribal governance, natural resources, gaming, and economic development. Directly competes with Hobbs Straus for tribal government and tribal enterprise representation.
• Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry: Long-established national law firm specializing in Federal Indian Law, with practice areas directly overlapping Hobbs Straus's self-determination, gaming, and tribal sovereignty work. Both firms are among the most prominent dedicated Indian law practices in the U.S.

Emerging players

• Drummond Woodsum: Regional New England firm with a growing Indian law practice representing tribes in Maine and nationally. Smaller Indian law bench than Hobbs Straus but offers general-practice capabilities as a regional alternative for tribal clients seeking local counsel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hobbsstraus
• Facebookfacebook.com/hobbs.straus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker