IN SERVICE | Ho-Chunk attorney Samantha Skenandore on tribal law and sovereignty

Samantha Skenandore once planned to be a veterinarian. Today, she is a founding partner at Madison, Wisc.-based Skenandore Wilson LLP, specializing in tribal law and governance. 

A member of the Ho-Chunk Nation (also enrolled with the Oneida Nation), she found her path to law through an unexpected route: working with Ho-Chunk tribal elders in the nation’s cultural resources division after graduating from the University of Wisconsin. When a bottling company threatened a sacred spring site, she saw firsthand how legal advocacy could protect tribal sovereignty and cultural resources. 

She earned her law degree from University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2005 and clerked at the U.S. Department of Justice. Since then, she has advised dozens of tribal and corporate clients on governance, economic development, labor law and cultural‑resources protections. 

Skenadore fostered and later adopted three daughters, while building her legal career as a single mother. She spoke with Tribal Business News about access to legal services, the importance of learning from other tribal nations and why she tells young professionals: “You can be anywhere you want to be.” 

The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What drew you to working in professional services, and how did you find your way into this role? 

Originally I wanted to go to vet school. I thought I could work with kids in behavioral sciences, maybe be a counselor, or work in law in private practice or for my tribe as an in-house attorney. I finished my degree at the University of Wisconsin, and luckily landed a job in the Historical Preservation Department of the Ho-Chunk Nation, in the Cultural Resources Division—a group of mostly elders working to protect sacred sites and the language.

While I was there, a watchdog nonprofit called the tribe about the Perrier Bottling Company, which had support from the governor to open on a sacred spring site. I learned from the attorneys, tribal council, and elders how to stand firm and fight it. After that… I realized I had enough to take the LSAT and go to law school, to advocate for not just Ho-Chunk, but other tribes… because therein lies my real passion.

Why do tribes, tribal enterprises, or Native entrepreneurs hire you? What do they expect from someone in your field? 

What I do is help them figure out their goals, and then translate those goals into action and results. It is really about getting outcomes that matter to them.

Can you share one project or client experience you’re especially proud of — what did it involve, and why was it important for the client or community? 

I do pro bono work on domestic violence — I've done dozens of cases throughout Indian Country and state courts. I'm very proud of the work and how the outcomes have affected children in particular. I will say, if I could pinpoint a recent thing I am proud of — I joined the board of Bioneers, a nonprofit focusing on social change. They hired me to come up with a legal toolkit for tribes to pass rights of nature laws, which are in the avenue of tribal sovereignty.

What are the biggest challenges you see Native communities facing in your area of expertise?

I think one of the biggest challenges is access—access to legal resources, access to advocacy, and just navigating systems that weren’t built for Native communities… figuring out how to bridge that gap and make sure people have the tools and support they need.

What’s the secret to hiring Native professionals in your industry — what should tribes or entrepreneurs look for? 

I can't understate the importance of conferencing and togetherness and sharing, and that's how we learn. We still have the same ways of doing business that we did 30,000 years ago - they have just changed a little bit. People need to go, listen and ask questions - learn from other nations and look through some other lenses and perspectives.

What advice do you have for individuals looking to enter the industry?

I'm no tribal leader—I'm just the help. But from the help’s perspective, I would say: stay active. You can be the help, you can be a leader, or you can be somewhere in between. Maybe you're on the school board, or maybe you're working with youth—autistic kids or kids with special needs—and helping lift them up. All of these contributions make our communities stronger when youth can find their pathway within the vast fabric of our kinship and tribal communities. And I think that's a beautiful thing.

So my advice is this: know that you belong, and there are spaces for you everywhere. Don’t ever let anyone convince you otherwise. You can be anywhere you want to be, and I truly believe that. And if you don’t think it’s true, call me — I’ll help you get there.

In Service is a new recurring series that highlights Native executives in professional services — law, banking, accounting, insurance, consulting and related fields — who work with tribes, tribal enterprises and Indigenous entrepreneurs. Know someone who should be featured? Contact [email protected].