Kaighn Smith, Jr.

Kaighn Smith, Jr. is an attorney at Drummond Woodsum in Portland, Maine, who represents Tribal Nations and their enterprises in tribal, federal, and state courts and before federal administrative agencies. His practice includes Tribal Nations Law, litigation, appellate matters, labor and employment, environmental and natural resources issues, and business and commercial disputes. He has worked for more than 30 years on matters involving tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, gaming, labor and employment, land-in-trust issues, and environmental matters.

Kaighn earned a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law in 1986, an M. Phil. with honors from the University of Sussex in 1983, and a B.S., Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California Berkeley in 1979. He later clerked for Judge Frank M. Coffin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Justice Louis Scolnik of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Kaighn has handled disputes involving jurisdiction, gaming, labor and employment relations, land-in-trust issues, and environmental matters. He represented the National Congress of American Indians and other inter-tribal organizations as amici curiae before the U.S. Supreme Court in litigation concerning COVID-19 relief funds for tribal governments. He also represented the Penobscot Nation for 12 years in federal court litigation involving reservation hunting and fishing rights in the Penobscot River.

Kaighn Smith, Jr. teaches federal Indian law as an adjunct professor, publishes in peer-reviewed law journals, and speaks at national conferences. He is the author of Labor and Employment Law in Indian Country, published with the Native American Rights Fund. His practice combines litigation, appellate advocacy, regulatory work, and scholarship in matters affecting tribal sovereignty, governmental authority, employment regulation, and the rights and interests of Tribal Nations and their enterprises.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Drummond Woodsum
• Member, Maine State Bar Association
• Member, American Law Institute (2007-Present)
• Member, Maine Bar Foundation (2005-Present)
• Editorial Advisory Committee, Maine Bar Journal (1989-2001)
• Senior Attorney, Edward T. Ginoux Inns of Court (1999-2001)
• Chair, Portland Public Library Executive Director Search Committee (2005)
• Alpine Patroller, National Ski Patrol, Sugarloaf Mountain (1998-2010)
• Member, Portland Public Library Board of Trustees (2003-2010)

Licensed State

• Maine

Education

• University of Maine School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Sussex
  M. Phil.
• University of California Berkeley
  Bachelor of Science (BS)

Awards & Badges