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Hilary Tompkins

Hilary C. Thomkins, currently serves as Board Member of Conservation Lands Foundation and previously served as the first Native American Solicitor for the U.S. Department of the Interior from 2009 to 2017.

About Me

Hilary Tompkins has expansive experience in natural resources and environmental law at the highest levels of government. Most recently, she served in the presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed position of Solicitor for the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) – the agency responsible for the management and conservation of public lands, natural and wildlife resource programs, and the trustee for Native American tribes.

Hilary oversaw litigation in support of Interior decisions, including cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, and issued landmark legal opinions. Her accomplishments include development of legal reforms following Deepwater Horizon, the successful defense of the first renewables on public lands, and resolving complex disputes involving multi-stakeholder projects under the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, among other statutes. Interior clients included the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

Hilary is also a leader in federal Indian law, where she led the historic settlement of the largest class action lawsuit in U.S. history – the Cobell tribal trust litigation. She is well-versed in Indian gaming, treaty rights, tribal trust land, water rights, and tribal sovereign immunity. Hilary also has experience advancing economic development projects in Indian country.

Before serving as DOI Solicitor, Hilary was counsel to New Mexico's governor, acting as his chief legal adviser on all matters from appointment of judges and interpretation of constitutional authority to enactment of legislative initiatives. She was also a special assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York. Hilary began her legal career as an Honors Program Trial Attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she handled civil prosecutions in environmental cases nationwide.

Hilary is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.

Hilary was recently appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for Dartmouth College.

Recent activity

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    Hilary Tompkins donated via Edward Norton 2023-01-18 09:48:08 -0700
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    Hilary Tompkins donated via Edward Norton 2022-01-10 06:30:09 -0700
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    Hilary Tompkins donated via Edward Norton 2021-12-30 18:39:00 -0700
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    Hilary Tompkins donated 2020-12-09 05:53:47 -0700
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    Hilary Tompkins rsvped for 2018_2_11_Washington DC Dinner 2018-07-27 17:43:25 -0600
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    Hilary Tompkins attended 2018_2_11_Washington DC Dinner 2018-07-27 17:43:25 -0600