Pilar Thomas (Pascua Yaqui) is a partner in Quarles & Brady's Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Practice Group. She focuses her practice on tribal renewable energy project development and finance, tribal economic development, federal Indian Law, and natural resource development. Pilar assists clients with strategic legal advice on tribal energy policy and planning clean energy and infrastructure project development and finance federal and state energy regulatory, programs, and policy efforts and federal requirements for tribal lands development. She serves as general counsel for several tribes, Section 17 and tribal business entities. Pilar previously served as the Deputy Director for the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the US Department of Energy, where she was responsible for developing and implementing policy and program efforts within the department and federal government to promote energy development, electrification, and infrastructure improvement on tribal lands. She also is the former Deputy Solicitor of Indian Affairs for the US Department of the Interior, where she advised the Secretary, Assistant-Secretary for Indian Affairs, and other Department officials on matters related to tribes, tribal law, and federal Indian law. Ms. Thomas was Of Counsel at Lewis Roca, representing tribes on gaming and economic development matters. She also served as the Interim Attorney General and Chief of Staff for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and was a trial attorney in the US Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Indian Resources Section. Pilar serves on the NABA-AZ Board and is a past President and Secretary. She also serves on the boards for GRID Alternatives and the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law. She previously served as the Chair and Vice-Chair at large for the ABA Section on Energy, Environment and Resources Native American Resources Committee. In her spare time, Pilar teaches Indian Energy Law at both the Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law and the University of Arizona James Rogers School of Law (but not at the same time). She received her J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law, magna cum laude, with a certificate in Indian Law, and her B.A. in Economics from Stanford University.
Work Phone:
(520) 770-8744
Email:
pilar.thomas@quarles.com
EPA Region:
Region 9 - (AZ, CA, HI, NV, and certain territories)
Year of induction:
2024
Degrees:
B.A. Economics - Stanford University (1983)
J.D. - University of New Mexico (2002)
Admissions:
AZ
Court Admissions:
U.S. District of Arizona
U.S. District of District of Columbia
Federal Court of Claims
4th Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit Court of Appeals
D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
Professional Societies and Organizations:
Foundation on Natural Resources and Energy Law
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Energy Bar Association
National Native American Bar Association
Native American Bar Association of AZ