Michael G. Rossetti advises tribal clients regarding economic development and Indian gaming, and tribal governance issues. Mr. Rossetti also lobbies on a broad range of tribal concerns, and works on litigation matters and the settlement of Indian water rights.
Immediately prior to joining Akin Gump, Mr. Rossetti served for three years as personal counselor to the secretary of the Department of the Interior in Washington, where he assisted the secretary in formulating and implementing policies regarding Indian economic development, Indian gaming, land acquisition, law enforcement and homeland security. Among the decisions made during his tenure are the approval of the gaming compacts submitted by Indian tribes and the states of New York, Arizona, New Mexico and Wisconsin and a positive two-part determination by the secretary regarding a gaming facility proposed by the Jena Band of the Choctaw Indians in Louisiana. He also served on the federal committee charged with negotiating the implementation of regulations for certain Indian schools under the No Child Left Behind Act, a presidential educational initiative. In addition, he spearheaded the secretary’s review and implementation of department-wide law enforcement recommendations made by the inspector general, resulting in the adoption of significant departmental reform. In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, on behalf of the secretary, he coordinated the national law enforcement and security response to national July 4th celebrations on Interior lands, including on the National Mall and Mount Rushmore National Memorial and at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
In addition, Mr. Rossetti served as an assistant county attorney in Buffalo, New York, and as the executive deputy and general counsel to New York state’s Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities.
Mr. Rossetti has previously served as a chief deputy to the New York attorney general. He was appointed to act as the attorney general’s principal liaison to the National Association of Attorneys General in Washington, where he vetted New York’s involvement in multistate enforcement actions and attorney general involvement in commenting upon federal legislation. Mr. Rossetti also represented New York state in the negotiation of the national tobacco settlement of 1998. He was the principal editor of the first comprehensive manual to govern policies and practices of the approximately 500 assistant attorneys general in the office.
Prior to joining the New York attorney general’s office, Mr. Rossetti served as an assistant U.S. attorney, where he prosecuted federal criminal cases. He served as a representative of the U.S. attorney (WDNY) to the Canadian American Law Enforcement Organization, working to coordinate law enforcement activities along the northern border.
Mr. Rossetti began his legal career in private practice in Buffalo, New York, and was a name partner in another firm, where he represented businesses, not-for-profit entities and private individuals in transactional, civil and criminal matters.
Mr. Rossetti has been recognized in 2010 by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Native American law.
Mr. Rossetti received his B.A. from the University of Buffalo in 1981 and his J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1987. He is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.