Michael G. Rossetti

Mr. Rossetti, the firm's Government & Corporate Investigations Practice Team Co-Leader and Indian Law Practice Team Co-Leader, focuses on advising tribal clients on economic development and Indian gaming, tribal governance matters, litigation matters, and the settlement of Indian water rights.  He also lobbies on a broad range of tribal concerns, and advises clients on land use and other issues before the Department of the Interior, including the Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service.  Additionally, Mr. Rossetti advises clients regarding state attorneys general issues and federal investigations. 

Prior to joining Lippes Mathias, Mr. Rossetti was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in Washington, D.C. 

Mr. Rossetti previously 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 were the approval of the gaming compacts submitted by Indian tribes in 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, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

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.