Veronique Richardson is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna. She is a first-generation college graduate, law graduate and lawyer. Her connection to culture and tradition keeps her grounded in life and in her practice of law. As such, she is naturally invested in the interests of her tribal clients and draws from her communal connection in her advocacy and legal practice.
Veronique is our newest Partner at Barnhouse Keegan Solimon & West. As part of Veronique’s legal career she has been and continues to remain committed to serving her clients, the larger Native American community as well as the local tribal communities. Her most recent achievement includes negotiating and securing a direct sales and service car dealership, Tesla, to Indian Country – where direct sales and services are otherwise prohibited in the State of New Mexico. The 35,000 sf facility is the first facility of this size on Indian lands, and was a culmination of her client’s efforts to create groundbreaking business development opportunities motivated and informed by the Tribe’s history and cultural values. Vital to this success was the Tribe’s efforts to secure a change in New Mexico’s tax laws during the 2022 30-day legislative session to recognize state tax credits for vehicles purchased on tribal lands. This legislative change not only created a new revenue stream for the Tribe by establishing its own excise tax but opens the door for all Pueblos and Tribes in New Mexico to pursue similar economic development opportunities.
Moreover, Veronique’s experience in the field of water law has lent her the opportunity to work closely with state, federal, and local agencies and governments. Her knowledge and legal advocacy will be critical as Indian water rights and uses are impacted by climate change and increased demands and dwindling supplies.
Over the past ten years of practicing law, Veronique has also gained a wealth of knowledge in handling general counsel work for tribal governments, administrative law experience in representing clients before New Mexico Tax and Revenue, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer and State Water Resources Control Board. She has also presented at several water law CLEs and was a co-presenter on a cannabis in Indian Country presentation. Veronique has also worked to restore lands back to tribes through her work on tribal land claims and land acquisitions to expand tribal land bases.
Veronique Richardson holds a JD degree and Certificate in Indian Law from the University Of New Mexico School Of Law and a BA in Ethnic Studies and Native American Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. She is an alumna of Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI) at the UNM School of Law and served as a PLSI Teaching Assistant and moot court judge. She also participated in the Summer Policy Academy as a Teaching Assistant mentoring high school seniors through intense class sessions that focus on pressing local, national and global indigenous issues hosted at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Veronique currently serves on the Fountain Valley School Board of Trustees, where she is also an alumna. She is the school’s first Native American Board of Trustee.