2006 GREAT WOMEN OF GAMING
Proven leader
Heidi McNeil Staudenmaier
Partner
Snell & Wilmer, LLP
"Education and perseverance are important in the gaming industry, as they are in any industry. The more formal education you can obtain to help bolster your résumé, the more valuable and impressive. However, education need not only be in the form of academics, but also education through 'on the job training' and 'being in the line of fire' is also invaluable from an experience perspective," McNeil Staudenmaier said.
Named as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" (2005-2007), McNeil Staudenmaier has extensive experience in the gaming industry, as she has represented clients from gaming, taxation, insurance, and labor factions regarding tribes and tribal affiliations.
McNeil Staudenmaier's experience and education has allowed her to drive forward. She noted: "Perseverance is extremely critical, and a willingness to go beyond the call of duty. I've never forgotten a phrase passed on to me by a junior high teacher over 35 years ago: 'If you think you can, you CAN. If you think you can't, you're RIGHT. Success comes in cans....not nots.' These words have served me well through the years."
Robert Stocker, vice president of the International Masters of Gaming Law, has worked alongside McNeil Staudenmaier, commented on her strengths: "Heidi's contributions to the gaming industry have been magnificent over an extended period of time. She has been one of the most prolific writers on gaming issues relating to Native Americans of anyone in the country."
Having served as the president of the International Masters of Gaming Law (2003), McNeil Staudenmaier has arranged and settled management agreements for tribal enterprises, as well as providing assistance in transactions with the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, and state gaming organizations.
However, McNeil Staudenmaier acknowledges her field, traditionally dominated by men, is beginning to pique the greater interest of women. She explained that when she joined her firm in 1985, there was only one other woman who worked alongside her. Recently, the firm established the Mary Leader Women in Leadership Program in her honor. "Mary broke many barriers and I admire what she did in laying the groundwork. I am inspired to seek and do the same for the other young women who now join my firm, and hope their future continues to get brighter and brighter."
McNeil Staudenmaier recognizes the challenges many career-minded women face. As a mother of two, she is grateful that she has
a supportive husband who shares child-rearing responsibilities. She clarified: "Notwithstanding the importance of one's career, it is my view that family should always come first. The critical key to finding the proper balance is organization and prioritization. I have posted both at my computer terminal at work, and my bathroom mirror at home, the following reminder to constantly keep me in balance: 'At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend, a parent.'"
McNeil Staudenmaier's experience spans service for the Supreme Court of Arizona, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits, and various tribal courts.
McNeil Staudenmaier has numerous publications and presentations, which most recently include: "Native American Gaming Overview" at CasinoFest 2, "The Intersection of Corporate America and Indian Country," at the Tenth Annual National Institute on Gaming Law, and "Recent Court Rulings Threaten Survival of Tribal Sovereignty," Casino Lawyer, Spring 2007. McNeil Staudenmaier was also honored with the First American Leadership Award from the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.
McNeil Staudenmaier hopes to inspire other women within the industry, noting: "The industry needs to continue making diversity a top priority—keep it front and center, in everyone's face. Sooner or later, the message will sink in, from top to bottom. But the status quo will not change unless those at the top of the leadership rung are willing to embrace the message. Fortunately, that is (slowly, but surely) changing as more and more women move into leadership positions and seek to promote other deserving women."
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