Jason Travis Hauter

Jason co-heads Akin’s American Indian law and policy practice. He primarily represents Indian tribes and tribally owned enterprises, advising on federal policy, Indian water rights, Indian gaming, land into trust, economic development and environmental regulation.

Before his current role, Jason spent eight years as in-house counsel for the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, of which he is a member. His work for the community covered economic development, construction, labor and Indian employment preference, taxation and internal policy. He also represented the Wild Horse Pass Development Authority, the tribal enterprise responsible for managing the community’s nongaming hospitality and entertainment venues.

• J.D., University of New Mexico School of Law, 2002

• B.A., University of Washington, 1999

• Arizona

• District of Columbia

• Chambers USA, Native American Law, 2021-2026.
• The Legal 500 US, Native American Law, 2025.
• Diversity Journal, Native American Indigenous Leaders Worth Watching, 2021.

• Speaker, “Maximizing the Value of Water Supplies from a Tribal Point of View,” Tribal Water Law in California Conference, November 12 and 13, 2015.
• Speaker, “Water as a Revenue Source: Innovative Approaches to Marketing Indian Water,” Second Annual Comprehensive Two-Day Conference on Tribal Water in the Southwest—New Legal and Regulatory Developments, Challenges and Opportunities, January 15 and 16, 2015.
• Speaker, “Land Buy-Back Strategies & Negotiating the Fee-to-Trust Process,” Native American Finance Officers Association Fall Finance & Tribal Economies Conference, September 22 and 23, 2014.