PHONE: 360.220.1519
EMAIL: heather@erblawfirm.com
WEBSITE: www.erblawfirm.com
PO Box 5918
Bellingham, WA 98229
Education
- Florida State University College of Law, J.D., 2004
Staff editor, Journal of Land Use & Environmental Law Staff editor, Journal of Transnational Law and Policy - University of West Florida, B.A. English, magna cum laude, 1999
BAR ADMISSION
Washington
Florida (inactive)
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
- Washington State Bar Association Indian Law Section
- Washington State Bar Association Health Law Section
- Whatcom County Bar Association
Heather M. Erb | Owner
Heather Erb proudly serves nonprofit organizations, tribal governments and other organizations in the areas of health care, public health, emergency preparedness, government relations, corporate governance, 501(c)(3) formation and maintenance, contract drafting and negotiation, and code/ordinance development. She has been practicing law for the last eighteen years.
Currently, in her representation of the American Indian Health Commission, Heather has co-drafted legislation that addresses American Indian and Alaska Native health in Washington state including the Washington Indian Health Improvement Act, SB 6259. She also provides legal representation for the Commission regarding tribal public health law, the implementation of the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Car Act, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, and statewide Medicaid transformation efforts. Her areas of concentration include drafting cross jurisdictional public health emergency preparedness guidance and mutual aid agreements; developing public health data sharing agreements with state governments and university research institutions; drafting proposed revisions to Washington state legislation and administrative codes; drafting model tribal public health codes and policies; and revising state agency consultation policies.
In the early years of her career, Heather gained considerable litigation experience as an assistant state attorney, conducting over thirty-five jury trials including capital crimes.
Related Employment/Clients
- American Indian Health Commission, 2012-Present
- Olympic Community of Health
- Upstream USA
- Lummi Nation, Staff Attorney, 2007-2012
- Office of the State Attorney, 10th Judicial Circuit, Assistant State Attorney, 2004-2007
- Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Law Clerk, 2002-2004
- Bay Area Legal Services, Public Service Fellow, 2002
Community Involvement
- Alliance for Healthy Washington, Board Member, 2018-Present
- Wayfind Volunteer, 2014-Present
- City Club Bellingham Program Committee 2019-Present
- Sehome High School Mock Trial Coach 2008-2011
- Law Advocates Street Law Program, 2008-2009
- Washington Bar Association Pro Bono Public Service Commendation, 2008
Selected Presentations
“Employer Mandated Vaccination,” American Indian Health Commission Tribal COVID-19 Vaccine Readiness Planning Meeting, January 21, 2021.
“Sovereignty and Solidarity: Tribes and Urban Indian Programs Respond to COVID-19,” Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, October 12, 2020.
“Determining Tribal vs. State Civil Jurisdiction,” Governor’s Indian Health Advisory Council, August 13, 2020.
“Isolation and Quarantine Readiness for Tribes Continuing Legal Education Seminar,” American Indian Health Commission, April 17, 2020.
“Tribal Public Health Code Project,” Foundational Public Health Services Summit, Sequim, Washington, December 11, 2019.
“Disparities and Challenges Facing American Indians and Alaska Natives: How Clinicians Can Help Reduce Inequities,” Washington Medical Commission Educational Conference, Seattle, Washington, October 4, 2019.
“Building Strategic Partnerships between Tribal Nations and Local Health Jurisdictions,” Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, Wenatchee, Washington, October 2, 2019.
“Creating Your Tribal Community Readiness Success Story: Tales and Tools from Washington State,” New Mexico Department of Health Annual Tribal Public Health Emergency Preparedness Conference, Pojoaque, New Mexico, May 22, 2019.
“Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration in Emergency Preparedness: Tribal Medical Countermeasures Distribution,” Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, Wenatchee, Washington, October 17, 2018.
“Tribal Medical Countermeasures Distribution Legal Preparedness,” 2018 Public Health Law Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, October 5, 2018.
“Public Health Mutual Aid Agreements for Tribes and Local Health Jurisdictions in Washington State,” Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, Wenatchee, Washington, October 17, 2017.
“Best Practices for Contracting with Indian Health Care Providers,” Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Olympia, Washington, May 5, 2015.
“The ACA, the IRS, and the Indian Health Care Delivery System,” American Bar Association Section of Taxation Midyear Meting, Houston Texas, January 31, 2015.
“Indian Health Care Law Continuing Legal Education Seminar,” Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Olympia, Washington, August 24, 2015.
“Maintaining a Successful Nonprofit: Avoiding Legal, Tax, and Leadership Pitfalls,” Nonprofit Workshop, Bellingham, WA, April 24, 2014.
Selected Publications
“The ACA, the Service, and Indian Health Care Delivery System,” American Bar Association Section of Taxation News Quarterly, Vol. 34 No. 4, Summer 2015.