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Jonathan Velie (born October 11, 1965) is an American lawyer and rugby player, known for his involvement with the Cherokee Freedman Controversy.

Education
Velie graduated from the University of California, Berkeley (earning a B.S. in Native American Studies in 1989) and the University of Oklahoma, College of Law (earning a J.D. in 1993).

Freedman Cases
Beginning in 1993, Velie served as lead attorney in a series of civil rights cases that were a part of the Cherokee Freedman cases such as Vann v. Kempthorne. Velie also represented the Seminole Freedmen as intervenors in Seminole Nation v. Norton I and II wherein the DC Federal District Court held the US was correct in enforcing the Freedmen’s right to citizenship rights under the Treaty of 1866, after cutting the Tribe off from Federal funds after it expelled its Freedmen citizens.

In September 2011, Velie negotiated an agreement between the Cherokee tribe and the Freedman to reinstate over 2,800 Freedman into the tribe.

Playing
While at the University of California, Berkeley, Velie was a three-time All-American rugby player for the Golden Bears in the years 1986-88, and won the National Collegiate Championship in 1988.

In 1997, Velie played on the USA Rugby Team at the Maccabiah Games, winning a gold medal in rugby union.

Coaching and Directing
In 1998, Velie was named head coach of the University of Oklahoma rugby team, holding this position through the 2005 season. His most successful year in coaching the Sooners came in 2005, where he led the team to an undefeated tour in Oxford, Cambridge, and London, an overall 19-1 record, and third place in the Western US.

As of February 2011, Velie serves as the University of Oklahoma rugby team's Director of Rugby.