Northwest Justice Project’s Native American Unit
Mission: The Northwest Indian Law Clinic is committed to providing quality legal representation to low–income Native clients with specific Indian–law– related problems. The Clinic is further committed to creating tools for individual Natives and Pro Bono attorneys in order to surmount barriers Indian law nuances present to the service of this largely unrepresented population. The Clinic also provides its students with practical experience in the practice of Indian law and real contact with the culture of the people they serve.
More Information: http://www.nwjustice.org/NWILC/html/mission.html
Native American Law Center at the University of Washington
Mission: To promote the development of Indian law and to encourage Native Americans (including others with an interest in Indian law) to attend law school.
Opportunities: The Center provides individualized education in various topics for tribal, state and federal elected officials and staff.
More Information: http://www.law.washington.edu/IndianLaw/
Institute for Indian Estate Planning & Probate at Seattle University School of Law
Mission: To provide training to attorneys on the American Indian Probate Reform Act and to provide estate planning services in Indian Country.
Opportunities: Actively working to establish new projects, such as funding permits and providing training at all levels on estate planning in Indian Country under the new Act.
More Information: http://www.indianwills.org/
Tribal Courts CASA Program
Background: The Tribal Court CASA Project was started in 1994 to assist in the development and enhancement of Tribal Court programs that provide volunteer advocacy for abused or neglected Native American children. The goal of CASA is to increase the number of Indian children who are receiving culturally sensitive representation through indigenous CASA programs in Tribal Court proceedings.
Three Primary CASA Programs: Nisqually Tribal CASA Program, the Spokane Tribal CASA Program and the Lummi Child Protection Project.
More Information: http://www.casanet.org/program-services/tribal/index.htm
Appleseed of Washington
Mission: Focuses on systematic policy change in issues that are important to the Native American community and works in ways that are supportive of existing legal services providers, focusing on policy solutions to local social and civic problems; endeavors to raise the profile of law and policy as mechanisms for social justice.
More Information: http://www.waappleseed.org/index.shtml
