Tribal Legal Development Clinic

Students in this clinic provide legal assistance to Native Nations and tribal organizations. Clinic projects emphasize skills of drafting legislation, legal memoranda, and other policy documents, along with cross-cultural representation. Project subject-matter can cover a wide range, including family law, environmental law, cultural resource protection, criminal law, election law, and justice system infrastructure. Students may work in teams or solo, depending on the needs and scope of the projects. Once students are assigned to particular projects, they meet and communicate -- under the supervision of the faculty member -- with relevant tribal officials and organization leadership, including via email and teleconferences, and in-person where feasible. Students develop over the course of the semester a final work product for their tribal client. The course includes a classroom component where students learn about tribal governments and legal systems, as well as the federal, state, and other legal systems with which they interact.