American Indian Law Clinic
- Director, American Indian Law Clinic: Professor Jill Tompkins
- The Clinic is part of Colorado Law’s American Indian Law Program
- Course Number and Description
- Mission and Clients
- Scope
- Type of Legal Assistance
- Projects
- A Guide to Colorado Legal Resources for Native Americans [pdf]
- Native American Law Students Association
- Faculty
Mission and Clients
The American Indian Law Clinic, established in 1992 as one of the first of its kind, provides quality legal representation to low-income Native clients with specific Indian law related problems. Many Native Americans in the Denver metropolitan area, as well as tribes and groups in the Inter-mountain region, have limited access to legal assistance. They have nowhere to turn when certain rights, some guaranteed by treaty, are denied. The Clinic’s student attorneys provide hundreds of hours of pro bono legal work to assist these people with direct legal assistance when possible, or by acting as a referral source when unable to help directly.
Scope
During this yearlong course, students receive classroom instruction and hands-on experience regarding Indian law issues, focuses primarily on Colorado cases and projects that have a uniquely Indian law dimension. “Uniquely Indian law” issues are addressed by that body of law that concerns the status of Indian tribes and regulates the legal relationship between them, the federal government, the states and their citizens—commonly known as federal Indian law. All cases accepted and projects undertaken by the Clinic involves issues of federal Indian law or the law of a particular tribe. Student attorneys handle cases under the supervision of a licensed attorney, the American Indian Law Clinic Director.
Type of Legal Assistance
Colorado Law students provide valuable legal research, writing, and education to individuals, the tribal courts, and tribal communities.
- Tribal sovereignty
- Preservation of tribal identity (including matters governed by the federal Indian Child Welfare Act "ICWA")
- Discrimination in employment, housing, or public benefits
- Preservation of Native lands
- Religious freedom
- Tribal court support
- Tribal governance enhancement, including drafting of legislative codes and regulations
- Cases generally not handle by the Clinic: criminal (including post-conviction review), traffic citations, those that would provide a fee to a private attorney (such as personal injury or workers' compensation claims), and non -Indian or -tribal law issues.
Events
The American Indian Law Program often collaborates with the Natural Resources Law Center and with Oyate, an undergraduate Indian organization to host special Indian law focused events. Major recent events held at the law school included: a special session of the Navajo Nation Supreme Court, lectures by Vine Deloria renowned expert in Indian law and history, an appearance by Winona LaDuke, Native lands activist, a two-day Native American Sacred Lands Forum, and a distinguished visitor program, featuring Tom Goldtooth, Executive Director of the Indigenous Environmental Network.
Projects
The American Indian Law Clinic seeks out grant opportunities that would expand its legal services to the Native American community in critical areas. In addition to the representation of Native Americans and tribes, the Clinic has undertaken the following projects:
2004-2005 [pdf]
Winter 2002/Spring 2003 [pdf]
Spring/Summer 2002 [pdf]
