{"id":16505,"date":"2026-06-09T15:59:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsletters.asucollegeoflaw.com\/ilp\/?p=16505"},"modified":"2026-06-10T21:45:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T21:45:22","slug":"estate-planning-2025-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/newsletters.asucollegeoflaw.com\/ilp\/2026\/06\/09\/estate-planning-2025-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Estate Planning: 2025-2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Serving Tribal communities while preparing the next generation of legal advocates is at the heart of ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program. During the 2025-2026 academic year, students in the Indian Legal Clinic\u2019s \u201cEstate Planning\u201d course provided free estate planning services to Tribal citizens through clinics serving the Pechanga Band of Indians, The Quechan Indian Tribe, and the Gila River Indian Community.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Taught by Professor Helen Burtis<\/strong> (\u201907), law students worked one-on-one with Tribal citizens to develop estate plans that reflected their personal goals and wishes. Through three community-based clinics, student attorneys drafted and executed Indian wills and health care powers of attorneys tailored for each client\u2019s needs while ensuring compliance with Tribal, state and federal laws.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Before participating in the clinics, students completed a five-week preparatory course focused on statutes and legal frameworks relevant to estate planning in Indian Country. This foundational training equipped them to provide culturally informed legal services and confidently guide each Tribal client through the estate planning process.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

The clinics offered students an opportunity to put their classroom learning into practice while delivering meaningful legal services to Tribal communities. During each two-day clinic, students met individually with clients, listened carefully to their stories and priorities and translated those conversations into legal documents designed to protect their assets and dignity. The hands-on experience strengthened students\u2019 skills in client counseling, legal drafting and problem-solving while deepening their understanding of the unique legal considerations facing Tribal citizens.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

In Oct. 2025, six students traveled to the Temecula Valley, California to work with members of the Pechanga Band of Indians. Third-year law students Chase Duncan<\/strong>, Avery Hampton<\/strong>, Della<\/strong> Helwig<\/strong>, Sarah<\/strong> Mancuso<\/strong>, Cristella Medrano<\/strong> and Cameron Welker<\/strong> assisted 12 clients in preparing estate planning documents, including 12 wills and nine health care powers of attorney.<\/p>\n\n

The work continued in Feb. 2026 when six clinic students traveled to the homelands of the Quechan Indian Tribe. Over two impactful days of service, Gabby Curatola<\/strong> (3L), Sam Fraser<\/strong> (3L), Hannah May<\/strong> (2L), Julia King <\/strong>(2L), Monique McClung<\/strong> (3L) and Eric Vince<\/strong> (3L) assisted clients in creating comprehensive estate plans, preparing 14 wills and eight health care powers of attorney. The clinic also reinforced the Clinic\u2019s longstanding relationship with the Quechan Indian Tribe.<\/p>\n\n

In April, seven student attorneys served closer to home at the Gila River Indian Community. Connor Bacci <\/strong>(2L),\u00a0 Shuuluk Leo-Retz<\/strong> (2L), Hunter Mallinger<\/strong> (3L), Justice Oglesby <\/strong>(3L), Sierra Poore<\/strong> (2L) Kelly Rockhold <\/strong>(2L) and Monique Tsosie<\/strong> (3L) assisted 14 Tribal members to prepare 14 wills and seven health care powers of attorney.<\/p>\n\n

Across the three clinics, students helped 40 Tribal citizens create estate plans that protect their wishes and provide peace of mind for their families. At the same time, they gained invaluable experience working directly with clients and navigating the legal frameworks that govern estate planning to the Tribal communities they serve.<\/p>\n

The Indian Legal Program remains grateful to the Tribal Nations that continue to partner with ASU Law and welcome students into their communities. These relationships are foundational to the program\u2019s mission of preparing future lawyers to serve Tribal communities with knowledge, humility and respect, while expanding access to critical legal services.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Serving Tribal communities while preparing the next generation of legal advocates is at the heart of ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program. During the 2025-2026 academic year, students in the Indian Legal Clinic\u2019s \u201cEstate Planning\u201d course provided free estate planning services … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-indian-legal-clinic"],"yoast_head":"\nEstate Planning: 2025-2026 - Indian Legal Program<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/newsletters.asucollegeoflaw.com\/ilp\/2026\/06\/09\/estate-planning-2025-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Estate Planning: 2025-2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Serving Tribal communities while preparing the next generation of legal advocates is at the heart of ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program. 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