Indian Legal Clinic Wills & Probate

Student attorneys in the Indian Legal Clinic Wills & Probate class have been busy this semester bringing estate planning to Indian Country. During the spring semester so far, the students have visited the Pechanga Band of Indians and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to conduct wills clinics for the citizens of those nations. 

Students welcome the challenge of working with real clients, sometimes for the first time, in the supportive atmosphere provided by our tribal partners. “It was rewarding to apply my skills in interviewing and counseling clients to help a nervous client become comfortable sharing his estate wishes with me,” said Hannah Dunham (3L).

Altogether, the student attorneys drafted and helped clients execute a total of 55 wills and health care powers of attorney. Sukhleen Bal (3L) observed that taking the time to help a client work through their unresolved issues is key. “One of my clients thought she wouldn’t be able to make certain critical decisions, but I was able to help her settle on what she wanted. She was very happy when she left with a completed will and health care power of attorney.”

The students finished up their semester with a wills clinic at the Gila River Indian Community on March 31 – April 1. 

Honorable Peterson Zah’s advocacy and leadership

The late Honorable Peterson Zah was a dedicated leader to the Navajo Nation, ASU, the Indian Legal Program and all Native students. Zah was the First President and Last Chairman of the Navajo Nation. What many people do not realize is that Zah served as the Executive Director of the DNA People’s Legal Services for 14 years. Under Zah’s leadership several cases advancing tribal sovereignty went before the U.S. Supreme Court. In the early 1970s when Judge William C. Canby Jr. was teaching Indian Law at ASU and training talented Native students, Zah was fighting in the courts and seeing the need for Native attorneys. Zah worked with and hired some of ASU Law’s first Indian students taught by Judge Canby – Claudeen Bates Arthur (’74), Ben Hanley (’71), Louis Denetsosie (’74) and Herb Yazzie (’75) to name a few. 

During Zah’s career he fought for education, helped raise funds for scholarships for Native students and encouraged students to go to law school. Zah was able to work with people at all levels of government to help his Nation. In 1995 Zah continued to use these skills at ASU to bridge the gap between Tribes and ASU. Zah personally helped secure the ASU Law/ Navajo Nation matching funds scholarship program to enable Navajo students to get an affordable legal education at ASU Law. 

As a thank you for his service and his advocacy for tribes and tribal people, ASU Law honored President Peterson Zah in 2017 by announcing the naming of the “President Peterson Zah Active Learning Classroom.” The active learning classroom was selected for Zah because the room allows people to work together on projects and strategize to find solutions just as Zah did throughout his life. This room is located on the 3rd Floor of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus.

Honorable Peterson Zah’s advocacy, leadership and friendship will be missed but not forgotten.

ASU Indian Legal Clinic presents to NCAI Federal Recognition Taskforce

On Feb. 21, the Indian Legal Clinic presented to the Federal Recognition Taskforce at the National Congress of American Indians Executive Winter Session. Professor Patty Ferguson-Bohnee presented on the status of petitions in the Federal Acknowledgment Process. Ashleigh Fixico (3L) presented on guidance for determining eligibility for organization under the Alaska Indian Reorganization Act issued by the Assistance Secretary – Indian Affairs. For more information, review the summary prepared by Fixico.  

ASU teams go to National NALSA Moot Court

Congratulations to the ASU Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) moot court teams for a great showing at the annual National NALSA moot court competition. Autumn Shone (3L), Ashleigh Fixico (3L), Noah Goldenberg (3L) and Clayton Kinsey (2L) represented us well. 

Goldenberg and Kinsey won Best Brief and advanced to the top 16. 

Thank you to our coaches Faculty Director Patty Ferguson-BohneeNative Vote Fellows Torey Dolan (’19) and Blair Tarman-Toner (’21) for helping them prepare. We also appreciate all of the faculty, alumni and friends for judging practice rounds to help prepare our teams. 

While in Oklahoma the students networked with alumni and visited the First Americans Museum. This was a great weekend for ASU NALSA and ILP.