UCLA law receives $2.2M grant to support its tribal legal development clinic

UCLA Law's Tribal Legal Development Clinic just got a major boost - the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians donated $2.2 million to keep it running for another five years.

This cash injection will cover everything from paying the staff to keeping the lights on year-round. The goal? Producing more Indian law experts while providing Native American tribes with pro bono legal help.

Lynn Valbuena, chairwoman of the San Manuel Band, sees this as a big deal. She believes it'll help all tribes stand stronger on their own.

Mica Llerandi has been running the show since last year, getting law students to work with tribal leaders and lawyers. They're focused on supporting tribal independence with free legal expertise. Students often travel to Indian Country to collaborate with tribal clients and participate in relevant meetings and hearings.

Projects undertaken by the clinic include drafting statutes and governing documents, building tribal court infrastructure, and developing resources for tribal nations. A recent collaboration with the Yurok Tribe resulted in the "Tribal Broadband" publication, which guides tribes in deploying broadband service within underconnected communities.

Michael Waterstone, dean of UCLA Law, expressed gratitude for the grant, stating, "We are hugely grateful for this grant and their recognition of the impact that our students and scholars make, and will continue to make, every day for Native people."

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has been a long-standing supporter of UCLA Law's Indian law initiatives. Since 2004, the tribe has contributed a total of $7.5 million to the clinic, including a $4 million grant in 2004 and a $1.3 million gift in 2019 that created and funded the position of clinic director.

Angela Riley, the Carole Goldberg Professor of Native American Law and director of the Native Nations Law and Policy Center at UCLA Law, highlighted the importance of this partnership, saying, "Thanks to this essential partnership, our students will have even more opportunities to work diligently on behalf of Indian Country to advance tribal sovereignty and secure a promising future for Indigenous rights."

The grant is expected to enable UCLA Law to expand its network of clients, create more public-facing research and publications empowering tribal communities, and offer enhanced training and career guidance to students interested in Indian law.