PHOENIX – In today’s constantly changing legal world, law firms are beginning to address diverse issues that affect America’s diverse people. In particular, Indian law seems to be catching the eye of many law firms.
In 1999, the Gila River Community and a national law firm, Quarles and Brady Streich Lang, LLP, teamed up to create a premier program for first- and second-year law students. The Native American Joint Summer Associate Program gives Native students the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working on cases that are directly affecting residents of the Indian community.
According to Jim Ryan, a partner at Quarles and Brady’s Phoenix office, the Gila River Community had traditionally employed summer associates but were open to the idea of joining legal experiences for the Native students.
“American Indian law students were torn between staying on the reservation and limiting themselves to reservation issues only and working in a multi-functional law office that handles broader issues,” Ryan said.
This pioneer program is a solution allowing students to experience both reservation law and the practice of a national legal firm. Students alternate week by week between the Phoenix office of Quarles and Brady and the Gila River community in south central Arizona.
Like any law student applying for a summer associate position, students must send out their resume, interview and make their decision. Ryan said that recruitment is the same for this program as it is for any other. In 1999, the firm began its recruitment at Arizona State University. However, during the past three years, the firm has worked with the Native American Legal Students Association (NALSA) as well as minority law offices at law schools throughout the country.
The first student selected was Kerry Patterson, enrolled Seneca Nation member and student at Arizona State. Patterson served as a summer associate in the summer of 2000, drafting legislation, revising contracts and participating in tribal court proceedings; in additions he took part in training, mentoring and social activities. “I enjoyed the challenges and the rewards of the joint summer program,” Patterson stated in a recent press release. “This experience gave me unique insight into complex legal issues in a tribal setting.” Upon her graduation, the firm hired Patterson.
The next year, the firm expanded its outreach and selected students from Arizona State and Cornell Law School in Ithaca, N.Y. The Arizona student, Marnie Hadahkwen, an enrolled member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, was one of the two participants. She is also practicing commercial litigation with Quarles and Brady but hopes to practice Indian law as the firm’s practice grows.
Although this summer program is currently only available in the Phoenix office, the firm has begun to initiate expansion of the program to its two Wisconsin offices. It has approached the Potawatomi tribe about a possible partnership.
For more information, students can contact the Phoenix office of Quarles and Brady at (602) 229-5200 or send a resume directly to Recruitment Coordinator, Dori John, 2 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
Ryan’s enthusiasm and pride in the program is evident. He stated, “The program is outstanding, it gives Indian students experience in specific Indian issues while also experiencing the environment of broad legal practice. We have hired two native students out of the program in only three years. I look to the future and hope to hire more.”