Tribal Justice Attorney

Association of Village Council Presidents•Bethel, AK

18d

About The Position

Summary Job Goal: The Tribal Justice Attorney supports AVCP’s Tribal Justice program by providing legal, technical, and strategic assistance to member tribes and their courts. This position focuses on enhancing tribal sovereignty, developing and sustaining tribal court systems, and delivering training and technical support to tribal court staff and leadership. The attorney acts as a liaison with federal and state agencies, supports program planning and reporting, and may supervise program staff as needed. Note: This position does not provide direct legal advice or representation to tribes or individual tribal members. This is an in-house position. All support is limited to educational, procedural, and technical assistance. Requests for legal advice or representation will be referred to appropriate legal counsel or resources.

Requirements

Juris Doctorate from an accredited U.S. Law School.
License to practice law in the State of Alaska or ability to practice under Alaska Bar Rule 44, Legal Interns and Supervised Practitioners.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
Demonstrated sound decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, and ability to use independent judgement.
Ability to effectively communicate legal principles and case strategy to lay audiences.
Strong interpersonal skills, including working in a team, working and communicating in a multi-cultural environment, working and communicating with remote teams, and receiving and giving constructive criticism.
Familiar with general principles of federal Indian law and laws applicable to Alaska Native tribes and tribal entities.
Ability to be self-directed and work independently.
Excellent time management skills.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
Ability to travel, including willingness to travel on small aircraft, boat, or on the ice roadwhen necessary. If not located in Bethel, travel to Bethel and AVCP-Region villages as required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Native Law, child welfare or other trial experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide legal guidance and technical assistance to tribal courts and councils, including:
Assisting with the development, implementation, and sustainability of tribal court systems
Delivering training on tribal justice topics (e.g., ICWA, due process, judicial ethics)
Trainig and assistancewith drafting codes, ordinances, court procedures, and document templates
Supporting and assisting with tribal court assessments (as needed??)
Supporting annual funding requests and budgeting for tribal courts and AVCP’s Tribal Justice Program
Acting as a liaison between AVCP member tribes and federal/state agencies
Responding to legal and procedural questions from tribal courts and councils regarding best practices, compliance, and program requirements
Explicitly exclude providing legal advice or representation to tribes or tribal members.
Offer general information, sample documents, and training on legal topics relevant to tribal justice
Refer tribes or tribal members to appropriate legal counsel or resources for specific legal advice or representation needs
Maintain strict boundaries to ensure that all support provided is technical, educational, or procedural in nature, not legal advice
Maintain confidentiality of all attorney, client, case, and department information
Participate in program planning, data entry, reporting, and evaluation
Supervise Tribal Justice program staff as needed
Provide support and collaborate, including legal advice to the Tribal Justice Program Manager.
Other duties as assigned.