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B. Ongoing Mentorship

The end of a clerkship does not have to mean the end of the professional relationship Acknowledgments
between the judge and the clerk. It is beneficial to remain in a mentoring role with the clerk
as they advance on in their legal career. Facilitating the mentor relationship benefits the
legal profession as a whole and encourages the clerk to consider a judgeship later in their
The American Indian Law Center, Inc., and the National American Indian Court Judges Association
professional career. Continuing the mentorship may open doors to the clerk that could
provide for future employment with the tribal court, and to continue work in tribal courts collaborated on this Guide. Special thanks are in order to Christine Dunn and Daniel Ortega for
and within Indian Country. reviewing and final edits.

the American Indian Law Center, Inc.

Conclusion The American Indian Law Center, Inc. is the oldest existing Indian-managed and Indian-operated

legal and public policy organization in the country. AILC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It aims
to strengthen, promote, and honor Indian Country communities through education, training, and
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leadership. Its mission is to provide training and technical assistance to tribes, tribal organizations,
and tribal courts. AILC accomplishes its mission by focusing on three main areas:

ᆤ The Pre-Law Summer Institute,

This Guide is primarily intended to help tribal courts establish and ᆤ Policy and Legal Analysis, and
administer their first judicial clerkships .

ᆤ The Southwest Intertribal Court of Appeals (SWITCA).

It may also serve as a helpful reminder of do’s and dont’s to tribal AILC has worked with officials from more than 20 states, hundreds of tribes, and Native American
courts with well-established clerkships. organizations. It has trained thousands of professionals and paraprofessionals. As a result, AILC has
unique, in-depth knowledge about tribal institutions, including tribal courts and their place in the
tribal government, and about tribal, state, and federal relations.

In either case, the American Indian Law
the National American Indian Court Judges Association
Center, Inc., and the National American
The National American Indian Court Judges Association (NAICJA) is a national association comprised
Indian Court Judges Association hope that of tribal justices and others committed to assisting and supporting tribal justice systems. NAICJA is a
501(c)(3) non-profit corporation established in 1969. Its mission is to strengthen and enhance tribal
tribal judges everywhere will find this Guide justice systems through education, information-sharing, and advocacy. NAICJA focuses on securing
resources and providing training and technical assistance for the daily functioning of tribal justice
and the resources in the Appendices to be systems. Additionally, NAICJA is the national voice of tribal justice systems when advocacy is needed.
NAICJA ensures that quality, culturally appropriate tribal judicial education is available nationwide.
practical tools that they can use for years in Finally, the association provides support to tribal judiciaries by creating opportunities for networking
and mentorship.
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the process of enhancing the judicial branch

of tribal government.

124 Am. Indian L. Ctr, About Us (accessed Aug. 10, 2021), https://www.ailc-inc.org/.
125 Nat’l Am. Indian Ct. JJ. Ass’n, About Us (accessed Aug. 10, 2021), http://www.naicja.org/about-us/.
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