The Great Lakes Indian Law Center (GLILC) was established in 1992 to improve the practical legal skills of all students interested in Federal Indian Law while providing a legal resource for Native American Tribes. Wisconsin has eleven federally recognized Indian tribes including six bands of Chippewa and the Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Oneida, Menominee, and Mohican (Stockbridge-Munsee) Tribes. The Clinic's strategic proximity to these Indian nations, the quality of our students, and an institutional commitment to "law in action" create a synergistic effect that is truly unique. The University of Wisconsin Law School has graduated more practicing Indian lawyers than any other school in the country, and many if not most of those alumni have benefitted from the initiatives and programs sponsored by the Center.
The Center is Chartered to:
- Provide an academic and educational atmosphere and opportunity for law students to study Federal, State, and tribal laws affecting Indian tribes and their members.
- Provide legal assistance on uniquely tribal legal matters.
- Encourage and assist Indian students in obtaining a legal education.
The Center's Vision is to:
"Advance the Wisconsin Idea by exporting Law in Action to American Indian Tribes and organizations throughout Wisconsin, the nation, and to other indigenous people in the Western Hemisphere."
The Center's Strategic Priorities are:
- Improve access to the legal system.
- Broaden connections with American Indian Tribes and Organizations.
- Promote a government-to-government relationship between the State of Wisconsin and American Indian Tribes that is a model for others to emulate.
- Provide relevant legal services to the Native American community in Wisconsin.
The Center's Guiding Principles are:
- Government-to-Government.
- The legal system IS a change agent.
- Partner whenever possible.
- Institutionalize everything Native.
- Achieve Educational Quality & Community Relevance.
For more information on upcoming activities, or for information on the Law School experience at Wisconsin, contact the Great Lakes Indian Law Center at (608) 263-5019 .
