Mica Llerandi joins the CILS team as a Staff Attorney providing legal assistance to tribes and Indian organizations.

“After clerking with CILS in 2010, I am excited to return to the Escondido office as a staff attorney,” Llerandi said.

Mica Llerandi, a member of the Navajo Nation, joined CILS as a Staff Attorney in January 2018. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Yale University and her Juris Doctor and a Certificate in Indigenous People’s Law and Policy from the University of Arizona, James E Rogers College of Law. During law school, Mica was selected to be a Morris K. Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Intern, interning at the Department of Defense with the Army Corps of Engineers. The following summer, Mica clerked with CILS in its Escondido office. As part of her law school coursework, she assisted Professor S. James Anaya in his capacity as the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and helped with tribal code development for the White Mountain Apache Tribe. After law school, Mica worked on multiple Indian reservations in both state and tribal courts in Arizona. First on the Navajo Nation as a Staff Attorney and Domestic Violence Project Director with DNA- People’s Legal Services, then on the Gila River Indian Community as a Deputy Community Prosecutor, and lastly on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community as a Guardian ad Litem. She moved to California in 2016 and, before joining CILS, represented children in San Diego County dependency proceedings. In her spare time, she likes to read, cook, crochet, and hike with her husband and dogs.

Davina Whitethorne joins the CILS team as a Senior Administrative Assistant providing support to both the marketing and development department and the accounting department.

“I am very fortunate and thankful for the opportunity to provide support in any way to CILS. I look forward to utilizing my experiences and education to promote CILS’ vision of protecting Indian rights,” Whitethorne said.

Davina Whitethorne is a Senior Administrative Assistant at the Escondido office. As a member of the Dine’ (Navajo) Tribe, she was born and raised on the reservation. Davina moved to San Diego fifteen years ago. She studied Criminal Justice at the University of Phoenix and is working on her Masters of Law in Indigenous People’s Law from the University of Oklahoma. She brings twelve years of administrative experience to CILS. Passionate about Indian rights, working at CILS was a natural fit. In her free time, Davina enjoys spending time with her 15-year-old daughter Meah. She just recently started volunteering for Meals on Wheels.

Program Description:

California Indian Legal Services is a statewide, tribally controlled, non-profit corporation that provides legal services to Indian tribes, Indian organizations and low-income individual Indians on issues involving Federal Indian Law.  CILS provides a variety of legal services including brief counsel and advice and extended representation on core legal issues affecting Native Americans and Indian tribes.  CILS is involved in litigation, policy analysis, and advocacy and also provides transactional services to tribes involving economic development and tribal infrastructure.

CILS has four offices throughout California.  Our Sacramento office provides legal services in 38 counties that include 51 of the 110 federally recognized tribes in California.  This service area also includes numerous non-federally recognized tribes and one of the largest urban Indian communities in the United States.

Job Description:

Supervised by the Directing Attorney, the Staff Attorney will work collaboratively with other staff to provide exceptional legal services in all areas of Federal Indian law.  Our fast-paced office provides legal services on issues of jurisdiction, tax, estate planning, trust assets, environmental law, natural resource development, tribal governance, employment and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).  The Staff Attorney will assume a varied case load that may include: brief counsel and services to low-income Indian individuals; state and federal court litigation; contract negotiation; advising tribal clients; developing and implementing constitutions, codes, and policies for tribal clients; making presentations; and ICWA related dependency cases.

Qualifications:

• California bar membership in good standing.
• Excellent communication, writing, and organizational skills.
• Strong work ethic and able to work nights and weekends when many tribal councils meet.
• Ability to travel overnight and a valid driver’s license.
• A commitment to providing high-quality legal services for Indian people.
• Ability to work independently, as part of a team and to take initiative.

The following qualifications are desirable but not absolutely required:

• Demonstrated knowledge of Federal Indian law with at least 1-3 years of experience practicing law.
• Familiarity or experience working with Indian individuals, tribes or Indian communities.
• Prior legal services experience.

Salary:

Competitive salary D.O.E.  CILS offers full family/partner medical, vision and dental benefits, AD&D, short & long-term disability insurances, life insurance, Section 125 Flexible Spending Account, generous leave policies and potential for annual performance incentive.

To Apply:

Submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Patricia De La Cruz-Lynas, Director of Administration, California Indian Legal Services, Re:  Sacramento Staff Attorney, 117 J Street, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95814.  E-mail hiring@calindian.org.  We will accept applications until the position is filled.  All applicants will be notified when a final hiring decision is made.