AILC Adds Two New Board Members, Elects New Board Officers, and Announces 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Pre-Law Summer Institute
Albuquerque, NM – April 4, 2017 – The American Indian Law Center, Inc. (AILC) announced some exciting changes to the AILC Board of Directors and set the date for the Pre-Law Summer Institute’s (PLSI) 50th Anniversary Celebration in September 2017.
Two PLSI alumni, Kevin K. Washburn and Danielle Her Many Horses, joined the AILC Board of Directors earlier this year replacing long-time directors, Philip S. Deloria and Charles Trimble, who recently stepped down. Washburn, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, is a Regents Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico School of Law and served as the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, 2013-2016. Her Many Horses, a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, is the Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel of the National Indian Gaming Association. “As a PLSI 1999 alum, I am honored to join the AILC Board of Directors,” said Her Many Horses, “It was through the guidance and dedication of the AILC and PLSI staff that I am now in a position where I can put my skills to work for the mission of the Law Center and for the success of American Indian and Alaska Native pre-law students.”
Noting that the AILC Board is now comprised of a majority of PLSI alumni, the AILC Director, Helen B. Padilla, states “We are proud to have two such accomplished PLSI alumni join the AILC Board. Both new Board members bring experience, proven leadership in Indian country, and commitment to the mission of the AILC. We look forward to this new era of leadership.”
At its March 24, 2017 Board meeting, the Board elected Ben Hanley, an original Board member, as President of the AILC Board, Danielle Her Many Horses, as Vice-President, and Helen B. Padilla as Secretary/Treasurer.
The AILC also announced that it will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of PLSI at Isleta Resort and Casino on September 28-29, 2017. The event will start on the evening of September 28, 2017 with a 50th Anniversary Kick-off Mixer, and will continue on September 29, 2017 with a Continuing Legal Education Program (6 CLE credits) and a 50th Anniversary Reception, Silent Auction, and Banquet. There will be opportunities for class and family activities on Thursday, September 28, or Saturday, September 30. More information is available at www.plsialumni.org.
For more than five decades (1967-2017), the PLSI program has remained dedicated to providing training for American Indian and Alaska Native students to help them develop the skills necessary for the study of law. By replicating the first semester of law school, the concentrated program includes eight weeks of instruction and study to teach incoming students the unique methods of law school research, analysis, and writing. When the program first began, only about 25 Native attorneys could be identified nationwide, but now more than 1,000 students have attended PLSI with a law school graduation rate of approximately 90%.
About the American Indian Law Center, Inc.
Established in 1967, the AILC is the oldest existing Indian-managed and Indian-operated legal and public policy organization in the country serving to strengthen, promote, and honor self-sustaining American Indian and Alaska Native communities through education, training, and leadership.
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American Indian Law Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 4456 Albuquerque, NM 87196
Phone: (505) 277-5462
Fax: (505) 277-1035
