Mission
To promote and defend the legal rights and interests of the tribal government as: 1) the successor to the Treaty of 1855; and 2) the government of its members and the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Goals
The Office serves as attorneys to the CTUIR tribal government. This office provides centralized legal services to all divisions of the Tribal government and its entities. The CTUIR government interests include the Reservation, its off-reservation activities, as well as protecting and exercising the rights secured in the Treaty between the Walla Walla, Cayuse and Umatilla Tribes and Bands of Indians in Washington and Oregon Territories, June 9, 1855, 12 Stat. 945, ratified March 8, 1859.
CTUIR Member Services
This Office also administers contracts that provide independent and confidential attorney services to members of the CTUIR as follows:
Legal Aid Services. OLC is currently requesting proposals for legal services to promote and defend the legal rights and interests of low-income tribal members involved in civil legal disputes. These services will be provided to low income CTUIR members and will prioritize resources to target the following services: obtaining and maintaining social security benefits, veterans' benefits, welfare benefits, Medicare benefits, and unemployment benefits. Legal services will also include a variety of domestic violence and family law matters, as well as representing CTUIR members in disputes with (but not limited to) landlords, retailers, lenders, employers, and drafting wills.
Native American Program, Legal Aid Services of Oregon (NAPOLS) contract. OLC also manages a contract with a third-party attorney to provide Will and Estate Planning legal services directly to CTUIR members.