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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2000)
Smoke Signals woirlkiiiM fiw kfo Tribal members can access the program s 44 attorneys and 17 paralegals at one of 11 offices throughout Oregon. By Brent Merrill Tribal members in need of legal services can turn to the Tribe's Grand Ronde Legal Services team for advice. And, although the legal ser vices department can't help every tribal member with every type of need, they can and do provide ser vices to many people. Even though the main office of Grand Ronde Legal Services is lo cated in McMinnville, tribal members can access the program's 44 attorneys and 17 paralegals at one of 11 of-s fices throughout Oregon. The offices are located in McMinnville, Albany, Bend, Grants Pass, Hillsboro, New port, Oregon City, Portland, Pendle ton, Roseburg and Woodburn. Grand Ronde Legal Services is a component of Oregon Legal Services and has contracted to provide legal , expertise to the Tribe since 1996. The contract allows tribal members living in Oregon, or with leeal Drob- lems originating in Oregon, and tribal staff to receive free legal ser vices in certain situations. Tribal members involved in social security disputes, disability claims, housing disputes, employment rela tions, domestic disputes, veteran's benefits issues and questions about pensions or personal wills can turn to Grand Ronde Legal Services for relief and answers. When a tribal member uses Grand Ronde Legal Services, the attorney time is not billed to the tribal mem ber. But, tribal members do have to cover the court filing fees and the cost of litigation if they choose to pro ceed with a case. The legal services program cannot take on criminal cases on behalf of tribal members and does not repre sent tribal members in disputes with other tribal members, the Tribal Council or the casino. Lead Attorney Gayle Patterson said some legal concerns should come to the McMinnville office no matter where the tribal member seeking ser vices lives. "Generally, we would prefer that people contact whatever office is nearest their home, but if they want assistance with personal bankrupt cies, wills or adoptions they should call the McMinnville office directly," explained Patterson. "What Tribal Council looked at were the kinds of most pressing needs that people would have. As a result, we do rep resentation in social security, retire ment and disability type cases. We do domestic relations cases. We do consumer and debt-related cases. We also can help with obtaining veteran's benefits and other kinds of govern ment benefits that tribal members may be entitled to. These are things we look at as income enhancing ar eas of the law for low-income tribal members." Patterson said she agrees with the Tribe's philosophy of providing the basic essentials to improve someone's life. "I kind of see a pattern in those ar eas of law that they chose because they are all areas that help stabilize people's economic condition or assist them in improving their economic con dition," said Patterson. "It also ad dresses basic needs that people have like food, shelter and medical care. "So, that is kind of the pattern that I see and that is the kind of legal ser vices they (Tribal Council) has asked us to provide to tribal members real hard core issues of survivability and economic empowerment," said Pat terson. "I do think there is a pattern and a philosophy there. It (legal ser vices) is something that lasts." Tribal Council member Ed Pears all said providing access to tribal mem bers in need of legal advice is an im portant responsibility that the Tribe takes seriously. "First of all, there is a lot of tribal members who do not have access to any legal component at all because of the cost," said Pearsall. "Grand Ronde Legal Services helps in some respects, but it can't help with every thing. They help with important personal issues like obtaining social security benefits and other vital needs. They will also help direct tribal members to get help in certain areas of their lives. I think it is im portant that we provide these ser vices where and when we can. I think it's needed and I support it. "I think it is one of the most posi tive things we have done so far," said Pearsall. "Anytime we can help our tribal members and reach out to them it's a good thing for the Tribe." mm SHI' Allll TlfT, .JjlpJ X .vc-C- Sill !'sr:(5C" ,1M -4SV -fr:'SMSV SHl'Wfc- MT .V Attorney finds rewards in helping tribal families ; 1 1 ' " " ' i r V ' , - N t .i- " 1 X ' t TIT. . '.- ' J. f W I Attorney Gayle Patterson (left) and tribal member Mary Mode work to gether in the McMinnville office. By Brent Merrill Grand Ronde Legal Services' top attorney, Gayle Patterson said her work with the Grand Ronde Tribe and its individual tribal members has been rewarding to her. Patterson, who has worked with the Tribe for five years now, said she feels she is part of an extended fam ily and that feeling has given her a renewed spirit of dedication to the members of the Tribe. "Working within Grand Ronde Le gal Services has been very reward ing and it has revitalized my profes sional life," said Patterson. Before her association with the Tribe began, Patterson said practic ing law had started to become too de personalized for her. "It is very easy to start practicing law in a way that only allows people to just sort of flow like a river in front of your face," said Patterson. "You just never really develop a relation ship with anybody. Since I have been working for the Tribe I have found that I am working for a dis creet community of people with a similar identifiable culture and fam ily lifestyle. I understand how fami lies work and now I have a better understanding of what tribal mem bers really need from us. I have de veloped a good working relationship with the people." She said satisfaction from doing her job comes easily when she is able to help tribal Elders sort through the complicated myriad of social security and disability requirements. She said it is fulfilling to be able to use her legal expertise and position as a law yer to help tribal members cut through the red tape and get vital services and benefits they deserve. Patterson told a story about help ing a terminally ill tribal member fend off relentless creditors from their pattern of harassment. "It is tremendously gratifying when you are in a position to do something like that " said Patterson. "It makes you feel like it was worth while to get up and go to work that day. In that respect it has made my work much more interesting again because I get to paint with a bigger palette." .
