The Frickey Fellowship supports current 1L and 2L students committed to serving tribal communities during their summer work. In their own words, here are some of their reflections on their experiences.
2025 Frickey Fellows
Mexica Torrez-Miner (Class of 2027)
Office of Legal Counsel for the Executive Office of the Governor of Michigan
As a 2025 Frickey Fellow with the Office of Legal Counsel for the Executive Office of the Governor of Michigan, I focused on Tribal-State Relations. I was inspired by continuing to work directly with my Indigenous community, but in a newfound capacity. I spent many years of my childhood going to community events, working as a mentor for the next generation, and volunteering with youth organizations; while with the Office of Legal Counsel I was able to continue this work, with my newfound knowledge gained during my first year at Berkeley Law. Additionally, being able to represent, counsel, and act as a liaison between Tribes and the State was extremely fulfilling for me, as Native peoples are underrepresented in the legal field. Being able to be a part of conversations involving Tribes and Indigenous communities in my home state motivated me to continue my legal education as it reminded me what I was working towards. Finally, I was able to make meaningful connections with Native attorneys in my home state I would not have had the opportunity to make had I not had this opportunity.
Kate Doorley
Judicial Branch of the Navajo Nation
Brylee Flores
California Indian Legal Services
2024 Frickey Fellows
Braden Hammond (Class of 2026)
Yurok Tribal Court
As a Frickey Fellow in 2024, I had the opportunity to experience the courtroom under Judge Abby Abinanti, the first female Native American admitted to the California Bar and the subject of the documentary Tribal Justice. Judge Abby has wholly revamped the criminal justice system and rolled back traditional concepts of justice to make the Yurok community safer, reduce incarceration rates, and provide a better future for Yurok youth. By addressing the root causes of crime, the Yurok courts provide working models of restorative justice. I split my time in the Yurok tribal offices between writing bench guides for Judge William Bowers, the most compassionate person I have ever met, and clerking for the court. It was one of the greatest honors of my life.
A.J. Shattuck (Class of 2026)
California Indian Legal Services – Bishop Office
As a 2024 Frickey Fellow with California Indian Legal Services in Bishop, CA, I spent the summer working with Tribal members and families across the Owens Valley on issues that sit at the intersection of housing, land, and community stability. The Bishop office serves the Bishop Paiute Tribe and other Tribal communities of the Eastern Sierra, and I was able to see firsthand how much day-to-day legal support matters in a rural region where resources are limited and the legal system’s impact is immediate.
A large part of my work focused on landlord–tenant disputes. These were often urgent situations involving families who were trying to stay in their homes, deal with unsafe conditions, or navigate difficult relationships with landlords. It was incredibly meaningful to be able to help people where it mattered most: keeping a roof over their heads and giving them a fair chance to assert their rights. Even small wins made a real difference in clients’ lives, and I learned how deeply housing stability is tied to community wellbeing.
I also assisted—and continue to assist voluntarily—on a long-running land matter involving a heavily fractionated parcel where dozens of heirs now hold undivided interests. Over generations, interests simply passed informally within families, going unrecorded and unapportioned until the number of heirs ballooned. This is a common and challenging issue across many Tribal communities: families inherit potentially valuable interests in property, but because formal probate never occurs, ownership splinters into dozens of small, undivided shares. The result is land that is legally owned but functionally frozen—any meaningful decision requires agreement by a majority of interests, which becomes nearly impossible.
My role was to help CILS build and maintain the tools needed to unwind decades of this inherited complexity: tracking heirs, mapping shares, clarifying interests, and helping identify pathways toward consolidation so the families could actually exercise control over their land. The work is detailed and slow-moving, but it feels important in a very grounded way. It directly supports families trying to reestablish practical authority over property that matters to them—land tied to identity, history, and community.
Beyond individual casework, I also had opportunities to see how these issues fit into the Tribe’s broader legal and governance landscape. I had the chance to observe Tribal juvenile court on the Bishop Reservation, which became one of the most meaningful parts of my summer. The Tribe’s juvenile court is presided over by a retired California judge who now serves the community in a role focused on supporting Tribal youth and administering Tribal law. He took the time to talk with me about the goals and challenges of Tribal courts, the differences between state and Tribal juvenile systems, and the realities of administering justice in a small community.
I also attended Tribal governance meetings where CILS advised Tribal leaders on legal and governance matters ranging from housing ordinances and land-use procedures to the practical requirements of administering Tribal programs. Sitting in on those discussions showed me how legal questions, policy choices, and community considerations converge at the Tribal government level, and how CILS supports leaders in navigating that complexity.
I am very thankful for the Frickey Fellowship for making this entire experience possible. It allowed me to spend the summer focused on serving Tribal clients and gave me exposure to community-centered lawyering that I want to carry forward in my career. I left with a clearer sense of purpose and a deep respect for the ongoing work of CILS and the communities of the Owens Valley. I am also very grateful to the CILS Bishop office and to the Tribal community for welcoming me, teaching me, and integrating me into their work throughout the summer.
Camryn Valetta Towle (Class of 2026)
California Indian Legal Services (CILS) – Sacramento Office
Working at CILS as a 2024 Frickey Fellow reaffirmed for me the critical importance of accessible legal services. It also reminded me why I came to law school in the first place: to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to be an effective advocate for tribes and tribal communities. During my time at CILS, I had the chance to work on meaningful projects involving ICWA, trust land rights and protections, and expungement. Just as impactful, however, was the team I worked with. The attorneys and staff at CILS brought expertise, thoughtfulness, and generosity to every interaction, and their commitment to community and knowledge-sharing reinforced the values I hope to carry forward in my career.
Alexander Ward (Class of 2026)
Pueblo of Isleta General Counsel’s Office
One of the many meaningful experiences I had while a 2024 Frickey Fellow was witnessing firsthand the Pueblo’s ongoing work to restore more than 800 acres of bosque wildlife habitat along the Rio Grande. The bosque had previously been jeopardized by fire, invasive species, and river diversion projects. The Pueblo’s work showed me the lasting benefits achievable when Tribes take the lead in environmental restoration.