Sonnenschein has a long, proud tradition of providing pro bono publico service to the poor and unrepresented, and on matters involving the public interest.   We have provided pro bono services on behalf of Indians and Tribal interests needing representation but without the ability to pay for legal services.

Our lawyers achieved an important pro bono victory in partnership with the Washington University School of Law in an Indian law case.   A federal district court in South Dakota granted summary judgment in the case, agreeing with the Sioux Tribal courts that had previously heard the matter that Indian Tribes have jurisdiction over on-reservation lending discrimination claims involving non-Indian lenders.

In addition, our lawyers are currently representing the child members of one Indian nation in New York in a civil rights action challenging a local school district’s effort to ban the recitation of a Tribal chant, while requiring students to recite the pledge of allegiance.

Other lawyers are currently assisting the National Indian Health Board, which advocates on behalf of all Tribes, on federal regulatory matters.

Click here to learn more about the importance of pro bono service at Sonnenschein.