California Indian Legal Services

Legal ServicesUnited States11-50 Employees

Founded in 1967, California Indian Legal Services (CILS) is the oldest public interest Indian rights law firm in the country. We promote the fundamental rights of California tribes and Indians through litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, community development, and other strategies for systemic change.  We are a state and national leader in protecting and advancing the rights of California Indians, and each year works with dozens of tribes in the state and thousands of Indian individuals and families.

CILS and our team of attorneys and advocates provide a full range of legal representation to California Indian tribes and Indian organizations, defend the rights of California Indians at the local, state, and national levels, and provide direct services and community education to low-income Indian individuals on issues related to Federal Indian Law.  Our work includes such diverse practice areas as the Indian Child Welfare Act, trust lands, Indian probate, Indian cultural and religious rights, tribal community and economic development, tribal justice systems, tribal governance, tribal social service delivery systems, protection of sacred sites, and environmental protection. Our Board of Trustees is comprised of California Indians appointed by Indian tribes and organizations across the state, as well as representatives appointed by the State Bar of California. 

CILS is funded by wide variety of sources, including federal and state grants, tribal donations, and tribal grants and contracts. We serve the state of California through our four offices located across the state in Bishop, Escondido, Eureka, and Sacramento.  Since 2021, the CILS Principal Office has been located in Sacramento, just steps away from the Capitol building.

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