TRIBAL LEGAL SERVICES
CONTACT INFORMATION
2024 Tribal Justice Summit
Kawerak will be hosting the 2024 Tribal Justice Summit August 27th – 29th. Representatives from the 20 Alaskan tribes in our region are invited, and there are open invitations for those interested. The purpose of the summit is to bring our communities together to learn and discuss how to strengthen our tribal courts and traditional law.
Save the date!
Tribal Legal Services
We are proud to provide a wide range of services to our Tribes to support them in exercising their sovereignty as distinct nations.
We provide assistance with most any matter related to the day to day operations of our tribal governments. Some of these services include elections assistance, helping handle employment matters, working with tribal councils and tribal family coordinators on child welfare cases, tribal court development including creating and revising any and all tribal laws and policies, assisting with domestic violence protective orders, contract review, and a wide range of other services.
Trainings
Some trainings our team can provide:
- New council member orientations or refreshers on tribal council roles and responsibilities
- Tribal court development and strategic planning, including working on applications for tribal court funding
- Judge and tribal court staff training
- Circle peacemaking training
- Training on issuing domestic violence protective orders
Our staff:
John Bioff, General Council
The General Council handles internal Kawerak matters and legal assistance to Kawerak programs, including federal compact negotiations, personnel matters re Kawerak employees, contracts, etc.
Meghan “Sigvanna” Tapqaq, Staff Attorney
As staff attorney, Ms. Tapqaq oversees the implementation of the many services the Tribal Legal Services team provides. She serves as the attorney for each of Kawerak’s compact tribes and works with the Legal Team to ensure timely and efficient provision of services.
Ali Wykis, Child Welfare Attorney
The Child Welfare Attorney provides a wide range of support to our tribes in ensuring the protection of our children and families. Ms. Wykis can provide guidance to tribal councils and tribal family coordinators in strategizing on state court cases, provide representation in state court for tribes that wish to intervene in child in need of aid cases, assist with transferring state cases into tribal court, handle any appeals of state court cases, as well as offer code development to any tribe that wishes to create or revise their children’s codes to have child welfare cases in tribal court.
VACANT, Domestic Violence Justice Coordinator
The Domestic Violence Justice Coordinator works with tribes and tribal courts to develop domestic violence codes and to issue domestic violence protection orders in tribal court. She can provide assistance in holding hearings and issuing orders, working with survivors of domestic violence to coordinate services, and coordinating the registration of tribal domestic violence protection orders with the State of Alaska to ensure that our tribal orders are enforced by state and local law enforcement.
Crystal Toolie, Tribal Justice Development Specialist
In her role as Tribal Justice Development Specialist, Ms. Toolie works closely with the staff attorney to provide election assistance, trouble shooting for tribal coordinators and tribal councils on legal matters, and helps provide training to tribal councils and tribal courts. As part of this position, Ms. Toolie can work with tribes to seek out funding for tribal courts and tribal peace/police officers.
Coming Soon, Paralegal
The Paralegal provides Administrative Support for the Tribal Legal Team.
2024 Tribal Justice Summit
Kawerak will be hosting the 2024 Tribal Justice Summit August 27th – 29th. Representatives from the 20 Alaskan tribes in our region are invited, and there are open invitations for those interested. The purpose of the summit is to bring our communities together to learn and discuss how to strengthen our tribal courts and traditional law.
Save the date!
Tribal Legal Services
We are proud to provide a wide range of services to our Tribes to support them in exercising their sovereignty as distinct nations.
We provide assistance with most any matter related to the day to day operations of our tribal governments. Some of these services include elections assistance, helping handle employment matters, working with tribal councils and tribal family coordinators on child welfare cases, tribal court development including creating and revising any and all tribal laws and policies, assisting with domestic violence protective orders, contract review, and a wide range of other services.
Trainings
Some trainings our team can provide:
- New council member orientations or refreshers on tribal council roles and responsibilities
- Tribal court development and strategic planning, including working on applications for tribal court funding
- Judge and tribal court staff training
- Circle peacemaking training
- Training on issuing domestic violence protective orders
Our staff:
John Bioff, General Council
The General Council handles internal Kawerak matters and legal assistance to Kawerak programs, including federal compact negotiations, personnel matters re Kawerak employees, contracts, etc.
Meghan “Sigvanna” Tapqaq, Staff Attorney
As staff attorney, Ms. Tapqaq oversees the implementation of the many services the Tribal Legal Services team provides. She serves as the attorney for each of Kawerak’s compact tribes and works with the Legal Team to ensure timely and efficient provision of services.
Ali Wykis, Child Welfare Attorney
The Child Welfare Attorney provides a wide range of support to our tribes in ensuring the protection of our children and families. Ms. Wykis can provide guidance to tribal councils and tribal family coordinators in strategizing on state court cases, provide representation in state court for tribes that wish to intervene in child in need of aid cases, assist with transferring state cases into tribal court, handle any appeals of state court cases, as well as offer code development to any tribe that wishes to create or revise their children’s codes to have child welfare cases in tribal court.
VACANT, Domestic Violence Justice Coordinator
The Domestic Violence Justice Coordinator works with tribes and tribal courts to develop domestic violence codes and to issue domestic violence protection orders in tribal court. She can provide assistance in holding hearings and issuing orders, working with survivors of domestic violence to coordinate services, and coordinating the registration of tribal domestic violence protection orders with the State of Alaska to ensure that our tribal orders are enforced by state and local law enforcement.
Crystal Toolie, Tribal Justice Development Specialist
In her role as Tribal Justice Development Specialist, Ms. Toolie works closely with the staff attorney to provide election assistance, trouble shooting for tribal coordinators and tribal councils on legal matters, and helps provide training to tribal councils and tribal courts. As part of this position, Ms. Toolie can work with tribes to seek out funding for tribal courts and tribal peace/police officers.
Coming Soon, Paralegal
The Paralegal provides Administrative Support for the Tribal Legal Team.