Whitney Leonard and Steven Wilfong

Whitney and Steven began volunteering with ANDVSA with the encouragement of their firm, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Miller & Monkman, LLP, and currently have one open child custody case they are co-counseling. Whitney and Steven’s case has had delays and unexpected events pop up that they know would be difficult for their client to tackle alone, and they are glad that they can provide their client with legal representation. Whitney primarily has experience with tribal rights law but emphasizes the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone, as neither she nor Steven practice primarily in family law. Whitney notes that lawyers are often told not to dabble in other areas that are not their expertise, but she said that lawyers “shouldn’t be afraid to volunteer in an area of law [they’re] not an expert in.” Steven says that those considering volunteering with ANDVSA should “be aware that representation can go in unexpected direction,” but that is precisely why volunteer assistance is so valuable for ANDVSA clients, and he notes that ANDVSA is very responsive to questions and ready to offer support to volunteer attorneys.

Steven’s interest in pursuing a career in law began after he took an undergraduate course called World Courts in Europe. After receiving his undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College, he worked at Target Headquarters for several years in Minneapolis. He then attended Harvard Law School and graduated in 2017. He clerked for the Alaska Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. He briefly left Alaska to work for Latham & Watkins, but he found himself drawn back to Alaska when a position opened at Sonosky.

Whitney grew up in Massachusetts and received her undergraduate degree from Williams College where she majored in Economics and Environmental Studies. After doing conservation work that overlapped with tribal rights, Whitney decided to pursue a law degree at Yale Law School and graduated in 2015. She clerked on the Alaska Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit before joining Sonosky, where she is a partner.

Steven and Whitney both keep busy in their free time when they are not volunteering with ANDVSA or working. Steven enjoys doting on his cat, hiking, packrafting and skiing. He also volunteers with the Alaska Business Development Center through their Volunteer Tax and Loan Program to assist rural Alaskans with their taxes. He highly recommends checking them out! Whitney also enjoys spending time outside, chasing after her 1.5-year-old son, and she is looking forward to the upcoming Nordic skiing season. She further volunteers her time with the High Mountain Institute, a Colorado non-profit providing outdoor experiential education, where she is currently the Chair of the Board.

Thank you, Steven and Whitney, for your commitment to pro bono work!