Law School Recruitment
Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaska NativesStudents often ask where they should apply to law school. Do your own research for schools that might be a good fit for you, but you also might want to consider schools on the list below. The following law schools have recruited through our program and are particularly interested in receiving applications from Native Americans. Be sure to indicate that you are Native American when you call or write. This list is provided as a starting point only.
Because many students are interested in Indian Law courses, we have noted each school’s Indian Law offerings:
- “Indian Law Program” denotes more than three regularly offered courses and either an Indian Law Clinic or another Native-oriented program.
- “Certificate” means that the law school has a special Indian Law curriculum which awards a certificate of specialty along with the Juris Doctorate. The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and the University of Tulsa each offer an LLM (a Master’s degree after completing a JD) in a variety of Indian Law-related concentrations, and the University of Arizona offers an SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) in Indigenous Law.
- “Indian Law Classes” typically means that a few courses are offered, but a more extensive program is not in place. However, each school has specialties which go beyond their Indian Law offerings.
If you have more questions after reading through the information provided here, please do not hesitate to contact us at (505) 277-5462 or AILCinfo@law.unm.edu.
Arizona
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law - Tucson, Arizona
- Indian Law Program (JD Certificate, LLM, SJD, and Master’s in Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy)
- Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program
- Contacts:
- Justin Boro, Associate Director, Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program: (520) 626-9224
Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law - Phoenix, Arizona
- Indian Law Program (JD Certificate, L.L.M. in Tribal Policy, Law & Government, Masters in Legal Studies (Indian Law emphasis); Indian Legal Program
- Contacts:
- Theresa Beaulieu, Director, ILP, (480) 965-7715
- Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, asulaw.admissions@asu.edu, (480) 965-1474.
California
University of California-Berkeley - Berkeley, California
- Indian Law Courses and Center for indigenous Law & Justice
- Contact:
- Joseph Lindsay, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid : (510) 642-2274
- Office of Admissions, admissions@law.berkeley.edu
- Merri Lopez-Keifer, Executive Director for the Center for Indigenous Law & Justice
- Kevin Washburn, Professor of Law
- Seth Davis, Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Center for Indigenous Law & Justice
- Contact:
University of California-Los Angeles School of Law - Los Angeles, California
- Indian Law Program and a Joint Degree Program in Law and American Indian Studies
- Contacts:
- Robert Schwartz, Assistant Dean/Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid: (301) 825-2080
- Angela Riley, Professor of Law; Director, MA/JD Joint Degree Program in Law and American Indian Studies; Director, Native Nations Law and Policy Center
- Contacts:
Colorado
University of Colorado Law School - Boulder, Colorado
- American Indian Law Program
- Contact: Kristen A. Carpenter, Council Tree Professor of Law and Director of the American Indian Law Program
- APPLY BY OCTOBER
Idaho
University of Idaho College of Law - Moscow, Idaho & Boise, Idaho
- Native American Law Emphasis & Program
- Contacts:
- Noé Sanchez, M.Ed. (he/him), Assistant Director of Admissions – Boise, 208-885-8620
- Renee Harrison (she/her/ella) Director of Admissions – Moscow, 208-885-0143
- Lundyn Jared (she/her), Assistant Director of Admissions – Moscow, (208) 885-2233
- Emily Shaw (she/her), Admissions Specialist, (208) 885-2300
Iowa
University of Iowa College of Law - Iowa City, Iowa
- Contacts:
- Thomas C. Ksobiech, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, (319) 467-1597
- Jan Barnes, Admissions Coordinator, (319) 335-9095
Michigan
Michigan State University College of Law - East Lansing, Michigan
- Indian Law Classes, Certificate and Clinic
- Professors: Wenona T. Singel
- Clinician & Staff Attorney: Kathryn E. Fort
- Admissions: Kimberly Wilkes, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, (517) 432-6826
- Turtle Talk
University of Michigan Law - Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Indian Law Classes
- Sarah C. Zearfoss, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, (734) 764-0537
- Professors
Professor Timothy Connors
Professor Matthew L.M. Fletcher
- Courses
Legal Issues in Tribal Economic Development
Peacemaking in State Court Justice Systems
American Indian Law Workshop
- Student Organizations
Minnesota
Mitchell Hamline School of Law - St. Paul, Minnesota
- Native American Law and Sovereignty (NALS) Institute
-
Native American Law and Sovereignty Certificate, Clinic and Courses
-
Online Blended program and in-person available
-
-
Contact:
-
Angelique EagleWoman, Professor and Director of NALS Institute, (651) 290-6438
- Cierra Buckner, NALS Program Administrator
-
Montana
University of Montana - Alexander Blewett III School of Law - Missoula, Montana
- Law and Indigenous Peoples Program
- Summer Indian Law Program
- Margery Hunter Brown Indian Law Clinic
- Contact:
- lawadmissions@mso.umt.edu, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Experience, (406) 243-2396
- Admissions: lawadmissions@mso.umt.edu, (406) 243-6169
Nevada
William S. Boyd School of Law - University of Nevada Las Vegas - Las Vegas, Nevada
- Indian Law Program, JD concentration in Indian Nations Gaming and Governance
- Contacts:
- Wayne Pirtle, Admissions
- Cameron Lue Sang, Admissions
- Program Email: ingg@unlv.edu
- Danielle Finn
New Mexico
University of New Mexico School of Law - Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Law and Indigenous Peoples Program
- Contacts:
- Sherri Thomas, Director of LIPP, Professor of Law, Assistant Director of the Library
- Renée Ferrell, JD, Director of Admissions: (505) 277-0959
- Admissions: (505) 277-0958
New York
Cornell University Law School - Ithaca, New York
- Federal Indian Law Practicum
- Shane Cooper, Senior Associate Dean for Admissions, (607) 255-8179
North Dakota
University of North Dakota School of Law - Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Indian Law Program & Certificate
- Contact: Dan Lewerenz, Director and Professor, (701) 777-2268
- Northern Plains Indian Law Center
- Contact: Jim Grijalva, Director and Professor, (701) 777-2227
- Tribal Judicial Institute
- Contact: B.J. Jones, Director, (701) 777-6176
- Institute for the Study of Tribal Gaming Law and Policy
- Contact: Kathryn Rand, Director, Dean, and Professor, (701) 777-3262
- Tribal Environmental Law Project
- Contact: Jim Grijalva, Director and Professor, (701) 777-2227
- Admissions and Records
- Contact: Aleisha Lokken, Director, (701) 777-2260
Michelle Rivard Parks, Associate Director, (701) 777-6192
Admissions & Records | Pam Shea, Director, (701) 777-2226
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City University School of Law - Oklahoma City, OK
- Indian Law Classes and Tribal Sovereignty Institute
- American Indian Wills Clinic
- Contacts:
- Preston Nicholson, Assistant Dean for Admissions
- (405) 208-5483
- pnicholson@okcu.edu
- Preston Nicholson, Assistant Dean for Admissions
University of Tulsa College of Law - Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Indian Law Classes
- Contacts:
- Megan Henson, Associate Dean & Director of Admissions and Financial Aid 918-631-2406
- Karen Grundy, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs 918-631-2439
- Megan Henson, Associate Dean & Director of Admissions and Financial Aid 918-631-2406
South Dakota
University of South Dakota School of Law - Vermillion, South Dakota
- Indian Law Program
- Contacts:
- Katey Ulrich, Director of Admissions & Marketing: (605) 658 – 3506
Utah
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law - Salt Lake City, Utah
- Indian Law Classes
- Contacts:
- Reyes Aguilar, Associate Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid: (801) 581-6563
- Alexander Tallchief Skibine, S.J. Quinney Endowed Professor of Law: (801) 581-4177
Washington
Seattle University School of Law - Seattle, Washington
-
Indian Law Classes for the Northwest Center for Indigenous Law
- Contact:
- Brooke Pinkham (Nez perce), Director Northwest Center for Indigenous Law, (206) 412-8152
-
Professor Nazune Menka (Koyukon Athabaskan & Lumbee), Faculty Director, Northwest Center for Indigenous Law, (206) 398-4084
University of Washington School of Law - Seattle, Washington
-
- Monte Mills, DIrector of Native American Law Center, (202) 616-3482
- Tribal Court Clinic
- Chris Bailey, Assistant Dean For Admissions and Financial Aid, (206) 616-1681
- Indigenous/American Indian Law Concentration Track
- UW Admissions Office: (206) 543-4078.
- Sustainable International Development LL.M. Indigenous Rights Concentration
Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin Law School - Madison, Wisconsin
- Indian Law Classes & Clinic
- Contact:
- Rebecca Scheller, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid: (608) 262-1815
- Admissions: admissions@law.wisc.edu