Welcome the New IPLP Class

The newest class of students in University of Arizona Law's Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program represent one of the most academically and professionally accomplished IPLP classes to date. Despite a global pandemic, our new students are dedicated to promoting the self-determination of Indigenous communities. We are thrilled for them to join the IPLP community!

Our Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Professional Studies (MPS), Graduate Certificate (GC), Master of Legal Studies (MLS), and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) students bring a wealth of experience to the classroom. This year’s new class includes 7 JD, 7 LLM, 5 MPS, 1 GC, 14 MLS, and 3 SJD students.

Members of our JD class represent 5 different tribes and come from 7 different undergraduate institutions, with 2 students from Arizona and the rest joining us from different states.

Highlights of our graduate students include:

7 LLM students represent 5 different tribes and Indigenous communities and bring a significant breadth of academic and professional experience to the program.
This year’s MPS and GC students represent 4 different tribes.
Our 14 new MLS students represent 6 different tribes.
The incoming cohort of 3 SJD students represent 2 different Indigenous communities and bring a wealth of professional and academic accomplishments to the program.

The newest group of IPLP graduate students include 2 veterans of the Unites States armed forces, 1 former MSNBC senior legal analyst and prosecutor for the State of Connecticut, and a public policy advocate with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter where we will highlight the accomplishments of the newest class of IPLP students!

Federalism and Development of Constitutional Order in Iraq

IPLP alumnus Hamdy Singary (SJD, ’09) will discuss the history and development of the status of Kurds as a nation within the Iraqi state, from the post World War I constitutional order to present day. Singary, senior advisor to the chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council, will also explore the role federalism plays in conflict resolution between Kurds and the Iraqi government under the current constitution, ratified by the Iraq Parliament in 2005.

Federalism and Development of Constitutional Order in Iraq
October 7, 12:15 –1:15 P.M. (AZ time)
Online, Via Zoom

▶️ Register here.

McGirt v. Oklahoma: The Landmark Indian Law Case Holding Government to Its Word

On September 3, University of Arizona Law Professors Rebecca Tsosie, Barbara Atwood, Melissa Tatum, and Tessa Dysart hosted a webinar on the implications of the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision for Oklahoma and for federal Indian law and tribal rights more broadly. The webinar was a great success with more than 110 attendees. Thank you to those of you who joined the webinar!

In McGirt v. Oklahoma, the US Supreme Court ruled that a vast tract of land within Oklahoma was part of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation, resulting in thousands of Oklahomans discovering that they live in Indian country in the state of Oklahoma. In this conversation moderated by Professor Tessa Dysart, a registered member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, who writes and teaches on appellate advocacy issues, Professors Rebecca Tsosie, Barbara Atwood, and Melissa Tatum discussed the Court’s decisions and its implications for the future.

▶️ View a recording of the webinar.

Interview with University of Arizona NALSA President

University of Arizona Law 2L Amber Morningstar Byars (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) discusses what brought her to law school, tips for prospective students, and what it’s like to be a law student. Amber currently serves as president of the University of Arizona Native American Law Students Association and is an associate editor of the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law and Policy.

Q: What made you decide to go to law school?
I came to law school because I had a lot of questions. I did not understand why our Native women are allowed to be taken, murdered, and sexually assaulted seemingly without consequence. I did not understand why it is legal for the Federal government to seize, diminish, and send pipelines through Indian territory without consent. I guess I got tired of asking myself these questions and decided to seek out the answers. After spending almost a month at Standing Rock during the #NODAPL movement, I knew I needed a higher platform and decided a law degree would be it.

Q: What tips would you give to people considering going to law school or in the process of applying?
Do not let the LSAT trip you up! I almost did not make it to law school because of the LSAT and to be honest, I think that’s why it’s there - to keep law schools elite. So many minority students simply cannot afford to study for or take the LSAT. On top of it being a huge financial obstacle, the LSAT can serve as a major confidence-crusher. I studied for months and did horrible on my first try. Then I studied for another few months and took the test again, only to score ONE POINT LOWER than I did on my first try. I wanted to throw myself down a well, but my mentors and intuition told me to keep going. I did and look at me now. I am by no means at the top of my class but who cares! I am a good law student and I am going to be an even better attorney, not because of the score I got on some ridiculous standardized test but because of my drive, passion, and life experiences. Eat your heart out, LSAT.

Q: What do you like most about University of Arizona Law?
The Indigenous community is my favorite aspect of University of Arizona Law. I feel very spoiled to be going to a law school with such a rich Native student population. While this is a privilege I enjoy, I would like to acknowledge that it is not felt by many other minority students and I think the University can do more to ensure an even more diverse student body. That being said, I am very grateful to be able to attend law school alongside many Indigenous relatives representing many different tribal nations. Our Indigenous faculty is also wonderful. Having access to such powerful mentorship from our renowned IPLP faculty makes me feel very blessed.

Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate law school?
My answer to this question is always simple but broad - I want to work for the land and the people. What that looks like, I have no idea yet. Right now all I can do is work hard and trust in the higher powers to guide me. I wake up every morning and pray to our Creator and my ancestors put me on a good path towards doing meaningful work in this world. I ask them to put me in a position where my talents are utilized, my passions are fulfilled, and the land and people benefit from my work.

Q: What is it like to be a Native student during such tumultuous times?
We’re going through a worldwide upheaval, so I think any existence on Earth right now is terrifying. Even if I weren’t a student I’d still be stretched pretty thin. Add law school to a pandemic and global social revolution and you get a very stressed out person. One thing that has brought me peace over the past few months is focusing on what is right in front of me. It’s very easy to get bogged down in the sadness I feel for the loss of my pre-COVID life and my worries for an uncertain future. Right now I’m trying to concentrate on whatever assignment is due next, whatever meeting is scheduled for today, and of course, not touching my face. Living in the moment is sometimes my biggest accomplishment of the day.

Arizona Law Student Discuses Importance of Indigenous Education

University of Arizona Law 2L Amber Morningstar Byars (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) was featured by the Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education in their Fall 2020 edition.

The article highlights the importance of tribal colleges and universities and programs like the Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI) in increasing access to higher education and law school for American Indian and Alaska Native students.

Amber discusses the influence and impact her tribal college education and participation in PLSI had on her decision to attend law school. “PLSI taught me to listen to my body and spirit, and it was a lesson I will be forever grateful for because it has helped me so much throughout law school,” Amber says.

▶️ Read the full article.

Alumni News

In a recent article in the Artic Sounder, University of Arizona Law and IPLP alumna Elizabeth Saagulik Hensley discusses the lack of Native attorneys, according to ABA statistics. "It's not a particularly diverse group and certainly doesn't reflect the makeup of Alaskans," Hensley said. "But it does reflect the power dynamic that has been established in this country."

▶️ Read the full article.

University of Arizona Law and IPLP alumnus Gabe Galanda of Galanda Broadman urges tribes to diversify their tribal enterprise beyond gaming in a Native Business Magazine article.

▶️ Read the full article.

Tribal Courts and Justice Administration Undergraduate Certificate

The Tribal Courts and Justice Administration Undergraduate Certificate is a new program available through the University of Arizona College of Law’s Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy (IPLP) Program and the School of Government and Public Policy in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

The certificate prepares students for a wide range of tribal-justice related careers and teaches the foundations of Native American law and policy. The curriculum covers topics ranging from federal Indian law, tribal courts, tribal criminal law, and tribal family law, all taught by industry leading faculty.

▶️ Learn more https://bit.ly/tribalcourts

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University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Program

1145 N Mountain Avenue

Tucson, AZ 85721
law-iplp@arizona.email.edu

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