The Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Law School Recruitment
Students often ask where they should apply to law school. While you should match your interests with the programs offered, some law schools are particularly interested in receiving applications from Native Americans. Be sure to indicate that you are Native American when you call or write. Though the following list of schools is by no means exhaustive - there are many excellent law schools not listed here - it includes schools which have recruited students from the Pre-Law Summer Institute and have a history of actively recruiting and supporting Native American students. This list is provided as a starting point only.
All the schools listed have financial aid programs, and many provide scholarships or tuition waivers for Native American students. Please check with each school for eligibility requirements and deadlines.
Because many students are interested in the courses in Indian law offered by schools, we have noted each school's Indian Law offerings. "Indian Law Program" typically 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 offer an L.L.M. (a Master’s degree after completing a J.D.) program in a variety of Indian Law-related concentrations. "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. Students should seek a school where the full curriculum matches their interests.
Regardless of the school you desire to attend, we recommend you contact them as early as possible. Most law school application deadlines are between January and March for fall admission.
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
Indian Law Program (Certificate, LLM in Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy with a doctoral program being added soon)
Terry Sue Holpert, 520-621-7666
Assistant Dean for Admissions
P.O. Box 210176
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0176
Arizona State University
Indian Law Program, Certificate, L.L.M. in Tribal Policy, Law & Government
Kate Rosier, (480) 965-6204
Director, Indian Legal Programs
Arizona State University College of Law
Tempe, Arizona 85287
University of Colorado School of Law
Indian Law Program
Carol Nelson-Douglas, (303) 492-7085
Assistant Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid
141 Fleming Law Building
403 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0403
University of Connecticut
Indian Law Classes
Karen DeMeola, (860) 570-5162
Director of Admissions,
Admissions Office, (860) 570-5100
45 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT 06105
Cornell University
Indian Law Classes
Richard Geiger, (607) 255-3626
Assistant Dean of Admissions
Cornell Law School
Myron Taylor Hall
Ithaca, New York 14853
University of Denver
Indian Law Classes
Iain Davis, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Management
(303) 871-6135
University of Denver College of Law
7039 East 18th Avenue
Denver, CO 80220
Hamline University
Indian Law Classes
Director of Admissions, (800) 388-3688
Prof. Mary Jo B. Hunter, (615) 523-2077
Hamline University School of Law
1536 Hewitt Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104
University of Iowa
Indian Law Classes
Collins Byrd, Assistant Dean of Admissions
(800)-553-IOWA, ext. 9095, or 319-335-9095
Jan Barnes, (800) 553-4692, ext 9095
Admissions Coordinator
University of Iowa College of Law
276 Boyd Law Building
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
University of Kansas
Indian Law Program
Prof. Stacy Leeds
Associate Professor and Director, Tribal Law and Government Center
Admissions Office, Toll Free:(866) 220-3654
University of Kansas School of Law
1535 West 15th Street
Lawrence, KS 66045-7577
Lewis & Clark Law School
Indian Law Program
Jeremy R. Aliason, JD, (503) 768-6740
Indian Law Program Coordinator
10015 SW Terwilliger Blvd.
Portland, OR 97219
University of Michigan
Indian Law Classes
Sarah C. Zearfoss, (734) 764-0537
Assistant Dean & Director of Admissions
Delphine L. Byrd, Senior Admissions Counselor
University of Michigan Law School
726 Oakland Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3031
Michigan State University College of Law
Indian Law Classes, Certificate and Clinic
Tamara Martinez-Anderson, (800) 844-9352 or (517) 432-0222
Assistant Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid
Matthew Fletcher, Indian Law Professor
Wenona Singel, Indian Law Professor
459 Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1300
University of Minnesota
Indian Law Classes
Julie Tigges, (612) 625-3487
Director of Admissions,
University of Minnesota Law School
290 Mondale Hall
229 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
University of Montana School of Law
Indian Law Classes
Heidi Fanslow, (406) 243-4311
Director of Admissions
Missoula, MT 59812-1071
The University of New Mexico
Indian Law Program & Certificate
Professor John LaVelle , (505) 277-0951
Chair, Indian Law Certificate Program,
Susan Mitchell, (505) 277-0959
Director of Admissions,
UNM School of Law
MSC11 6070
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
University of North Dakota
Indian Law Program
Tahira Hashmi, (701) 777-2223
Assistant Director
Director, Northern Plains Indian Law Center,
UND School of Law
P.O. Box 9003
Grand Forks, ND 58202
University of Oregon
Lawrence Seno, Jr.
Assistant Dean of Admissions
University of Oregon School of Law
1221 University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1221
Phone: (541) 346-3846
Fax: (541) 346-3984
University of South Dakota
Indian Law Program
Jean Henriques, (605) 677-5443
Admissions Officer,
Office of Admissions
University of South Dakota School of Law
414 E. Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069-2390
University of Tulsa
Indian Law Program, Certificate & L.L.M.
Martha Cordell , (918) 631-2709
Director of Admissions & Financial Aid,
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK 74104-2499
Professors & Co-Directors: University of Tulsa Indian Law Center
William Rice - L.L. M. Director, (918) 631-2456
Judith Royster - Certificate Director, (918) 631-3191
Melissa Tatum - Indian Law Moot Court Competition Director, (918) 631-2198
Valerie Phillips, (918) 631-3540
Associate Dean Vicki Limas, (918) 631-2445
Kathy Supernaw, Clinical Professor and Director of Muscogee (Creek) Nation Indian Law Clinic
University of Utah
Indian Law Classes
Reyes Aguilar, (801) 581-6833
Associate Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid,
Professor Alexander Tallchief Skibine, (801) 581-6563
University of Utah College of Law
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
Washburn University
Indian Law Classes & Clinic
Karla E. Beam, Director of Admissions
Washburn University School of Law, Toll Free (800) 927-4529
1700 College
Topeka, Kansas 66621
University of Washington
Indian Law Classes
Professor Robert Anderson, (206) 685-2661
University of Washington Native American Law Center
Sandra Madrid, (206) 543-0199
Assistant Dean of Administration & Student Services
UW Admissions Office, (206) 685-3181
University of Washington School of Law
Condon Hall
1100 N.W. Campus Parkway
Seattle, Washington 98195-4600
University of Wisconsin Law School
Indian Law Classes
Mike Hall, 608-262-5914
Assistant Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid
975 Bascom Mall
Room 4314
Madison, WI 53706-1399
