The School of Law and the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program Host the Gathering of Communities and Nations Convocation
October 31, 2024
On October 16, 2024, the School of Law and the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program hosted the Gathering of Communities and Nations Convocation, featuring Distinguished Alumnus John Echohawk of the Pawnee Nation.
The UNM School of Law was founded in 1947 with the first class enrolled including 53 students, 51 of whom were World War II veterans. In 1967, the School of Law welcomed its first Native American law student, John Echohawk. Three years later, in 1970, Echohawk made history as the School’s first Native American graduate
Echohawk’s journey began with the Special Scholarship Program for American Indians, which later evolved into the Pre-Law Summer Institute for American Indians and Alaska Natives (PLSI). As a member of the inaugural PLSI class, he was exposed to courses in Federal Indian Law, which sparked his passion for advocacy.
Following his graduation, Echohawk co-founded the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) in 1970 to address the legal needs of impoverished Native Americans and advocate for their rights. NARF has become a leading organization in Native American legal advocacy, taking on landmark cases such as United States v. State of Washington, Keystone XL Pipeline, Cobell v. Salazar, and Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe..Echohawk’s work has inspired generations of Native American attorneys and reinforced the importance of Indian law in the legal community.
Today, the School of Law is recognized for its comprehensive Indian law program and was ranked as the top law school for Native American law students by preLaw Magazine in 2022. Additionally, the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program is designed to prepare students for meaningful careers in Indian law. This program provides both Native and non-Native students the opportunity to specialize in Indian law through the Indian Law Certificate.
The recent convocation served as a celebration of Echohawk’s legacy and the ongoing efforts of UNM to support Native American legal education. Program faculty at the School of Law currently includes Professor of Law and Director of the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program Aliza Organick (Navajo Nation), Associate Professor of Law Samuel Winder (Southern Ute Indian Tribe), Assistant Professor of Law Nadine Padilla (Navajo Nation and Isleta and Laguna Pueblos), and Professor of Law Sherri Thomas (Taos Pueblo).
