Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is partnering with the Navajo Nation and Diné College to establish the world’s first tribally affiliated legal education by packaging four comprehensive law degrees tailored to meet the evolving legal needs of the Navajo Nation.
Diné College created of a Bachelor of Arts in Navajo law that will begin accepting students in Fall 2024.
ASU Law announced new emphasis areas in Navajo law within the following graduate legal programs: Master of Legal Studies and Master of Laws in tribal policy, law and government.
ASU Law and the Navajo Nation have a long-standing partnership to recruit and retain Navajo Nation citizens within ASU Law’s J.D. program, which features an Indian law certificate program.
These four interrelated degree programs will maximize student opportunities and offer several pathways designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate complex legal landscapes, advocate for their community and contribute to the preservation and advancement of the Navajo Nation’s traditions and sovereignty.
The degree programs will collectively increase the number of legal professionals licensed to practice law on and around the Navajo Nation.
Externship placements within the Navajo Nation government branches and agencies will be a hallmark of the program, within this initiative’s undergraduate, graduate and professional law degree programs.
Stacy Leeds, dean and law professor at ASU Law, said this marks a milestone in reimagining legal education: a top public law school, working collaboratively with a tribal college and an Indigenous nation, to empower the next generation of advocates, lawyers, leaders and legal scholars, by centering tribal-specific laws and sovereignty.
The partnerships utilize each institution’s expertise and resources to provide an unparalleled set of educational opportunities.
Charles “Monty” Roessel, president of Diné College, said the mission is to furnish students not only with theoretical knowledge but also with the practical acumen to effectively apply laws and legal processes within the Navajo Nation and beyond.
“This program serves as a beacon of hope, a testament to our steadfast commitment to advancing justice and sovereignty through education,” he said.
Since its inception, ASU Law has focused on supporting the Navajo Nation legal community. In the 1970s, founding ASU Law faculty member Judge William Canby worked to recruit Navajo students to ASU Law and taught the first Indian law course. Since 2010, ASU Law offers an annual Navajo Nation Law Continuing Legal Education conference in the fall.
Countless Navajo graduates from ASU Law have completed valuable externships with the Navajo Nation, contributing significantly to the legal community. Many of these graduates have worked within or are currently working on behalf of the Navajo Nation’s legal department. Additionally, numerous ASU Law alumni advise clients before the Navajo Nation Judicial Branch and in administrative proceedings.
ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program was formalized in 1988 and has grown to become one of the most respected Indian law programs in the nation.
Like many rural areas of the United States, the Navajo Nation is classified as a legal desert, an area where there are not enough legal professionals to meet the needs of the population.
