Tell us about your community growing up. Looking back, how did they shape who you are now?

I grew up in Northeastern Oklahoma when the Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation were just starting to rebuild their governments after a very dark period in their collective histories. The geographic area is made up of smaller towns and rural areas. It’s within this setting that my professional passions for Indian law were shaped.

My youth was surrounded by loving and supportive family along with my extended community. Sports occupied most of my time and opened up a lot of opportunities for me.

Describe your journey to law school. What motivated you to apply?

I had a “light-bulb” moment during one of my undergraduate classes junior year. The capstone assignment was mock congressional testimony on Indian child welfare legislation. This was when my passion for Native communities collided with the pressure, adrenaline, and preparation I had only felt in my athletic endeavors.

I limited my law school search to find one that had an Indian law program, and somewhere closer to home. That’s how I ended up in Tulsa.

What was your law school experience like?

I really enjoyed law school and have zero regrets about my choice. I made lifelong friends during my first year of law school and through the Native American Law Students organization. There were three substantive experiences that stood out to me during my journey which were serving as a TA for legal writing, participating in moot court, and being an editor on a law journal. These helped my skills mature in ways that helped shape my career as a law professor and legal advocate.

Did you know about appellate work in law school? If not, when and how did it first get on your radar and why were you drawn to it?

Appellate work did not fully enter my radar until my work experiences following the second year of law school. I clerked during the school year at the Muscogee (Creek) Nation courts, and as a summer clerk at the Native American Rights Fund in Boulder, Colorado. Indian law cases are heard at the United States Supreme Court at a very high rate, and many cases that originate in tribal courts make their way to federal district and circuit courts on jurisdictional grounds.

Most of my appellate work has been as a Justice on the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court and other tribal appellate courts. Otherwise, like many other law professors, I’ve participated in filing amicus briefs in various cases.

Tell us about one of your appellate cases that you found particularly meaningful.

I played a small role on behalf of the Cherokee Nation on the Murphy and McGirt cases. This led to the reaffirmation of the political and territorial boundaries of the Muskogee (Creek) Nation and eventually several other reservations in Northeastern Oklahoma.

For the tribes involved in these cases, this was a rare victory not seen in eight generations. It was also a remarkable example of coordinated advocacy on such an important issue, with hundreds of Indian law attorneys playing different roles to support this collective effort.

How often do you encounter Indigenous people in the appellate field? Why do you think that representation is important?

When looking at tribal, state, and federal appellate work as a whole, there is an increasing presence of Indigenous lawyers and judges, and there’s much to be enthusiastic about. For communities to have confidence and trust in legal systems, it is essential that inclusion is both meaningful and apparent.

What advice would you give to a law student of color who aspires to be where you are now?

Be true to yourself and don’t try to change who you are to meet unrealistic external expectations. Your background and experiences are your greatest strengths and your unique perspectives will be at a premium at some point of your career.

Most importantly, advocate for issues that matter to you and your community. The journey may be challenging, and you may often feel like you are spinning your wheels, but stay focused on your goals. A wise mentor once told me something that has proven true so many times. “You can’t always control the timing of opportunities, but you can absolutely control how prepared you will be when that opportunity comes.”

What’s one thing law schools and/or the appellate bar can do to ensure our highest courts are representative of all our communities?

Law schools should prioritize expanding access to legal education for communities that have been underrepresented in the legal profession. That must also mean, changing the manner and modalities in which legal knowledge is accessed.

At ASU Law, we have long been committed to increasing accessibility and inclusion with initiatives aimed at growing the legal profession.

When law schools, and particularly public law schools, focus on creating new opportunities, we can build a more representative legal profession, including advocates who are uniquely positioned to have fruitful careers in appellate work as lawyers, judges, and other types of legal professionals.