Gift to OU Law Establishes First Native American Law Chair in the Country Held by Permanent Faculty Member

NORMAN -- The University of Oklahoma College of Law has received a gift from the Chickasaw Nation to establish the Chickasaw Nation Native American Law Chair, the first endowed chair of its kind in the country.

This chair will allow OU Law to attract and retain the most outstanding national scholar in Native American Law and will be held by a permanent faculty member. 

“The Chickasaw Nation’s generous gift underlines the leadership of the OU College of Law in Native American Law,” said OU President David L. Boren. “We are deeply grateful to Governor Bill Anoatubby and the Chickasaw Nation for their remarkable commitment and transformative gift that further enhances the college’s national and international reputation in this field.”

“The Chickasaw Nation is excited to endow this Chair at the University of Oklahoma College of Law,” said Governor Bill Anoatubby. “We are proud to support OU Law in its commitment to training the next generation of excellent lawyers who understand and care about the legal issues faced by Native Americans.”

Located in the heart of Indian Territory, OU Law offers three different programs providing specialization in Native American Law:  the Juris Doctor Certificate, the Master of Laws and the new Master of Legal Studies.  The OU College of Law has maintained the highest average enrollment of Native American students among law schools nationwide over the past 10 years.  This year, 11.1 percent of the incoming first-year class is Native American.   OU Law’s American Indian Law Review hosts one of the largest Native American Law Symposia in the nation.  The college is also home to one of the most important collections of Native American art in the country, the Bialac Collection, displayed throughout the hallways of the College of Law.  This spring, OU Law will host the 22nd annual National Native American Law Student Association Moot Court, at which students from around the nation will compete.

About the Chickasaw Nation
With more than 50,000 citizens, the Chickasaw Nation is the 12th largest federally-recognized Indian tribe in the United States. The Chickasaw Nation had an economic impact of more than $2.4 billion in Oklahoma in 2011. The tribe is the seventh largest employer in Oklahoma, with more than 10,000 employees in the state and more than 12,500 worldwide. A democratic republic with executive, legislative and judicial departments, the tribe's jurisdictional territory includes all or part of 13 counties in south central Oklahoma.

About University of Oklahoma College of Law
Founded in 1909, the University of Oklahoma College of Law is Oklahoma’s premiere law school and the highest ranked in the state by US News & World Report. OU Law is also nationally ranked as a top 20 “Best Value” law school and in the top 15 percent of “Best Law Schools” by National Jurist magazine. OU Law has small sections and class sizes that encourage a strong sense of community, accomplished faculty with international expertise and a state-of-the-art facility featuring study rooms, court rooms and classrooms equipped with the latest technology. As Oklahoma’s only public law school, OU Law is currently the academic home of approximately 500 students enrolled in the Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and various dual degree programs.

CONTACT: Casey Delaney, cdelaney@ou.edu