This semester I have had the amazing opportunity to work at the U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) in Washington, D.C. OTJ is the primary point of contact between the Department of Justice and all of the 566 federally recognized American Indian tribes. OTJ maintains liaison with those tribes while promoting the internal uniformity of the Department on policies and litigating positions on matters relating to Indian Country.
Since my background and legal education has focused on American Indian law and policy development, OTJ was a natural fit for my goals and interests. And, the opportunity to receive full-time credit for such an amazing experience is precisely why I chose the University of Oklahoma College of Law over others.
The bulk of my efforts this spring have focused on a case recently granted certiorari before the United States Supreme Court. It has been simply amazing to watch the process work from the "inside" of the federal machine. It's even more significant that a party to the case is the American Indian nation of which I am citizen myself. The gravity of every task related to the case intensifies when I realize the implications it has for Indian Country, the U.S. federal government and all of the respective state regimes.
My time here has been a moving and substantial factor in my personal and professional development in the legal profession.
My externship at OTJ has left nothing to be desired and is an exemplary reason why I will be proud to call myself a "Sooner Lawyer."
More News & Media
Blog
OU Law M.L.S. Students Support Native Communities During COVID-19 Pandemic
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the M.L.S. in Indigenous Peoples Law program not only continue to excel in their coursework but have found ways to address the needs of their communities during the ongoing health crisis.
Rebeka Morales, Event and Communications Coordinator
Blog
In Their Words: Bringing the Uniform Bar Exam to Oklahoma
Last summer, my classmate Trae Havens and I were privileged to serve Oklahoma by interning with the office of Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice James Winchester. Throughout the summer, we worked on a variety of different research projects, such as writing draft opinions and organizing files for oral arguments, but the most important thing we did was research for the potential adoption of the Uniform Bar Exam, or UBE, in Oklahoma.
Katelyn Niles & Trae Havens, 3Ls
Blog
OU Law Conversations: Randy Grimmett and Madeline Meibergen from Global Music Rights
Please watch both Randy Grimmett (’93) and Madeline Meibergen (’12) discuss their work with Global Music Rights. GMR is one of only three companies in the nation that licenses music for...