Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Native American Law and Sovereignty Institute

Native American Law Student Association (NALSA)

About

The Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) is a network of primarily Native Americans who are law students offering academic and Tribal culture support services. The MH NALSA also includes allies interested in the field of Native American law. In an era of asserting Tribal governments’ laws and jurisdiction, the membership maintains strong community relations while working toward cross-cultural understanding.

The Mitchell Hamline Native American Law Student Association chapter (MH NALSA) has a strong local connection to the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association (MAIBA), which sponsors CLEs and works with Tribal Nations to develop codes, rules, and procedures. MH NALSA also maintains a national network with chapters from other law schools, as well as Tribal Nations and Tribal individuals.

Membership is open to any interested current Mitchell Hamline students and individual dues are not required.

2023–24 NALSA officers

  • President: Dakota Lancour (descendant, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa)
  • Co-Vice President: Emma Brunelle (descendant, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa)
  • Co-Vice President: Savannah Thibert (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa)
  • Treasurer: Shalese Snowdon (descendant, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Animakee Wa Zhing #37 First Nation)*
  • Secretary: Keeli Siyaka (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation)
  • Events/ Networking Co-Chair: Mariah Norwood (Cherokee Nation)
  • Events/ Networking Co-Chair: Amber Van Fleet (Mohave from Colorado River Indian Tribes)
  • Public Relations Co-Chair: Weston Jones (Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribe)
  • Public Relations Co-Chair: Reen Reinhardt (Mayan by descent)
  • Native Law Chair: Warren Warrington (descendant, Menominee Nation)
  • Historian: Kiana Carlson (Native Village of Cantwell)
  • 1L BAM Rep: Leo John Bird (Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and Blackfeet*)
  • 1L Blended Learning Rep: William Vandergriff (Native Village of Shishmaref {Qigiqtaq})
  • Faculty Advisor: Professor Angelique EagleWoman (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation)

Networking organizations

Recent accomplishments and event

Academic Year 2022-2023

  • In October 2022, MH NALSA offered the annual Indigenous Peoples Day webinar on the topic of “Understanding Native American Sovereignty” with panelists: Veronica “Roni” Newcomer, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, 2013; and Leah Sixkiller, Red Lake Nation.
  • In November, MH NALSA assisted with the annual Native Law Conference, “Dakota and Ojibwe Legal History: Deep Roots in These Lands.”
  • In February, MH NALSA hosted an online book club featuring Professor Matthew L.M. Fletcher, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, on his book, The Ghost Road: Anishinaabe Responses to Indian Hating.
  • MH NALSA Chapter wins Chapter of the Year Award from the National NALSA Annual Meeting in April 2023!

Stay tuned:

  • The 2023–24 MH NALSA Board has a lot of exciting new goals for the upcoming school year.
  • Follow MH NALSA on Facebook for more information.