ABA Law Student Podcast20 Okt 2025

Tribal Law 101: Why It's Essential for Every Law Student

Host Nayeli Diaz sits down with tribal attorney Leah Jurss to demystify the vast and often-overlooked world of tribal law. Leah shares her unique perspective from working both in a firm serving tribes and as in-house counsel for the Bay Mills Indian Community.

In a candid and informative interview, Leah dispels common myths and explains why a foundational understanding of tribal sovereignty is essential for all legal professionals, no matter their field. She highlights the wide range of legal issues that intersect with tribal communities and offers a clear roadmap for how law students can start learning about this fascinating and rewarding area of law.

In this episode, we discuss:

Federal Indian Law vs. Tribal Law: The key differences between the laws governing the relationship with the U.S. government and the laws tribes use to govern themselves.
The Right Terminology: Why "Indian law" is still used and when it's appropriate to identify a specific tribe.
Effective Advocacy: Leah's experience working with non-native lawyers and her advice on how to be an effective advocate for a tribal community by respecting cultural norms.
A Rewarding Career: Why a career in tribal law is never boring, offering a chance to touch on many different practice areas, from family and environmental law to legislation and business development.
Resources for Students: Actionable steps you can take today to learn more, including which law school classes to take and the value of joining organizations like the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA).

(00:00) - Introduction: The Importance of Tribal Law for Law Students
(01:36) - Introducing Guest Leah Jurss & The Topic of Tribal Law
(03:53) - The Term "Indian Law": Why Is It Still Used?
(04:40) - The Difference Between Federal Indian Law and Tribal Law
(06:19) - In-House vs. Law Firm Practice: The Differences
(08:14) - Being a Non-Native in Indian Law: A Discussion on Allyship
(10:20) - The Importance of a Baseline Understanding for All Lawyers
(13:12) - Resources for Learning Tribal Law in Law School
(16:28) - Leah's Career Path: From Law Student to Tribal Attorney
(19:35) - A Day in the Life of a Tribal Attorney
(23:57) - A Favorite Project: Drafting a Judicial Ethics Code
(26:22) - Final Takeaways: The Importance of Sovereignty
(27:33) - Conclusion & Outro

Click here to view the episode transcript.

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