Tribal Sovereignty Institute

A voice for Native law and policy for more than 30 years.

The Tribal Sovereignty Institute at Oklahoma City University School of Law rests on a foundation of advocacy and legal scholarship that has existed at the university since the 1980s. Known first as the Native American Legal Resource Center and then the American Indian Law and Sovereignty Center, OCU Law has consistently been at the forefront of Indian law and tribal issues for decades.

The Tribal Sovereignty Institute is a continuation of the university’s efforts to promote, celebrate, and educate on issues surrounding tribal sovereignty and the legal issues that affect the 39 tribal communities located in Oklahoma.

The Institute is a platform for educating future attorneys who will specialize in American Indian law, training existing attorneys to serve in tribal law roles, and providing access to persuasive, factual and independent arguments in support of tribal sovereignty.

The Institute encourages student immersion into the area of American Indian law and policy, including the opportunity to work directly with tribal leaders, tribal courts, and tribal citizens.

The Tribal Sovereignty Institute at OCU Law is also home to the vital institution known as Sovereignty Symposium — a legal conference offering a setting for the consideration of legal and policy issues facing tribal communities, as well as a platform for the celebration of tribal sovereignty in all its forms – legal, artistic, cultural and economic.

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