Degree emphasis area

Navajo Nation Law

Building pathways for justice in the Navajo Nation

In collaboration with Diné College and furthering ASU Law’s commitment to Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous justice, the Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree with an emphasis on Navajo Nation Law provides a specialized curriculum focused on the laws, governance systems and legal challenges unique to the Navajo Nation.

Like many rural areas of the United States, the Navajo Nation is classified as a legal desert, an area where there are not enough legal professionals to meet the needs of the population. The emphasis is open to all MLS students but is specifically designed to serve citizens of the Navajo Nation and those working with or within Tribal communities.

An ASU Law student smiles while attending the Indian Legal Program Blanket Ceremony for graduates

Degree programs

Academic opportunities

Sample coursework

U.S. Law and Legal Analysis
Tort Law
Navajo Nation Fundamental Law
Navajo Nation Law
Evidence

Professional Responsibility
American Indian Law
Civil Jurisdiction in Indian Country
Legal Writing and Research Elective

Native American Law Students Association (NALSA)

ASU Law is proud to support students as they create thriving communities centered around a shared commitment to Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous justice. Through field excursions, networking opportunities and lectures with prominent speakers, student-led groups enhance their professional commitment to sustainability and environmental law and prepare students for their future careers.

Explore the NALSA

Career support

In collaboration with the Career Services team, Navajo Nation Law offers students exceptional legal opportunities to gain practical experience in both public and private sectors. Each year, students launch careers through summer internships and externships and ASU Law graduates take on roles within leading law organizations on tribal lands and beyond.

Explore Career Services

An ASU Law student is hooded at the Spring 2025 MLS Convocation ceremony

Diné College partnership

ASU Law and the Navajo Nation have a long-standing partnership to recruit and retain Navajo Nation citizens within ASU Law’s Juris Doctor program, which features an Indian law certificate program. In a historic move in the advancement of legal education, ASU Law is expanding that partnership in collaboration with Diné College to create legal educational opportunities through the MLS degree program with an emphasis on Navajo Nation Law.

“This marks a milestone in reimagining legal education,” said Willard H. Pedrick Dean and Regents Professor of Law Stacy Leeds. “A top public law school, working collaboratively with a tribal college and an Indigenous nation, to empower the next generation of advocates, lawyers, leaders and legal scholars, by centering tribal-specific laws and sovereignty.”

The partnerships utilize each institution's expertise and resources to provide an unparalleled set of educational opportunities. The cornerstone of this initiative is a shared commitment to strengthening the Navajo Nation’s cultural traditions, sovereignty, legal system and self-governance while empowering future generations to address the legal challenges facing the Navajo Nation.