ASU Law alum Doreen Nanibaa McPaul elected first Native American president of the State Bar of Arizona

Doreen Nanibaa McPaul (JD '01), an alumna of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, has been elected president of the State Bar of Arizona, becoming the first Native American to lead the organization in its 93-year history.

McPaul, who has more than 25 years of legal experience, has built a distinguished career serving Tribal Nations and advancing the legal profession. She is the former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, serves as executive director of the Tribal In-House Counsel Association and has been a member of the State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors since 2018. 

An alumna of ASU Law's nationally recognized Indian Legal Program, McPaul later returned to her alma mater as a clinical professor and director of the Indian Legal Clinic, mentoring future attorneys pursuing careers in Indian law.

In an interview with the State Bar of Arizona's Arizona Attorney Magazine, McPaul reflected on her path to the legal profession. Before attending law school, she taught seventh- and eighth-grade math in her hometown on the Navajo Nation. She said a fellowship between the Navajo Nation and ASU Law inspired her to pursue a legal career, helping prepare a new generation of Navajo attorneys to serve their communities.

“Eventually, I realized I needed to be in a position where I was working with leadership to effect change. I wanted to be able to have conversations about what we were seeing and identify ways to improve those outcomes," McPaul told the publication.

As State Bar president, McPaul told Arizona Attorney Magazine that her priorities include strengthening the preparation of new lawyers for practice, expanding access to justice in rural Arizona and highlighting the work of legal aid organizations across the state. She also emphasized the importance of helping attorneys better understand Indian law and Tribal legal systems, noting that Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized Tribal Nations.

"Doreen's election is a tremendous achievement and a historic moment for Arizona's legal community," said Kate Rosier, executive director of ASU Law's Indian Legal Program. "She embodies the leadership, service and commitment to Tribal Nations that the Indian Legal Program strives to instill in its students. We are incredibly proud to see one of our alumni make history while continuing to inspire the next generation of lawyers."

Founded in 1988, ASU Law's Indian Legal Program is one of the nation's premier programs dedicated to Indian law. Through a nationally recognized curriculum, experiential learning opportunities — including the Indian Legal Clinic — and partnerships with Tribal governments and organizations, the program prepares students to become leaders in Tribal, federal, state and private practice. McPaul's historic election reflects the program's enduring commitment to developing attorneys who advance justice, strengthen Tribal sovereignty and serve communities across Indian Country.