Native Law Students Awarded Prestigious Clerkships

Alayna Farris and Bryan Shade have been awarded two of the most prestigious clerkships in the field of Indian law and affairs. Both hail from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and just completed their second year at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Farris (Cherokee) was selected to work with the Native American Rights Fund over the summer. NARF is an organization charged with protecting the continued existence of tribal entities and safeguarding the legal recognition of their status as sovereign, self-governing entities. NARF employs a staff of 50, including 15 attorneys, and is located in Boulder, Colorado. 

"NARF is involved when any tribal issue goes before the Supreme Court," said Farris. "I hope to gain real experience working with indigenous people in the courtroom."

Shade (United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee) will work at the National Indian Gaming Commission's Office of General Counsel over the summer.  The commission, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior, was created to assure gaming on Indian lands is conducted fairly and that tribes are the primary beneficiaries of gaming operations since gaming is intended to support economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments. 

"I am very grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to get started," said Shade.  "I put myself through undergrad and graduate school while working in tribal government. I hope my education and experience will mesh well with this opportunity for a solid foundation for a career in Indian affairs."

Shade will be working in Washington, D.C.   

Both Farris and Shade are parents, balancing law school and clerkships with their respective family obligations. "These clerkships will require time away from our children, and a lot of weekend travel, but the opportunities are just so remarkable, and the work is just so important, that we've asked our families to support our absence," said Farris. Both will return to Fayetteville in August to begin their final year of law school.