Michigan State University’s Indigenous Law and Policy Center has been advancing the College of Law’s academic and public mission for more than two decades. The ILPC has garnered national recognition for its scholarship and advocacy in partnership with tribal communities. In addition, the ILPC houses MSU’s Indigenous Law Certificate program, which is one of the nation’s only –and most comprehensive – programs in Tribal law, policy, and practice.
“The Indigenous Law and Policy Center’s work reflects a core institutional commitment of MSU Law,” said Dean of the College of Law Michael Sant’Ambrogio. “Legal education should not only analyze complex problems but also help prepare lawyers to address them in partnership with the communities most affected.”
Within the next month alone, the ILPC will host two key events that demonstrate how it continues to lead the future of Tribal law: the Treaty Waters at Risk one-day conference and a graduation ceremony to honor the Class of 2026.
Cross-discipline conversations to protect the Great Lakes
On Friday, April 17, the ILPC will bring together tribal leaders and citizens, attorneys and judges, policymakers, academics, students and community members to discuss tribal rights and environmental protection at the Treaty Waters at Risk conference.
The event will zero in on a central question: what does it mean to uphold treaty rights when resources are placed at risk by large-scale infrastructure? Many of the discussions will look at Michigan’s Line 5 pipeline, which has threatened the Great Lakes for decades, especially Indigenous communities whose culture and way of life is deeply connected to waterways and natural resources.
As outlined by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the pipeline was built in 1953 and extends 643 miles across the state’s waterways, routing through the Straits of Mackinac to transport 22.68 million gallons of oil and natural gas liquids each day. In that time, Line 5 has spilled at least 1.1 million gallons of oil into Michigan waterways, causing a lasting ripple of negative effects.
Now, the pipeline is beyond its intended lifespan, and the pipeline operations company Enbridge is seeking to install a new tunnel in the Straits to continue and extend its use. In opposition, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer revoked the pipeline’s easement in 2021, but Enbridge has refused to shut down operations. In addition, Enbridge has knowingly trespassed on a tribal reservation in Wisconsin for more than a decade to operate the pipeline, again refusing to cease operations despite an agreement expiring.
The issue is ongoing, with hearings before the Michigan Supreme Court happening as recent as last month. For Wenona Singel, director of the ILPC and associate professor of law, the conference offers a timely opportunity to look at this topic from a legal perspective and with Indigenous rights in mind.
“This conference comes at a critical moment,” said Singel, who is an Indigenous woman and renowned scholar in the field of tribal sovereignty. “The Line 5 controversy raises fundamental questions about treaty-protected rights, environmental protection, and the relationship between tribal, state, and federal authority.
“What feels especially important is creating space for tribal leadership and expertise to be centered in these conversations,” she continued. “Too often, decisions about Indigenous lands and waters are made without meaningful engagement with the communities most affected.”
The day-long conference will feature panel discussions and presentations from several notable figures, including a keynote address from alumna Whitney Gravelle (’16), president of Bay Mills Indian Community in the Upper Peninsula. Gravelle brings her experience working for the U.S. Department of Justice to the discussion. Ann Sherman, solicitor general for Michigan’s Department of Attorney General, who argued before the U.S. Supreme Court about Enbridge in February, will discuss how to prepare for such oral arguments. And David Gover, co-managing attorney for the Native American Rights Fund, will shed light on legal issues about Enbridge’s new proposed tunnel.
“This conference brings together doctrine, governance, and lived experience in a way that law schools are uniquely positioned to do,” said Dean Sant’Ambrogio, “but only when we listen carefully and engage responsibly.”
Recognizing the next generation of Indigenous Law advocates
On Thursday, May 7, the ILPC will then hold its graduation ceremony to recognize the certificate program’s Class of 2026. The event is grounded in honoring traditions. Each graduate will receive a stole for earning the Indigenous Law certificate and/or participating as a member in the Native American Law Students Association. Traditional wool blankets – a powerful Native symbol of protection and responsibility – are gifted and wrapped around each graduate, marking this important moment in life. And eagle feathers are given to those enrolled in federally recognized tribes.
In addition, a drum group will perform a welcome song and a round dance with a receiving line for graduates. Indigenous food will be served for all attendees including friends, family, and guests.
“Each year, it’s incredibly rewarding to watch the students grow,” Singel said. “They support each other, take on challenging material, and bring a level of care and commitment that really reflects the spirit of the program. We’re proud of them for what they’ve accomplished here and for the work they’re going on to do.”
At the event, alumna and tribal legal leader Karrie Biron will address and inspire the graduates as they close their time at MSU. Biron currently serves as general counsel for the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, where she advises on tribal governance, legal strategy and institutional operations. She also serves as chief appellate judge for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
For Spartan lawyers, graduation simultaneously marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Since the program began in 2005, certification has been granted to a total of 96 students, including five in the Class of 2026. This year’s cohort joins a prominent group of Indigenous Law alumni from MSU, who are working at the highest levels of tribal, federal and nonprofit leadership.
Singel gave a few examples of notable alumni of the program who are making an impact for Indigenous law, including Bryan Newland (’03, J.D. ’07) who served as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of Interior under President Biden. In addition, Sharon Avery (’09) serves as acting chairwoman of the National Indian Gaming Commission. Finally, Lydia Locklear Canty (’17) co-founded Current Tribal Law & Policy, PLLC, a law firm dedicated to serving tribal governments and communities across the country.
“Taken together,” Singel said, “these examples reflect what the ILPC certificate program is designed to do: create a sustained pathway from legal education into leadership roles where graduates are actively shaping law, policy, and governance in and for tribal nations.”
Dean Sant’Ambrogio added, “The ILPC continues to produce graduates who are shaping the field by serving Tribal governments, clerking for courts, working in federal and state agencies, and leading in nonprofit and advocacy spaces across the country. That is not by accident. It reflects the vision and dedication of our ILPC faculty and staff, whose leadership has helped build a program that is both intellectually demanding and deeply grounded in community.”
The ILPC conference and graduation ceremony are two examples that showcase MSU’s long-standing leadership in this space. From timely scholarship to training the next generation of advocates, Spartan Lawyers continue to lead the future of Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous rights.
To register for the Treat Waters at Risk conference, visit the ILPC’s blog at turtletalk.blog.