On November 7, 2025, the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Law and its Law and Indigenous Peoples Program (LIPP) held the Gathering of Communities and Nations Convocation. The event featured former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and UNM alumna Deb Haaland as the keynote speaker. Haaland spoke about her career and her connections to the Native American community.
For nearly sixty years, the UNM School of Law has supported Native American law students. It started one of the first Indian law programs in 1967 and began the Pre-Law Summer Institute (PLSI) in 1968. The PLSI, now in its 58th year and operated by the American Indian Law Center, has supported the careers of many Native attorneys, judges, and professors.
The Law and Indigenous Peoples Program began as the Indian Law Certificate Program in 1992. It now allows students to earn an Indian Law Certificate by completing 21 credit hours of specialized courses. LIPP also offers practical experience through the Southwest Indian Law Clinic and academic opportunities through the Tribal Law Journal…