In addition to her role as an adjunct assistant professor of law at USC Gould School of Law, Amber Kennedy Madole is a librarian for Indigenous Research and Law. Her work in this field has been recognized by the AALS Section on Indian Nations and Indigenous Peoples as she received the Early Career Teaching/Public Service Award at the recent AALS Conference. This award is focused on her innovative work integrating tribal law into legal research and writing curriculum and impact on the field. Learn more about Madole’s research and award.
How does it feel to be recognized by the AALS for your work with Indigenous people?
I was honored to learn I had received the Early Career Teaching and Public Service Award from the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Indian Nations and Indigenous Peoples Section. This award recognizes extraordinary contributions to teaching and public service in the field of Indian Nations and Indigenous Peoples, and I am truly grateful for this acknowledgment from such talented scholars.
Where does your passion for researching, writing, and teaching about Indigenous law originate and what are you focusing on now?
Tribal nations are a key part of our nation’s legal system, yet their role is frequently overlooked or excluded in legal education and scholarship. To address this gap, my efforts have focused on two areas. First, I have been working on scholarship about curriculum developments for Legal Research and Writing (LRW) courses, where most law students form their foundational understanding of the U.S. legal system. LRW classes present a critical opportunity to discuss the role of tribal nations in our legal framework, fostering a deeper understanding of the tribal-federal relationship. Integrating discussions of tribal nations into our courses provides several key benefits. It broadens students’ perspectives, prepares them to address a wider range of legal issues, and enhances their awareness of critical topics such as jurisdiction and sovereign immunity. Including coverage of tribal nations helps equip law students to be better prepared for the practice of law. Highlighting the role of tribal nations in law school courses not only ensures these legal systems are recognized but also creates a more comprehensive legal education for all students. Second, I have worked for the inclusion of tribal law in the Bluebook, our core legal citation manual. A few years ago, we began this advocacy effort and have since drafted Bluebook Rule 22: The Law of Tribal Nations, forthcoming in the 22nd edition of the Bluebook later this year. This new rule provides guidance for citing tribal constitutions, codes, regulations, and cases. Along with these citation guidelines, we also have included 36 examples of different types of tribal law from various tribal nations to illustrate these principles.
How has it been to be a part of this change in the upcoming edition of the Bluebook and what impact are you hoping comes from it?
It has been a joy to highlight the innovative work of tribal nations across Indian country. I am thrilled we have created a tool for students, scholars, attorneys, judges, and others to cite and engage with this incredible body of law. Laws from Indian country, which govern millions of Americans, were previously omitted from the Bluebook, and so there was no way to consistently cite to these sources. This lack of citation had negative effects, both practically and symbolically, for recognition of tribal legal systems. I’m thrilled about the forthcoming edition of the Bluebook, complete with Rule 22: The Law of Tribal Nations and what it represents. Tribal nations offer incredible lessons for all justice systems, providing innovative approaches to jurisprudence, conflict resolution, juvenile justice, environmental law, and other legal issues. These laws reflect the values and priorities of the tribal communities they come from, and they’re dynamic and effective. I know many people working on these laws, in tribal courts and in governance, and their hard work deserves to be acknowledged. By enabling the citation of these laws, we are first acknowledging their existence — a simple yet powerful correction — and also providing a way to recognize their significance as a core part of the American legal landscape. I firmly believe it is time for tribal laws and tribal nations to enter the mainstream legal conversation and the foundational understanding of law students in the United States. As attorneys and educators, it is our responsibility to prepare students for the complexities of lawyering in the decades to come. A solid understanding of all legal authorities in the U.S., including the laws of tribal nations, is a crucial component of that preparation.
Previous Article
