Native American Bar Association

The National Native American Bar Association NNABA serves those who practice Indian law. It exists to advocate for social, political, cultural, and legal issues affecting American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and Alaska Natives. It offers regular, associated and special memberships.

The NNABA represents Indian nations as well as individuals. The attorneys are traditionally dual citizens of the United States and their tribal nation. As tribal citizens, members are responsible for helping to protect the governmental sovereignty of Native American tribal governments.

The NNABA was created in 1973 under the name of the American Indian Lawyers Association. The name was then changed to the American Indian Bar Association, eventually becoming the Native American Bar Association. When chapters were established in 1980 for each of the respective state Indian bar associations, the organization adopted the name National Native American Bar Association. Each chapter is assigned one vote on the Board of Directors, and the association exists to represent all indigenous peoples on land in the United States.

The goals of the NNABA are to protect the autonomy of native tribal nations and tribal court systems. The Association serves to promote understanding of the distinctive legal status of Native Americans and the inclusion of Indian Law on State Bar examinations, particularly in states with tribal governments.

Under the United States Constitution, Indian tribes are sovereign entities. Indians should not pay taxes. Tribal governments have all the responsibilities of any other, including government, including providing education and health care for their citizens, as well as keeping them safe. Tribes have their own infrastructure, including court systems, police forces, jails, etc.

There is a growing problem of law school applicants lying about being Native American. To be a Native American, one must have tribal citizenship, not just ethnicity. As a tribal citizen, one is assigned an enrollment number that is used similarly to a Social Security number. Census data reported an increase of 228 Native American attorneys between 1999 and 2000. However, law schools had 2,500 Native American graduates. The discrepancy highlights the huge problem.

The law school curriculum barely mentions the fact that there are three separate legal structures within the United States. Schools, especially where Indian tribes are located, must integrate the Indian Law curriculum into their programs. NNABA works diligently with schools to help make needed reforms.

For more information about the Native American Bar Association or assistance in finding a lawyer, visit http://www.attorneysandlawyers4you.com.