Open Rank - Law and Indigenous Peoples Program

University of New Mexico•Albuquerque, NM

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of New Mexico School of Law invites applications for faculty positions starting in fall 2027. The School of Law anticipates hiring a tenured or tenure-track faculty member to teach U.S. Federal Indian Law and other related courses. Both experienced and entry-level candidates are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will teach a range of courses in the Indian Law curriculum. These may include foundational and advanced courses in U.S. Federal Indian Law, the legal systems of sovereign tribal nations, international and comparative Indigenous law, and courses at the intersection of Indian Law and other substantive areas of legal practice. The faculty member may also contribute to the broader curriculum of the School of Law, depending on interest, expertise, and curricular need. This position is a core part of UNM’s Law and Indigenous Peoples Program, one of the most prominent and comprehensive Indian Law programs in the country. The successful candidate will actively participate in the Program, which includes: The Indian Law Certificate Program, which offers students a structured opportunity to specialize in Indian Law, preparing them for legal careers serving Native communities; The Southwest Indian Law Clinic, in which students provide legal representation to Native clients, tribal governments, and organizations that serve Indigenous populations; and The Tribal Law Journal, a student-edited, online legal journal that advances scholarship on Indigenous law and governance in tribal, national, and international contexts. Depending on experience and interest, the successful candidate may also have the opportunity to assume leadership roles within the Program. These may include serving as Director of the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program, faculty advisor to the Tribal Law Journal, or faculty advisor to the UNM Chapter of the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA). The UNM School of Law and its institutes and centers comprise a large, highly diverse academic unit of the University of New Mexico. With a student body of about 300 students, the School of Law offers a Juris Doctor degree, a Master of Legal Studies degree, and many cross-disciplinary dual degrees. The School of Law’s program of legal education is nationally recognized for a required clinical legal education component (students undertake live client representation under law faculty supervision), innovative classes that combine law practice skills training with doctrinal instruction, and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. All faculty—doctrinal, clinical, writing, and law library—are on a unified tenure track, with equal sabbatical and faculty governance rights, compensation, and research support. The School of Law offers certificate programs in Indian Law and Natural Resources/Environmental Law and its scholarly publications include the New Mexico Law Review, the Natural Resources Journal, and the Tribal Law Journal. As the only law school in New Mexico, it has a large public service mission and enjoys close ties with New Mexico’s bench and bar. It operates policy centers to address issues related to children's law and natural resources law. In partnership with the American Indian Law Center, Inc., the School of Law hosts a nationally recognized annual Pre-Law Summer Institute for Native American students entering law schools throughout the country. We value candidates from varied backgrounds and perspectives, including women, individuals with disabilities, people who attended law school later in their careers, people from rural origins, first-generation college graduates, veterans, and groups historically marginalized in American life. We also value a demonstrated commitment to cultivating an understanding of the rich and varied cultures of New Mexico and to the success of the University’s mission to serve local and global communities.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school or an equivalent foreign legal degree.
Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with professional colleagues.
A demonstrated commitment to cultivate an understanding of the rich and varied cultures of New Mexico and to the success of the University’s mission to serve local and global communities.

Nice To Haves

Excellence or the strong promise of excellence in teaching courses like U.S. federal Indian law; U.S. tribal law; tribal courts; and comparative, international, or foreign Indigenous law as it relates to the United States.
Excellence or the strong promise of excellence in academic scholarship in subjects like U.S. federal Indian law; U.S. tribal law; tribal courts; and comparative, international, or foreign Indigenous law as it relates to the United States.
Practice experience of at least two years representing tribal communities and nations or tribally-enrolled individuals in federal, state, or tribal courts.
Pre- or post-J.D. professional experience or training, which can include teaching, other graduate-level study, fellowships, or judicial clerkships.

Responsibilities

Teach U.S. Federal Indian Law and other related courses.
Teach a range of courses in the Indian Law curriculum, including foundational and advanced courses in U.S. Federal Indian Law, the legal systems of sovereign tribal nations, international and comparative Indigenous law, and courses at the intersection of Indian Law and other substantive areas of legal practice.
Contribute to the broader curriculum of the School of Law, depending on interest, expertise, and curricular need.
Actively participate in the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program.
Potentially assume leadership roles within the Program, such as Director of the Law and Indigenous Peoples Program, faculty advisor to the Tribal Law Journal, or faculty advisor to the UNM Chapter of the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA).