“I envisioned a law firm that would only focus on federal Indian law, meaning we wouldn’t represent banks or development companies or casino interests or oil companies,” said Rosette in a recent ASU Law news story. “Just practice Indian law, purely on the tribal side as a tribal member from Rocky Boy. That was my original ambition and what I always wanted to do.”

Rosette, LLP, now has offices in Arizona, California, Michigan, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C., and a staff of 26 attorneys with nearly half from ASU Law’s Indian Legal Program.

Rosette is thankful for what the ILP provided, both in terms of his own education and a pipeline of talented attorneys for his law firm, and stays deeply involved. He is a member of the Indian Legal Program advisory board and founded the Rosette, LLP, American Indian Economic Development Program, which presents the annual “Wiring the Rez” e-commerce conference for tribal governments, businesses and entrepreneurs.

Doreen McPaul and Kimberly Dutcher strive to make a positive difference for the Navajo Nation

When Navajo Nation Attorney General Doreen McPaul was appointed to her position in January 2019, she asked fellow 2001 ASU Law JD Kimberly Dutcher to be her deputy attorney general. The two have become a powerful team of ILP alumni in the Navajo Nation Department of Justice.

“I hope to make a positive difference for my tribe and my own people,” McPaul said in a recent ILP blog offering thoughts on their positions and advice for students. “At the Department of Justice, that means organizing the department in a way that best serves the needs of our clients, being responsive to client requests, and supporting our legal team so that they are enabled to provide the highest quality of legal services to our clients.”

McPaul and Dutcher have advice for current ILP students, with Dutcher saying, “You can go home again! Tribal nations have so many challenges and it is normal to want to be involved in everything, but everyone has the same 24 hours each day, so prioritize. Remember your role as an attorney and who makes decisions. While you are in law school, learn about different legal career paths and find what interests you and how you can use it to best serve your nation, if that is what you choose to do.”

Julie Tenney

Director of Communications, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law