The Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center was established in 1992 to improve the practical legal skills of all students interested in the fields of Indigenous law, including Federal Indian and Tribal Law. The Center serves as a legal resource for Native Nations. The initiatives and programs sponsored by the Center connect the University of Wisconsin Law School’s commitment to “law in action” with Native Nations and tribal communities in Wisconsin.

Federally Recognized Tribes in Wisconsin

• Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Forest County Potawatomi Community 
• Ho-Chunk Nation
• Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe
• Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
• Oneida Nation
• Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Sokaogon Chippewa Community 
• St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
• Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians 

The Center's core values are:

Respect: We treat others with dignity, consideration, and fairness, valuing people’s differences and recognizing their rights and worth. Respect is essential for building strong relationships and creating a positive and productive environment. Self-Determination: We serve and respond to the needs of Indigenous peoples and communities in Wisconsin by supporting efforts to advance self-determination and sovereignty. Advocacy: We advocate for the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples by maintaining deep relationships with regional tribes and by playing a leading role in shaping Indigenous law and policy, challenging injustice and discrimination to create a more just and equitable society. Collaboration: We work collectively to achieve our goals by facilitating connections and partnerships among the organizations with which we work and the communities with whom we serve. Education: We enhance legal education for Indigenous students and the broader community, working to expand and improve Federal Indian and Tribal Law course offerings and making legal education more accessible.

The Center's vision is to:

"Advance the Wisconsin Idea by connecting Law in Action to Native Nations and Native organizations throughout Wisconsin and the nation, and to indigenous peoples throughout the world."

The Center's strategic priorities are:

1. Cultivate and grow partnerships with Native Nations and Tribal communities in Wisconsin.
2. Improve access to legal education and the legal system for Indigenous peoples.
3. Engage in scholarship and service that positively impacts Indigenous peoples and Native Nations.
4. Secure and grow resources to support the Center’s mission, priorities, and impact.
5. Contribute to and influence the fields of Indigenous law, including Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law, and International Indigenous law, serving as a collaborator and a catalyst.

The Center's guiding principles are:

1. Government-to-Government relations between the United States, Wisconsin, and Native Nations.
2. Legal Partnerships with Native Nations whenever possible.
3. Achieve Educational Quality & Community Relevance.
4. Provide a well-rounded legal education focusing not only on Federal Indian Law but on myriad specialties and areas of expertise confronting today's Native Nations.

For more information on upcoming activities, or for information on the Law School experience at Wisconsin, contact the Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center at 608-262-1699 or Amanda White Eagle at amanda.whiteeagle@wisc.edu.