Navajo Nation Law CLE Conference Agenda
Indian Legal Program / Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law / Arizona State University Beus Center for Law and Society, Room 644
111 E. Taylor Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004
- Navajo Nation Bar Association has approved this conference for 5, 6, or 7 Navajo Law credits and 1, 2 or 3 Navajo Ethics credits; a total of 8 credit hours total
- New Mexico MCLE has approved this conference for 6 general credits and 2 Ethics credits. (PENDING)
- The State Bar of Arizona does not approve CLE activities; however, this activity may qualify for up to 8 credit hours, including 2 credit hours for Professional Responsibility.
Draft Agenda
Friday, October 23, 2026 - Room 644
7:45 a.m. | Check-In – Floor 6, Lobby
7:45 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. | Welcome & Breakfast (Room 644)
- Kate Rosier, Assistant Dean of Institutional Progress & Executive Director of Indian Legal Program, ASU Law
- Kristen Talbert, Assistant Director of Indian Legal Program, ASU Law
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Legislative & Court Updates (1 Hour Navajo Law)
- TBD, Leg – Michelle Espino, Chief Legislative Counsel (invited)
- Court – Brian Curley-Chambers, Law Clerk, Navajo Supreme Court
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Kalshi, Sports betting & Navajo Gaming (1 Hour Navajo Law)
- Steve Hart, Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. | Break
10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. | Navajo Nation Water Rights: Multi-State Settlement Updates and Legal Frameworks (1 Hour Navajo Law)
This session provides a comprehensive legal update and comparative analysis of the Navajo Nation’s water rights settlements across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Presenters will analyze the distinct legal frameworks governing regional water allocations, including the Winters doctrine, interstate compacts, and the Law of the River. The discussion will evaluate recent shifts in federal and state water laws, federal court decisions, and administrative policies, assessing their direct impacts on the progress, authorization, and implementation of the Nation’s various settlements.
- Cora Tso, Senior Research Fellow, Tribal Water Policy, WATTS Kyl Center for Water Policy, Arizona State University
- Dwight Witherspoon, Attorney, Navajo Nation Department of Justice
- Bidtah Becker, Attorney, Office of the President, Navajo Nation (Invited)
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | The Last Slavery: The Navajo Nation, the Federal Government and the Legal History of Indian Slavery in the Reconstruction Southwest (1 Hour Navajo Law)
- Paul Spruhan, Professor, University of New Mexico School of Law
12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Grab & Go Boxed Lunch (Room 544)
12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. | Election 2026: Navajo and the Native Vote (1 Hour Navajo Law)
As the 2026 election cycle unfolds, this session will examine recent developments in election law and their impact on Navajo voters in Arizona, New Mexico, and on the Navajo Nation. The speaker will discuss key legal updates, voting access issues, and emerging challenges shaping Native voter participation in local, state, and federal elections.
- Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Associate Dean, Inclusive Excellence, Faculty Director, Indian Legal Program & Indian Legal Clinic
1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. | The Navajo Nation Ethics & Rules Office (1 Hour Navajo Ethics)
- Jonelle Benally-Clytus, Executive Director, Ethics & Rules Office
2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Break
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Diyin Nohookáá’ Diné’é Bi Beehaz´áanii Bitsé Siléí; Navajo Government Reform Proposal (2 Hours of Navajo Law or Navajo Ethics)
This session will provide background information and a review of the Diyin Nohookáá’ Diné’é Bi Beehaz´áanii Bitsé Siléí; a Navajo Government Reform Proposal.
The discussion will include considerations of traditional governance and how traditional governance concepts are intertwined throughout the document.
Presentation will include considerations of federal Indian law and methods to address some issues.
- Harrison Tsosie, Executive Director, Office of Navajo Government Development
- Audrey Charley, Policy Analyst
- Charlaine Tso, Policy Analyst
