Jason Searle seeks to be an asset to Tribal Nations in strengthening tribal sovereignty and tackling Native invisibility. Jason’s past work and expertise center on Federal Indian Law, tribal jurisdiction, tribal treaty rights, cultural and religious resources protection, environmental law, and federal administrative law.
At NARF, Jason has worked to defend sacred places , secure protections for Indigenous knowledge, and increase tribal jurisdictional independence from states and the federal government. With his efforts on issues like the Bears Ears National Monument, he is helping Tribal Nations defend their traditional lands—and the vital natural and cultural resources therein—from the harms of extractive industries, vandalism, and looting. Jason also assists in bringing public attention to unaddressed human rights injustices of the federal Indian boarding school era. To this end, Jason is helping represent Tribal Nations seeking to repatriate relatives from grave sites of federal Indian boarding schools.
Prior to joining the NARF team, Jason was a senior attorney at the Navajo Nation Department of Justice. During law school, Jason clerked at NARF’s Alaska Office. Jason also clerked for the Honorable Judge Allie Greenleaf Maldonado at the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Tribal Court. In his free time, Jason enjoys mountain biking and spending time with his dog, Remy.
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D.
- Dean’s Scholarship
- Dean’s Public Service Fellowship
- Pro Bono Pledge Award
- Brigham Young University, B.S. Sociology, magna cum laude
- National Merit Scholarship
- Dean’s List
Admissions to Practice
- Navajo Nation
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- Colorado
- New Mexico
Publications
- Jason Searle, Exploring Alternatives to the “Consultation or Consent” Paradigm, 6 MJEAL 485 (2017)
Download high resolution headshot of Jason Searle here.
