Attorney Thomas Fredericks, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, has received the University of Colorado’s most prestigious alumni award.

Fredericks, a partner at Fredericks Peebles & Morgan, received the George Norlin Award. He was recognized for his decades of work on Indian law and policy issues.

As a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder Law School, Fredericks developed his passion for Indian law. He helped with the founding of the Native American Rights Fund in 1970 and later became executive director of the organization.

Fredericks went on to serve as the chief legal officer at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He also was the Indian policy adviser at the Interior Department for the Carter administration.

After leaving government service, Fredericks started his own law firm in 1979. He became senior partner at Fredericks Peebles & Morgan in 2007.

Fredericks will be presented with his award at the annual alumni ceremony on October 24.