The following is the text of a March 3, 2026, press release from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.

Deep discussions on important tribal issues, a celebration of Native culture and a keynote panel of five Native American U.S. District Court judges will highlight the 38th Sovereignty Symposium, to be held June 15 and 16 at OKANA resort in Oklahoma City.

This year’s symposium will feature panel discussions on a variety of topics including tribal commerce and economic development, energy and natural resources, artificial intelligence, tribal health care, and reflections on 250 years of federal Indian law. A keynote panel discussion titled “Ethical Leadership: Honoring Sovereignty from the Bench” will bring together a distinguished group of Native American federal judges to discuss the intersection of judicial ethics, leadership and tribal sovereignty.

Throughout both days, tribal and state leaders will join legal and policy experts in the discussions.

Registration and more information, including a schedule and draft of the agenda, is available at sovereigntysymposium.com.

The opening ceremony will feature an invocation by Bishop David Wilson (Choctaw) of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church; and Gordon Yellowman, artist and peace chief of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, will do the Camp Call.

Sovereignty Symposium was founded in 1988 by Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger and has been hosted by OCU Law since 2023. It provides a scholarly setting for the consideration of legal and policy issues facing tribal communities, as well as a platform for the celebration of tribal sovereignty in all its forms — legal, artistic, cultural and economic.

“The Sovereignty Symposium brings together leading voices in tribal law and policy to address the most pressing legal and governance issues facing Tribal Nations today,” Emily Eleftherakis (Cherokee/Delaware Tribe), executive director of OCU’s Tribal Sovereignty Institute. “By fostering collaboration among tribal leaders, practitioners and policymakers, the event highlights the continued importance of sovereignty, self-determination and innovative legal solutions that support strong and sustainable tribal communities in Oklahoma and across the country.”

OCU Law Dean David Holt (Osage) said the symposium offers a neutral space where the state’s 39 tribes and others from around the nation can discuss common legal and policy issues while sharing innovative ideas and accomplishments.

“Sovereignty Symposium now has four decades of history and credibility, and it has become one of the most important tribal gatherings on the calendar, especially when the topics center around policy or the law,” Holt said. “Symposium offers a unique opportunity to engage in discussions around shared challenges and opportunities among our tribal communities. It is also a place where we elevate our tribal cultures. And finally, Symposium is a welcome space for connecting with friends and colleagues.”

Attendance at this year’s event offers attorneys 12 continuing legal education credits. The symposium also includes academic competitions, including a college student research project contest named in honor of longtime law professor and historian C. Blue Clark [Muscogee (Creek) Nation] and writing competitions.

About OCU School of Law:
Oklahoma City University School of Law is fully approved by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. It serves a diverse student body of close to 450. Oklahoma City University School of Law’s 7,000+ alumni practice in every state and several foreign countries. For more information, visit law.okcu.edu.