By Andrew Cohen
Merri Lopez-Keifer, recently appointed executive director of UC Berkeley Law’s Center for Indigenous Law & Justice, is eager to lead its efforts in promoting tribal sovereignty and advocating for Native Nations.
She says joining the law school presented “a valuable opportunity to deepen institutional understanding of tribal sovereignty, to advance recognition of Indigenous peoples’ inherent rights to self-determination, and to promote sustained, respectful partnerships that strengthen tribal justice.”
Leveraging her extensive experience serving California Native Nations, Lopez-Keifer aims to integrate her legal expertise, community engagement, and strategic planning into the center’s mission of advancing tribal sovereignty and supporting Native Nations. She is particularly eager to build upon UC Berkeley Law’s growing commitment to Native issues — reflected in its evolving curriculum, fellowship opportunities, and collaborative initiatives.
“The Center for Indigenous Law & Justice has the opportunity to be a national leader in considering legal issues concerning Native Americans,” says UC Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. “I am thrilled that after a national search we have hired Merri Lopez-Keifer to be the center’s executive director. Her knowledge of the issues, her experience, and her tremendous energy make her the ideal person to head the center.”
During her five-year tenure at the California Attorney General’s Office, Lopez-Keifer led the Office of Native American Affairs, serving as the principal legal and policy advisor on tribal affairs to Attorneys General Xavier Becerra and Rob Bonta. In this capacity, she worked closely with California Native Nations to shape policies, advise on legal positions, and foster cooperative programs that strengthened relationships between tribal governments and the state.
Her work included reviewing and advancing a broad legislative agenda aimed at promoting the health, safety, and welfare of California’s Native American communities. Key priorities included addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Crisis, advocating for consistent implementation across the state of Public Law 83-280 — a federal statute that changed the legal jurisdiction on Indian lands and over Indian persons from the federal government to certain states, and confronting the persistent lack of reliable crime data related to offenses committed within California Indian Country.
“The center has a unique opportunity to serve as an amplifier and a strong advocate for Native Nations,” Lopez-Keifer explains. “This was a significant draw for me. Our goal is to create a space of true partnership, where tribes not only feel their participation is welcomed but that their sovereignty and right to self-determination are honored and respected.”
She adds, “We are here to collaborate with Native Nations in ways that affirm their vision for justice. This is a place where they can be confident that their voices will be heard and their priorities will guide our work.”
Lopez-Keifer notes that there are 574 federally recognized Native Nations in the United States, 109 of them in California. With the exception of Alaska, California is home to the largest number of Native Nations in the U.S., with over 100 reservations and rancherias that span 34 of the state’s 58 counties — ranging from Del Norte County in the far north to San Diego County in the south.
“California’s Native Nations are as diverse as they are numerous, and the issues they face reflect the challenges experienced by Native Nations across the country,” she explains. “It’s critical that these issues are elevated in the national conversation and addressed with the attention and respect they deserve. That’s where our center comes in.”
Student opportunities
This past week, the center sent 18 UC Berkeley Law students to the Federal Bar Association’s 50th annual Indian Law Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico — 12 more than attended it last year, an increase of 200%. All are members of the school’s Native American Law Students Association (NASLA) chapter, which was revived in 2018 under the leadership of students and the mentorship of federal Indian law expert Professor Seth Davis.
Lopez-Keifer has also invited the Navajo Nation Supreme Court to hold a session at the law school next year, followed by a roundtable discussion with judges representing the three jurisdictional sovereigns: tribal, state, and federal. This event will give students the opportunity to engage with esteemed jurists and deepen their understanding of cross-jurisdictional legal issues.
Additionally, she plans to develop a speaker series on current issues facing Indian Country and strengthen the law school’s alumni network to enhance career opportunities for students pursuing work with tribes or in federal Indian law.
Davis led the push to create the new center, which will host a graduation ceremony and reception in May for the school’s seven graduating NALSA members at the UC Botanical Garden. California Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the first California Indian to be elected to the state legislature, will deliver the keynote address.
“Merri’s joining the UC Berkeley Law community is transformative. She brings a dynamic vision, drive, and deep experience to the work of the center,” Davis says. “Her extensive work with tribal nations, years of government service, and commitment to focusing the center’s engagement with California Native Nations will lay a strong foundation for its success.”
Davis adds that she will be an integral figure in helping UC Berkeley Law “become a law school that provides deep and wide-ranging training for the next generation of lawyers who will work with Native Nations to improve law and achieve justice for Indian Country.”
Lopez-Keifer was appointed by former University of California President Janet Napolitano and current President Michael Drake to serve on the University of California Office of the President’s Native American Advisory Council. In this capacity, she played a pivotal role in securing the integration of the Native American Opportunity Plan across both undergraduate and professional schools.
This initiative ensures the full coverage of in-state tuition and student service fees for California students enrolled in federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. Additionally, Lopez-Keifer was instrumental in advocating for the inclusion of tribal citizenship within the undergraduate admission application, a key step in improving the reliability and depth of data collection related to Native American students.
An enrolled member of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, Lopez-Keifer served as chief legal counsel for her tribe for over two decades, primarily working with local, state, and federal agencies to protect cultural resources, sacred sites, and burial grounds.
She was also appointed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), which safeguards Native American burials and associated cultural items from disturbance or destruction. The NAHC also ensures that Native American descendants are meaningfully included in decisions regarding the respectful care and handling of their ancestors’ remains. Lopez-Keifer served on the NAHC for six years.
In her new role, she aims to position UC Berkeley Law as a “leading destination for prospective students interested in tribal, federal, and state Indian law and tribal advocacy,” emphasizing the school’s growing resources, curriculum, and community engagement in this field.
Integration over isolation
Working closely with Davis to integrate tribal, federal, and state Indian law across the law school’s curriculum, Lopez-Keifer says they aim to move beyond the traditional model in which such topics are confined to federal Indian law courses.
She says the center’s mission is “to deepen understanding of the role of Native Nations within the American legal system, foster greater appreciation for tribal sovereignty and self-determination, and stand in solidarity with Native Nations in their pursuit of justice.”
She adds that she is excited to join UC Berkeley Law at a time when the center’s mission is well positioned to take root and thrive.
“There are many ways for students to actively support Native Nations and engage with their policy priorities,” says Lopez-Keifer, who also served on the Board of Trustees for California Indian Legal Services from 2019 to 2023. “Students can contribute through publishing articles, participating in externships and fellowships, and engaging in other forms of advocacy. Tribes are diverse in their legal and economic strategies, particularly in areas critical to securing their political and economic futures — such as water rights, developing renewable energies, accessing broadband, protecting intellectual property, and expanding revenue-generating enterprises.”
UC Berkeley Law has also helped develop, refine, and lead the Native American Pathway to Law Initiative. The program offers Native college students and graduates preparing for law school test preparation support, networking, mentorship, information on law-school application criteria and funding options, and opportunities to connect with current and former Native law students.
Last year, the school welcomed 36 participants representing more than 20 Native Nations from around the country who heard from Chemerinsky, attended workshops on developing an effective application, participated in a Federal Indian Law mock class taught by Davis, and received guidance on applying to and thriving in law school.
UC Berkeley Law students are also taking advantage of the Philip Frickey Fellowship, named after the late law professor who was the nation’s preeminent federal Indian law scholar, worked with the Native American Rights Fund and National Congress of American Indians, and wrote amicus curiae briefs on their behalf in Supreme Court cases. The fellowship supports 1Ls and 2Ls who accept summer employment involving legal advocacy with Native Nations or organizations.
For Davis, hiring someone with Lopez-Keifer’s experience and drive bodes well to build on the school’s programming, student training, and policy-driven partnerships.
“Merri is one of California’s leading experts on law and policy and intergovernmental relations that involve Native Nations and impact Native people,” he says. “Our students, staff, and faculty are fortunate that she decided to join the UC Berkeley Law community, and I could not be more excited about what she will build through her leadership as executive director of the center.”