AILR National Writing Competition

2025-2026 AILR National Writing Competition Results

The American Indian Law Review congratulates the winner of its 2025-2026 national writing competition:

1st place ($1,500) – Rachel Burrell, University of Tulsa College of Law
"'Such Tribe:' The Narrowing of ICWA Exclusive Tribal Jurisdiction in Post-Castro-Huerta Oklahoma"

The AILR also recognizes four other entrants who finished among the competition's five finalists:

Lowell Wolfe,  University of Minnesota Law School
"The Indian Child Welfare Act's Unresolved Equal Protection Question"

Anya Finley, University of Texas School of Law
"From Deference to Doctrinal Gap: Reaffirming the Indian Canons of Construction After Loper Bright"

Ashley MacDonald,  University of Kansas
"Te Awa Tupua and the Flow of Sovereignty"

Adam Luban, Boston University School of Law
"America’s Better Idea: Government-Indigenous Cooperation in the West as an Overdue Correction to Exclusionary Environmentalism"

This Year's Finalist Round Judges

The editors of the American Indian Law Review also wish to express their appreciation to the distinguished individuals who took part in judging this year's competition finalists:

Brian Candelaria
Staff Attorney, Oklahoma Indian Legal Services

Gary Pitchlynn
Pitchlynn Law, PLLC

Ezra Rosser
Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University