At NARF, we are dedicated to supporting the next generation of Indian law lawyers, and one way we do this is through our Law Clerk Program. This week we’re highlighting Sarah Crawford, a law clerk in our Boulder, CO, office.
Sarah Crawford, Wahca Zi Win, Yellow Flower Woman, is a Dakota tribal member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe and grew up on her tribal lands near Sisseton, South Dakota. Sarah is the daughter of Shannon LaBatte and Bryan Akipa. She is entering her third year at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Sarah serves as the President of the National Native American Law Students Association (NALSA). She previously served as Vice President of National NALSA and as the Arizona Native American Bar Association Student Representative and the Community Outreach Chair for the ASU NALSA local chapter. Last summer and through the fall semester, Sarah was a legal intern at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Office of the Prosecutor drafting court motions, recommending and filing criminal charges, and representing the Community during arraignment court hearings.
Prior to law school, Sarah spent five years working on Native issues in Washington, DC, first in the Office of US Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota and later at the National Indian Gaming Commission. During this time, Sarah worked on legislation and policy impacting Indian Country. This experience became a motivating factor for her decision to attend law school. Sarah is driven to continue her work for tribal communities across Indian Country. As a NARF clerk, Sarah is excited to be involved in the in-depth research process on a number of issues affecting Indian Country.
In her free time, Sarah works on beadwork for her jingle dress regalia. Sarah also is an avid paragliding pilot! Having flown her wing in Arizona, she plans on unfurling her wing here in Boulder to get a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains from a bird’s eye view.
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