Contracts Prof Weekly Spotlight: Angelique EagleWoman (Wambdi WasteWin)

Angelique EagleWoman (WambdiWasteWin)

(Hamline University)

B.A., Stanford University
J.D., University of North Dakota
L.L.M., University of Tulsa College of Law

Angelique EagleWoman has joined the Hamline University Lawfaculty this August. Her teaching areasinclude Contracts I, Contracts II and Native American Law in 2006-2007. 

I grew up both on the reservation and off, between Topeka, Kansas and theSisseton-Wahpeton Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota. Since I was eight years old, I knew that Iwanted to be a lawyer. The intereststemmed from a traumatic experience. Myaunt’s husband, my uncle, was African-American and went in to pay a speedingticket at the Shawnee County Sheriff’s office. After entering the law enforcement building, he was brutally beaten andtaken to the hospital. I remember beingeight years old and watching the local news showing my aunt and uncle rejoicingoutside of a courtroom for winning a large monetary judgment against theShawnee County Sheriff’s office. I viewedlaw as a way to remedy grave injustices and knew then that I would be a lawyer.

During my preteen years, my father often gave me politicalmanifestos to read. I read “Custer Diedfor Your Sins,” “The Trail of Broken Treaties,” and “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.” Through these early influences, I committed myself to becoming a voiceand an advocate for my Tribe and other Tribal Nations. I feel that my path has risen up to meet mealong the way.

Through my high school years, I attended both public schoolsand a tribal school. I applied toStanford and was routed to a postgraduate year at the preparatory school,Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts. When I flew to Northfield, it was my first experience in anairplane. During my postgraduate year, Iwas accepted at Stanford where I majored in political science.

From there, I took several years off to return to my homereservation and soon moved to a nearby reservation, the Spirit Lake Reservationin North Dakota. At that time, I served as the tribal truancyofficer appearing in tribal court representing the Tate Topa (Four Winds) Tribal School. I went on to become the outreach counselor atLittle Hoop Community College and was invited to teach. I taught Federal Indian Law two semesters. I knew that my path was calling me to returnto my dream of becoming a lawyer.

In the midst of the Indian mascot controversy, I spent atense three years at the University of North Dakota School of Law. During the summers, I clerked at theprestigious Indian law firm of Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse & Endreson in Washington, D.C. I accepted their offer my third year andjoined on as an associate attorney. Duringmy time at Sonosky, Chambers, my interest in tribal economic developmentblossomed. I never acclimated to D.C.and felt that my true calling involved teaching as well as the law. I had been accepted in a Ph.D. EducationalLeadership program at UND and planned to return to begin it. In the interim, I accepted a position workingwith the UND Upward Bound program traveling to three reservation high schoolsand local schools in the Grand Forksarea to encourage first generation low income high school students to attendcollege.

After a year and a half with Upward Bound, I reentered legalpractice at the request of my Tribe, the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Oyate. Representing my Tribe and working as anassociate at several Indian law firms over the years, I worked on variouscontracts involving Tribal Nations, state governments and agencies, federal governmentalagencies, and private tribal clients conducting businesses. After several years, I followed the old dreamto the University of Tulsa College of Law and attained my L.L.M. in AmericanIndian and Indigenous Studies with Honors.

I am pleased to be a new member of the Hamline Law facultyand teaching a full year of Contracts Law to first year law students. The law of contracts is a fundamentalbuilding block for lawyers working in all areas of economic development, forthose who will represent clients seeking to enter into commercial relationshipswith Tribal Nations, and for those who will be representing Tribal Nations andother tribal business clients.

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