Phone: (206) 543-4927
Email: ee23@uw.edu
Prof. Eric D. Eberhard is a Professor from Practice and the Associate Director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law. He began practicing federal Indian law in 1973, with employment in legal services on the Navajo, Hopi and White Mountain Apache reservations. He served as the Deputy Attorney General of the Navajo Nation and Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Washington Office from 1983 to 1987, and Staff Director and General Counsel to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs from 1989 to 1995.
From 1995 to 2009 Professor Eberhard was a Partner in the Indian Law Practice Group in the Seattle office of Dorsey & Whitney LLP. His practice involved the representation of Indian tribes, tribal organizations and entities doing business with Indian tribes in federal, state and tribal judicial, legislative and administrative forums. Prof. Eberhard's work included the areas of: fee-to-trust transfers, water rights, leasing of land and natural resources, federal contracting, gaming, federal recognition, the formation of Tribal corporations, environmental law, administrative law, jurisdiction, the development of tribal law, self-governance, cultural resource protection and the federal trust responsibility. From 2009 to 2016 he was a Distinguished Indian Law Practitioner at the Seattle University School of Law.
He is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Chambers. At Dorsey & Whitney, he was recognized as the Partner of the Year, the Diversity Partner of the Year and the Pro Bono Partner of the Year. He has been honored by the United South and Eastern Tribes, the Navajo Nation and its courts, the National Indian Gaming Association, the National Association of Indian Legal Services Programs, the Intertribal Timber Council, the American Indian Religious Freedom Coalition for outstanding service and contributions. He is the recipient of the lifetime achievement awards from the Northwest Indian Bar Association and the Indian law section of the Federal Bar Association. He was recognized as the Professor of the Year in the Sustainable International Development Law Program for 2017-2018. In 2021-2022 he was awarded the Dean’s Medal for service to the Law School. In 2022-2023 he received the Richard O. Kummert Outstanding Contribution Award from the Washington Law Review.
Prof. Eberhard holds a B.A. from Western Reserve University. A J.D. from the University of Cincinnati and an LL.M from George Washington University.
For the first time in history, the National Native American Law Association (National NALSA) has recognized NALSA at UW as Chapter of the Year.
The UW was an early leader in education and expertise in Native American law, and the Native American Law Center continues that work.
As the 50th anniversary of the Boldt Decision approaches, we review the legacy of pioneering UW Law professor Ralph Johnson and his impact on the most complex case in Native American law history.