Monte Mills

  • Director, Native American Law Center
  • Charles I. Stone Professor of Law

Contact

Phone: (206) 616-3482
Email: mtmills@uw.edu

Education

B.A. 1999, Lewis & Clark College J.D. 2003, University of Colorado

Curriculum Vitae

Areas of Expertise

American Indian Law — Environmental Law — Natural Resources Law — Tribal Law — Water Law

Recent Courses

Course Number Course Name
LAW A 503 Property I
LAW A 525 Water Law
LAW A 565 American Indian Law
LAW B 551 Comparative Legal Studies Seminar
LAW B 581 Land, American Culture, and the Law
LAW E 531 Indigenous Economic Development and the Law Seminar

Monte Mills joined the UW faculty in 2022 as Charles I. Stone Professor of Law and the Director of the Native American Law Center (NALC). He teaches American Indian Law, Property, and other classes focused on Native American and natural resources related topics.

Monte's research and writing focuses on the intersection of Federal Indian Law, Tribal sovereignty, and natural resources as well as race and racism in the law and legal education. He served as an Executive Editor on the 2024 edition of Cohen’s Handbook of Federal Indian Law and serves as a co-author on two textbooks: American Indian Law, Cases and Commentary (along with Robert T. Anderson, Sarah A. Krakoff, and Kevin K. Washburn) and Native American Natural Resources Law (with Michael Blumm and Elizabeth Kronk Warner). Monte also co-authored A Third Way: Decolonizing the Laws of Indigenous Cultural Protection, which was published by Cambridge University Press in July 2020. Monte's legal scholarship and other written work has also appeared in the Natural Resources Law Journal, the Columbia Journal of Environmental LawEnvironmental LawHigh Country News, the American Indian Law Journal, the Public Land and Resources Law Review, and The Conversation, among other forums.

Prior to joining the faculty at UW, Monte was a member of the faculty at the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana. Before that, Monte was the Director of the Legal Department for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe in Colorado, an in-house counsel department that he helped organize and implement in 2005 following completion of a unique two-year in-house attorney training program. As Director of the Tribe's Legal Department, Monte represented and counseled the Tribe on a broad array of issues, including litigation in tribal, state, and federal courts, legislative matters before the Colorado General Assembly and the United States Congress, and internal tribal matters such as contracting, code-drafting, and gaming issues.

Peer Reviewed Journals & Law Reviews


Books or Treatises


Book Chapters


Professional Publications


News Media


Other Publications


  • Speaker, Tribes, Treaties, and Water Water Law Adjudication CLE, Whatcom County (January 9, 2024)
  • Speaker, Tribal Treaty Rights Washington State Riparian Working Group Series 2: Meeting #4, (December 1, 2023)
  • Speaker, Tribes, Treaties, Water, and the Challenges of Managing Shared Resources State of Washington Office of the Attorney General Annual CLE, (November 7, 2023)
  • Speaker, The Current State of Tribal Water Law: Ensuring a Future of Tribal Engagement Tribal Water Law Conference, (November 6, 2023)
  • Speaker, The Four Corners of Indian Water Rights: Tribes, Treaties, and the Adjudication of Reserved Rights 2023 Annual State Conference, American Water Resources Association (September 28, 2023)
  • Speaker, Federal Indian Law and Policy Tribal Resources and Sovereignty Clinic, Yale School of the Environment (September 13, 2023)
  • Speaker, Arizona v. Navajo Nation Important Developments in Water Law, ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (July 27, 2023)
  • Speaker, Critical Concerns in Indian Country: Arizona v. Navajo Nation Indian Law Section Annual CLE, Montana State Bar (April 21, 2023)
  • Panelist, Combating Climate Change and Increasing Tribal Co-Management with Emily Haley & Dylan Hedden-Nicely, Indian Law Section Annual Conference, Federal Bar Association (April 18, 2023)
  • Panelist, "Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty," with Eric Eberhard, John de Graaf, Mark Udall & Sanne Knudsen, Native American Law Center Film Screening and Discussion, University of Washington School of Law (April 7, 2023)
  • Panelist, Tribal Co-Management of Federal Public Lands with Craig Andrews & Majel Russel, Spring Symposium, Arizona Journal of Environmental Law and Policy (April 7, 2023)
  • Panelist, "Advancing and Expanding an American 30 by 30," with Jamie Pleune, Adell Amos & Jessie Owley, 2023 J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium, George Washington University (April 6, 2023)
  • Panelist, "Foundations of Federal Indian Law, Treaties, and Natural Resources," with Eric Eberhard & Kate Fort, Appellate Conference, Washington State Courts (March 27, 2023)
  • Speaker, "Restoring our Nation’s Legacy: Native Nations, Co-Management, and the Future of Federal Public Lands," Case Western Reserve University School of Law (March 22, 2023)
  • Panelist, "Integrating Content on Native American Law and Indigenous Identities," with Matthew L.M. Fletcher, Rebecca Plevel, Nicole P. Dyszlewski (moderator), Integrating Doctrine & Diversity Speaker Series, Roger Williams University School of Law, CUNY School of Law, George Washington Law, Berkeley Law, Jurist (October 19, 2022)

Recent UW Law News

NALSA at UW Wins Chapter of the Year
Pictured (left to right): Professor Monte Mills, Xan Dindinger-Hill, Ella Koscher, Sarah Zephier, Emily Zughaib, Emma Tolliver, Alexandra Valenti.

NALSA at UW Wins Chapter of the Year

Published:

For the first time in history, the National Native American Law Association (National NALSA) has recognized NALSA at UW as Chapter of the Year.

A Retrospective on the NALC
Ralph Johnson, Bill Rodgers and Bob Anderson

A Retrospective on the NALC

Published:

The UW was an early leader in education and expertise in Native American law, and the Native American Law Center continues that work.

A Change in Presidential Administrations, Part Two

A Change in Presidential Administrations, Part Two

Published:

Faculty organized an expert panel to discuss topics focused on federalism, health care, international implications and tribal and natural resources.

A 50-Year Legacy of Excellence
Natural landscape with trees and water.

A 50-Year Legacy of Excellence

Published:

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.

36th Annual Indian Law Symposium
36th Annual Indian Law Symposium

36th Annual Indian Law Symposium

Published:

UW Law will host the 36th annual Indian Law Symposium on Sept. 7 & 8, 2023, in person at William H. Gates Hall and available on Zoom.

RSVP NOW: April 7 Film Screening and Panel for “Stewart Udall and The Politics of Beauty,” Hosted by the Native American Law Center
A view of Cape Royal with Angel's Window and Vishnu Temple in the background.

RSVP NOW: April 7 Film Screening and Panel for “Stewart Udall and The Politics of Beauty,” Hosted by the Native American Law Center

Published:

An in-person film screening of “Stewart Udall and The Politics of Beauty” will be held April 7, followed by a distinguished panel discussion including director John de Graaf, Senator Mark Udall and UW Law faculty.

Set Aside or Ignored
Stylized image of water.

Set Aside or Ignored

Published:

The Discovery Podcast, in conversation with UW Law professor Monte Mills on the amicus brief supporting tribal reserved water rights in the U.S. Supreme Court case Arizona v. Navajo Nation.