Native News
From the Crow Nation to the Courtroom: Celina Stops Makes History at Boyd School of Law
LAS VEGAS, NV – When Celina Stops arrived at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, she was pursuing more than a law degree. She was stepping into territory that no member of the Crow Tribe of Montana had walked before.
On May 14, 2026, she will become the first member of the Crow Tribe to graduate from UNLV’s Boyd School of Law before beginning a judicial clerkship in Nevada’s Eight Judicial District Court.
Stops is a proud citizen of the Crow Tribe and a student of the Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program. The program is one of a few specialized legal programs in the country focused on preparing tribal leaders, advocates and legal practitioners to navigate the complex intersection of tribal sovereignty, federal Indian law and the gaming industry.
In 2022, the American Bar Association estimated that there were fewer than 3,000 Native American attorneys in the United States. Stops knew she wanted to be one of them.
Her journey through Boyd has been anything but ordinary. As president of the UNLV chapter of the Native American Law Student Association (NALSA), Stops led efforts to connect law students with the broader Native community, including organizing a Law Day workshop aimed at inspiring Native youth to envision themselves in the legal profession.
“My time at Boyd helped me figure out where I fit in the legal field,” Stops said.
That sense of direction was hard-won. As a first-generation law student, Stops navigated a world that can feel unfamiliar and isolating without the right support system — and she found that in the Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program.
“I’m really grateful to the INGG Program for giving me the support and guidance I needed as a first-generation law student,” she said.
Stops has also built a wide-ranging legal foundation through externships and clerkships with Judge Jennifer Schwartz, the Palms Casino & Resort, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, gaining hands-on experience that spans the courtroom, tribal government and the gaming industry.
Earlier this year, she was named UNLV’s Professional Student of the Year as part of the university’s Rebel of the Year awards, one of UNLV’s highest student honors. The recognition speaks not only to Stops’ academic achievement, but the mark she has left on campus life and her broader community.
Professor Danielle Finn, director of the Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program, said Stops’ leadership reflects something larger than resume-building: a commitment to opening doors for future Native students because so few were open for earlier generations.
“Celina is a true trailblazer and an inspiration to all of us,” Finn said. “Her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to her community have left a lasting mark on Boyd School of Law, and we could not be more proud of everything she has accomplished.”
For the Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program, Stops reflects the program’s broader mission of preparing Native students to work at the intersection of tribal sovereignty, governance and the law.
As she prepares to begin the next chapter of her career, Stops is evidence that Native students can earn a seat at the table in the legal profession. After graduation, she will begin a judicial clerkship with Judge Jacqueline Bluth in Nevada’s Eighth Judicial District Court.
The Indian Nations Gaming & Governance Program at UNLV William S. Boyd Law school is dedicated to preparing the next generation of leaders in tribal gaming, governance, and law. The program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to make a meaningful impact in Indian Country and beyond. Email: ingg@unlv.edu.
DISCLOSURE: This article is sponsored content created by University of Nevada, Las Vegas Boyd School of Law. It was created and published as part of a paid partnership and was not reported by the Tribal Business News editorial team.