Kari James - Associate Attorney

Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é (Hello, my family and my people).

Kari James, originally from Navajo Mountain, Utah, is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. She is of the Lók’aa’ Dine’é (Reed People) clan and born for the Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House) clan. Because of her heritage, Kari has dedicated her legal career to serving tribes and tribal members. Her approach to legal advocacy is rooted in cultural respect, legal knowledge, and a strong dedication to integrity and justice.

Kari focuses her practice on Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law, Family Law, Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Child Custody and Child Welfare, Adoption, and Criminal Law, with a strong commitment to serving tribal nations and communities with respect and cultural awareness. She has assisted in representing various Indian tribes as general counsel in economic development, government services, contracts, water, natural resources, consultation, and other litigation issues. In addition to her work with tribal governments, Kari represents individual tribal members and non-Indians in matters involving criminal defense, juvenile defense, divorce, child custody, adoption, and child welfare.

Kari’s journey to the legal profession has humble beginnings. She attended K-12 in a Title 1 schools in Navajo Mountain, Utah. She graduated high school as a Gates Millenium Scholar. She obtained a B.S. in History from Southern Utah University and a B.S. in Anthropology from the University of Utah. Kari attended S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. Where she founded the Native American Law Student Association Chapter and continued as president for two years. She acted as the president of the Minority Law Caucus for two years. Kari helped establish the Student Bar Association Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Kari was named the National Native American Law Student Association 1L of the Year for advancing Native American legal scholarship. Kari was awarded the Utah Minority Bar Association Past President’s Scholarship for two consecutive years for her record of service and potential to positively impact racial and ethnic communities.

Currently, Kari is barred to practice in the State of Utah and in various Indian tribal courts such as: Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Reservation, and the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation.