Three decades of counsel in Federal & Indian Law.
Former Attorney General of the Navajo Nation, representing tribal governments, enterprises, and institutions on the matters that shape sovereignty and growth.
A practice built on sovereignty, service, and standing.
For more than thirty years, Michael P. Upshaw has advised tribal nations and the organizations that work with them, bringing the perspective of a former Attorney General of the Navajo Nation to every matter he handles.
His work spans the questions that define Indian Country today: jurisdiction and tribal governance, the contracts and construction that build tribal economies, education, employment, and the defense of significant litigation. Clients turn to him when the stakes are high and the law is unsettled.
Mr. Upshaw practices from Scottsdale, Arizona, and is admitted before the United States Supreme Court, the State Bar of Arizona, and the Navajo Nation Bar Association.
Counsel where federal authority and tribal sovereignty meet.
Federal Indian Law
The core of the practice: advising tribal governments and enterprises on the federal statutes, treaties, and case law that govern sovereignty, self-determination, and the relationship between tribes, states, and the United States.
Construction Law
Contracts, disputes, and project counsel for the development that drives tribal economic growth.
Education Law
Regulatory and governance counsel for tribal schools, colleges, and education authorities.
Insurance Defense Litigation
Defense of complex claims, with the trial experience that high-exposure matters demand.
Employment
Workplace, personnel, and sovereign-employer matters for tribal governments and enterprises.
Wrongful Death & Personal Injury
Advocacy for clients and families in the most serious injury and loss claims.
From the negotiating table to the courtroom, the goal is the same: protect what tribes have built and open the door to what comes next.
Thirty years on the record.
Bar Admissions
- United States Supreme Court
- State Bar of Arizona
- Navajo Nation Bar Association
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
Public Service
- Former Attorney General, the Navajo Nation
- Counsel to tribal governments and councils
- Advisor on tribal jurisdiction and governance
Professional Affiliations
- Federal Bar Association, Indian Law Section
- Arizona Bar Association
- Native American Bar Association
Discuss your matter, in confidence.
Tell me about the issue you are facing. Initial consultations are handled personally and held in strict confidence.
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258