M. Alexander Pearl

M. Alexander Pearl is a Professor of Law and the Chickasaw Nation Endowed Chair in Native American Law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He is also affiliated with the Department of Native American Studies and the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center at OU. Previously, he served as Director of the Center for Water Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law.

• Education: B.A. from University of Oklahoma, J.D. from UC Berkeley Law
• Current Role: University of Oklahoma College of Law (2020–present)
• Past Role: Texas Tech University School of Law (2014–2020)

Professor Pearl is a nationally recognized scholar in Federal Indian Law, focusing on water rights, climate change law, and statutory interpretation. His work bridges indigenous legal frameworks with environmental policy, often addressing constitutional tensions between tribal sovereignty and federal statutes. His recent articles examine climate crisis legal models, trademark law in indigenous contexts, and criminal jurisdiction in Indian Country.

Notable citations include Justice Gorsuch’s concurrence in Haaland v. Brackeen. He also serves as an Associate Justice on the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations Supreme Court, combining academic and judicial roles. His scholarship is published in top journals like Yale Law Journal, Harvard Environmental Law Review, and Wake Forest Law Review.