Sarah Krakoff

Sarah Krakoff is the Moses Lasky Professor of Law at the University of Colorado Law School, where she is a nationally recognized expert in Native American law, natural resources law, and environmental justice. She founded and directs the Acequia Assistance Project, providing free legal representation to low-income farmers in Colorado's San Luis Valley, and has authored amicus briefs for the Supreme Court and multiple federal circuits.

Her educational background includes:

• JD, University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall
• BA, Yale University

Professor Krakoff's research critically examines tribal sovereignty, water rights, and environmental policy through the lens of Indigenous communities. Her work bridges theoretical legal frameworks with practical community impacts, particularly in Western U.S. land and resource disputes involving Native nations.

Her major recognitions include:

• Hazel Barnes Prize (university's highest award for scholarship and teaching)
• Chase Community Service Award for public service with low-income communities
• Equal Justice Works Fellowship for Navajo Nation youth advocacy

She secured permanent university funding for CU's American Indian Law Clinic after directing it, and clerked for Judge Warren J. Ferguson on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her clinical work emphasizes hands-on student training in public interest law.

Through the Acequia Assistance Project, she leads a team supporting traditional irrigation systems and Hispanic farming communities, demonstrating deep commitment to grassroots legal empowerment beyond standard academic work.