Michelle Espino, new chief legislative counsel, aims to strengthen Legislative Branch

Robert Bettis
Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation unanimously appointed Michelle Espino as the new chief legislative counsel.

For this role, she brings over two decades of legal experience across tribal, state, and federal courts, as well as a strong commitment to supporting Navajo values and goals. Espino is originally from Torreon, New Mexico. She is Táchii’nii and born for the Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Her maternal grandfather is Tsi’naajinii, and her paternal grandfather is Oglala Lakota.

She has a strong legal background that includes work as a judge and as a prosecutor, along with her previous role as assistant attorney general for the Navajo Nation Department of Justice.

Primary legal advisor

In her new role as chief legislative counsel, she will serve as the primary legal advisor to the Navajo Nation Council. This job includes guiding legislation, legal policies, and other matters affecting the Navajo Nation’s laws. In a nutshell, her job plays a critical role for the Diné because she supports the Council in creating laws and policies that reflect the values and priorities of the community.

Espino believes it was the right time to return to the Navajo Nation and apply her experience in service to her community. Inspired by her grandparents’ dedication as educators and community leaders, Espino said, “I wanted to contribute to my community, which is one of the main reasons I went to law school.” In her new role, she hopes to continue supporting the Navajo Nation’s legislative needs, adding that her experience has prepared her to face the complexities of the work.

One of her immediate goals is to address the staffing shortages within the legislative counsel’s office, which currently has a 40% vacancy rate. Espino is actively recruiting attorneys, as well as legal advocates who are knowledgeable about issues specific to the Navajo Nation. She says that she wants to make sure that “our office is fully staffed and fully capable of addressing the legal needs of the Navajo Nation Council.”

Experience would add value to her role

Espino believes that her experience in systems outside of the Navajo Nation will provide some value to her role here. She has held leadership roles in various high-profile legal cases, including water rights settlements currently before Congress. Her work also includes serving on the national board of the ACLU, where she has been involved in updating policy on Indigenous justice.

She noted that she learned a lot during her time working in New Mexico under Gov. Bill Richardson and gained an understanding of the fast-paced environment of state governance. Espino aims to apply that same drive and efficiency to her role within the Navajo Nation, saying, “We don’t have a lot of time to achieve priorities, so I like to problem-solve and get things done as fast as possible, but efficiently as well.”

Espino hopes to combine what she learned outside of the Navajo Nation with the values she learned here in the community. Describing her inspiration from her former boss and fifth president of the Navajo Nation, the late Kelsey Begaye, she said, “He always had an open door for not only his staff, but for Navajo people to come and talk about their issues, and I will strive to have that same approach.”

With the support of the Navajo Nation Council, Espino looks forward to guiding the Office of Legislative Counsel through its next chapter, addressing legislative priorities, and helping to strengthen the legal infrastructure for future generations.