When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, it confirmed that the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation remains intact. Philip Tinker, a graduate of The University of Tulsa’s College of Law, played a role in that outcome.
Tinker (J.D. ’11) began working on the legal issues behind McGirt while still in law school. As a student, he researched reservation status questions affecting tribes in Oklahoma and developed arguments grounded in federal Indian law. “I was looking into that and developing the argument that, if you apply federal Indian law, these reservations remain extant,” he said.
At UTulsa Law, Tinker was actively involved in the Native American Law Students Association, serving as president and participating in student leadership initiatives. He also completed federal internships with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Department of Justice, gaining early exposure to policy and civil rights work.
Faculty mentorship played a key role in his experience. Tinker pointed to professors including G. William “Bill” Rice, Judith V. Royster, Robert Spoo and Vicki J. Limas as influential in shaping his understanding of law and its real-world application.
“It was a really great formative experience,” said Tinker, a citizen of the Osage Nation.
After law school, Tinker clerked for William J. Riley, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, before joining Kanji & Katzen, PLLC. There, he became part of the legal team representing the Muscogee (Creek) Nation as amicus curiae in McGirt and related cases.
The Supreme Court’s decision affirmed that Congress had never disestablished the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation, reshaping jurisdiction across eastern Oklahoma and reinforcing principles of tribal sovereignty.
Tinker continues to work on cases tied to the decision. His current caseload includes matters involving criminal jurisdiction, taxation and regulatory authority as courts and governments interpret and apply McGirt.
“We’re just trying to get the state to catch up with the new reality,” he said.
Now based in Tulsa, Tinker’s work remains closely tied to the communities impacted by the decision. He continues to focus on ensuring that the legal recognition of tribal sovereignty is reflected in practice across Oklahoma.
“I’m living on a reservation that wasn’t recognized as such until we got that legal recognition,” he said.