Esther Labrado

TRIBAL AFFILIATION: North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians

PANEL: Native Freedom of Expression

BIOGRAPHY
Esther Labrado is an attorney at Drummond Woodsum, in the Tribal Nations Practice Group. She assists clients on a broad array of matters, including trial and appellate litigation, code drafting, and development and enhancement of tribal justice systems, with an expertise in criminal jurisdiction issues. Esther is a citizen of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and a descendant of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

Prior to joining Drummond Woodsum, Esther was the Legal Manager and Policy Lead, Legal and Governance at the National Congress of American Indians, where she advised Tribal Nations on implementation of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, managed a $13 million microgrants program for crime victim services, and staffed the Tribal Supreme Court Project. Esther also clerked for the Honorable Marjorie K. Allard on the Alaska Court of Appeals. Esther has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in 2024 and 2025, and by Best Lawyers on its Ones to Watch list in 2026 for her work in Native American Law.