Daiquiri J. Steele, associate professor of law at The University of Alabama School of Law, has been elected chair of the American Bar Association Section of State, Local and Tribal Government Law. Steele will lead the section through August 2027.
A nationally recognized scholar of retaliation and whistleblower law, Steele’s expertise spans labor and employment law, civil rights, K-12 and higher education law and alternative dispute resolution. Her scholarship and professional work examine the legal protections available to employees and other individuals who report discrimination, workplace violations, fraud, regulatory noncompliance and other forms of misconduct, as well as the role of government institutions in protecting and enforcing those rights.
As chair, Steele will lead a national network of lawyers, judges, academics, government officials and other professionals whose work addresses the legal issues confronting state, local and tribal governments. A central priority of her leadership will be highlighting the breadth of the section’s work and the increasingly varied areas of law and policy that intersect with state, local and tribal governance. Steele also plans to strengthen connections among lawyers whose careers cross different levels of government, including attorneys who are transitioning or have recently transitioned from federal service to roles involving state, local or tribal government.
“State, local and tribal governments are at the center of many of the legal issues that shape everyday life, from education and employment to civil rights, economic development and the institutions and infrastructure on which communities depend,” Steele said. “The breadth of those issues is one of the section’s greatest strengths.”
Steele’s scholarship has earned national recognition. She received the 2024 Michael J. Zimmer Award, which recognizes a rising scholar in labor and employment law whose work reflects a commitment to workplace justice and community. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Her other honors include the National Bar Association’s 40 Under 40 Best Advocates Award, the ABA On the Rise Top 40 Young Lawyers Award and the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division Award of Achievement for Outstanding Service to the Profession.
Steele has held significant leadership roles across the legal academy and the organized bar. She previously served as chair of both the Association of American Law Schools Section on Labor Relations and Employment Law and the AALS Section on Employment Discrimination Law, and she currently serves on the executive committees of the AALS Section on Education Law and the Section on Women in Legal Education.
Civic and community service has also been a significant part of Steele’s work beyond the legal profession. She has devoted substantial time, leadership and service to organizations supporting children, young people, families and communities, including Girls Inc. of Central Alabama, Heart Gallery Alabama, Einstein’s Playground and Kids Play Alabama.
Steele earned B.A. degrees in economics and political science from Spelman College, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law, a master’s in public policy and administration from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in business administration from Hampton University.
The ABA Section of State, Local and Tribal Government Law is a nationwide network of professionals engaged with the legal issues facing state, local and tribal governments. Its members include private practitioners, government attorneys, judges, academics and other professionals working across a broad range of areas affecting public institutions, government operations and communities. The section’s work encompasses areas including public education, land use, elections and voting rights, environment and energy, government operations, public finance, regulated industries and tribal government law.
A nationally recognized scholar of retaliation and whistleblower law, Steele’s expertise spans labor and employment law, civil rights, K-12 and higher education law and alternative dispute resolution. Her scholarship and professional work examine the legal protections available to employees and other individuals who report discrimination, workplace violations, fraud, regulatory noncompliance and other forms of misconduct, as well as the role of government institutions in protecting and enforcing those rights.
As chair, Steele will lead a national network of lawyers, judges, academics, government officials and other professionals whose work addresses the legal issues confronting state, local and tribal governments. A central priority of her leadership will be highlighting the breadth of the section’s work and the increasingly varied areas of law and policy that intersect with state, local and tribal governance. Steele also plans to strengthen connections among lawyers whose careers cross different levels of government, including attorneys who are transitioning or have recently transitioned from federal service to roles involving state, local or tribal government.
“State, local and tribal governments are at the center of many of the legal issues that shape everyday life, from education and employment to civil rights, economic development and the institutions and infrastructure on which communities depend,” Steele said. “The breadth of those issues is one of the section’s greatest strengths.”
Steele’s scholarship has earned national recognition. She received the 2024 Michael J. Zimmer Award, which recognizes a rising scholar in labor and employment law whose work reflects a commitment to workplace justice and community. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Her other honors include the National Bar Association’s 40 Under 40 Best Advocates Award, the ABA On the Rise Top 40 Young Lawyers Award and the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division Award of Achievement for Outstanding Service to the Profession.
Steele has held significant leadership roles across the legal academy and the organized bar. She previously served as chair of both the Association of American Law Schools Section on Labor Relations and Employment Law and the AALS Section on Employment Discrimination Law, and she currently serves on the executive committees of the AALS Section on Education Law and the Section on Women in Legal Education.
Civic and community service has also been a significant part of Steele’s work beyond the legal profession. She has devoted substantial time, leadership and service to organizations supporting children, young people, families and communities, including Girls Inc. of Central Alabama, Heart Gallery Alabama, Einstein’s Playground and Kids Play Alabama.
Steele earned B.A. degrees in economics and political science from Spelman College, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law, a master’s in public policy and administration from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in business administration from Hampton University.
The ABA Section of State, Local and Tribal Government Law is a nationwide network of professionals engaged with the legal issues facing state, local and tribal governments. Its members include private practitioners, government attorneys, judges, academics and other professionals working across a broad range of areas affecting public institutions, government operations and communities. The section’s work encompasses areas including public education, land use, elections and voting rights, environment and energy, government operations, public finance, regulated industries and tribal government law.
