In 2022, we shared the story of Ambree Shelton, a tribal member from Broken Bow at the University of Oklahoma. Now, at 25, she has graduated, passed the bar exam and begun her career as a lawyer.
Shelton’s journey was shaped by resilience. Around age 4, her family experienced homelessness until a Choctaw Nation social worker connected them with resources. Today, her mother, Susan Mitchell, works in the Choctaw Nation Information Technology Department.
Shelton has always been a hard worker. At 16, she began tutoring and completed roughly 1,000 hours of volunteer work, not only to build her résumé, but to help her community.
She was determined to break the stereotype of “never getting out of Broken Bow.”
Her dreams took shape once she was accepted at OU, where she decided that practicing law was her calling.
At OU, Shelton was active in the Native American Law Students Association, the First-Generation Law Student Society and Moot Court (a simulated appellate hearing that allows practicing real-world legal skills), where she earned recognition for her oral advocacy skills.
“Moot Court was one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of law school,” Shelton said. “It really pushed me to develop my research, writing and oral advocacy skills.”
In 2021, she became the sole intern for the Choctaw Nation Judicial Branch, gaining firsthand experience in tribal court shortly after the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma decision expanded tribal jurisdiction.
“Much of my time was spent observing proceedings in tribal court, which was fascinating because it was right after the McGirt decision,” Shelton said. “I also had opportunities to sit in on meetings where they discussed how they were going to implement changes resulting from the increased caseload that came with the decision.”
She later interned at a personal injury law firm in Dallas, gaining hands-on experience reviewing medical records, attending depositions and analyzing body camera footage, which gave her practical skills and a deeper understanding of civil law.
According to Shelton, earning a law degree and being a first-generation lawyer mean everything to her.
“I hope that when I have my own family, I can continue to show that it is possible to build a different future, no matter where you start,” she said.
Shelton credits her mother’s resilience and hard work for inspiring her own determination to succeed.
“Ultimately, my mother worked incredibly hard to give us stability,” Shelton said. “Her determination and sacrifices are the reason I’m here today, preparing to become an attorney. For me, it’s not just an accomplishment but a symbol of how far we have come as a family.”
Shelton emphasized the importance of not letting your past circumstances determine your future. She is proud of what her degree represents.
“It is an example of how far you can come, how much can change in your generation,” she said. “I think it represents resilience, hope and belief that our beginnings — whatever they may be — don’t always have to define our futures.”
Shelton recently began her career with the Dallas firm Walters, Balido, and Crain and will be sworn in as an attorney Nov. 3 in Austin.
One of Shelton’s primary goals is to help her community.
“I want to advocate for those who feel unseen and create a path for individuals from similar backgrounds,” she said. “I am deeply grateful to everyone who has helped me reach this point, and I hope to honor their support by using my degree to make a meaningful difference in any way I can.”
Shelton also expressed a desire to return to the Choctaw Nation Judicial Branch to give back to the Nation that supported her throughout her journey.
“The Choctaw Nation has greatly assisted me during high school, college and law school,” Shelton said. “I want to come back and help the Nation myself.”