[1] After she graduated from law school, she began her legal career with the United States Department of Justice.
[3][4] There, Free prosecuted federal environmental laws across the country with a special emphasis on tribal lands and became the first Native American to serve as a supervising attorney in the department.
[5][6] In 1998, she ran for and became the first woman and the first Native American ever to be elected District Attorney in the counties of Pittsburg and Haskell in Oklahoma.
[9] In 2011, Free served as an attorney and senior adviser for Bill John Baker's campaign for Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, successfully helping him defeat incumbent Chad "Corn-tassel" Smith.
Rising to the Challenge to the book Voices from the Heartland, where she reflects on her career and experiences as a Native American.