Best Lawyers in Canada for Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice
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Frank Mariage is a partner in the Montréal office of Fasken, practising in the areas of securities, corporate law and mining law. Frank represents mining companies and guides them during the discovery, sale, and processing of mineral deposits, in Canada and elsewhere. He has extensive experience in the legal aspects of the mining industry, representing investment banks as well as government agencies and mining companies, both in Canada and internationally. Frank’s in-depth knowle...
Gavin Fitch is an award-winning lawyer and K.C. working in environmental, regulatory, energy permitting, and Indigenous law. He’s a respected and trusted advisor who provides sound, practical advice geared towards keeping his clients out of the hearing room. When necessary, however, he is a strong and fearless advocate, whether in negotiations or in a courtroom. His clients include developers, energy producers, environmental monitoring agencies, governments and landowners. For each indi...
Jana is nationally recognized for both her environmental and Indigenous law practice. She regularly advises in all areas of environmental law, including contaminated sites, water and fisheries law, forestry law, environmental assessments, environmental compliance, enforcement and prosecutions and species at risk. Jana has acted as counsel in significant cases concerning air quality, fisheries law, contaminated sites, and pipeline developments. In her Indigenous law practice, Jana regularly as...
AREAS OF PRACTICE: Litigation, Insurance, Personal Injury, Labour and Employment, and Aboriginal Law PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Maria received her B.A. degree from St. Thomas University in 1977, and her LL.B degree from the University of New Brunswick in 1980. She was admitted to the Newfoundland Bar in 1981 and to the New Brunswick Bar in 1989. Maria received her appointment as Queen's Counsel (Q.C.) in 2004. Her affiliations include membership in the Canadian Bar Association, the Law Society ...
Justice Harry S. LaForme is Anishinabe and a member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation located in southern Ontario. He was born and raised mainly on his reserve where some of his family continue to reside and remain active in that First Nation's government. Justice LaForme graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979. He articled with the law firm of Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt; joined the firm as an associate; and, after a brief time...
Randall Kahgee is Senior Counsel to Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP and specializes in Indigenous rights law, with an emphasis on community-based processes and government-to-government negotiations. Randall has worked with Indigenous governments across Canada and participated in significant agreements between Indigenous communities and provincial and federal governments on energy matters, including issues relating to the development of nuclear facilities, transmission lines, renewable energy proj...
Jessica Orkin has a broad litigation practice including criminal, civil and administrative law matters, with an emphasis on constitutional, human rights, Aboriginal rights and access to information law matters. Jessica appears at all levels of court, including the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada. She is also a frequent speaker at legal conferences and seminars. Jessica received her law degree from the University of Toronto. She also holds an M.Phil. degree in Devel...
Larry is a partner at Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend LLP practising at the intersections of Indigenous rights and environmental law. Larry has worked with First Nations on lands and resources issues for over 25 years, and has developed extensive experience in the negotiation of impacts and benefits agreements, environmental assessment, co-management measures, self-government and treaty provisions. He also represents and advises First Nations dealing with major mining, forestry and energy developme...
Me Jacynthe Ledoux is a member of the Quebec Bar since 2011. She is also a member of the Ontario Bar. A lawyer specializing in Indigenous law, Me Ledoux has a diverse practice that includes representing First Nations in environmental law, specific claims, energy law, natural resources, constitutional law, youth protection and human rights. Me Ledoux is passionate about complex cases involving overlapping jurisdictions. Her mastery of civil law, common law and her openness to Indigenous legal ...
Leonard S. Tony Mandamin, IPC is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice. Leonard S. Tony, who practices law in Edmonton, Alberta, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Leonard S. Tony is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lara’s practice encompasses Indigenous laws and governance work, Aboriginal and Treaty rights litigation, and constitutional and public law litigation with a focus on equality rights and anti-discrimination law and policy matters. Lara works with First Nations on lands and resource issues and is passionate about advancing Indigenous land and water stewardship, including through Guardians and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) initiatives. Lara has a background in internation...
Nancy Kleer is one of the founding partners of OKT. In her practice of Aboriginal rights, she represents Aboriginal clients responding to a variety of resource developments, including mineral exploration, mining, and hydroelectric development, in negotiations and litigation. She also advises on federal and provincial environmental protection and assessment law. She provides legal advice and does legal drafting on issues addressed in negotiations for comprehensive land claims, Aboriginal self-...
Jean-Sébastien Clément is a partner in the firm's Montréal office. His practice has been focusing on aboriginal law for more than fifteen years with a particular interest for matters pertaining to self-governance, natural resources, forestry, education, socio-economic development, administration of justice, environment, land regime and health and social services. During his career, he has acted and played a major role in many litigation cases including constitutional case...
Jules Brière has been in private practice in Quebec City since 1976. He has acquired a strong reputation in constitutional law, administrative law, health law and the law governing public lands (production, transmission and distribution of hydro-electricity; forestry and land management). Mr. Brière has on many occasions advised governments, various ministries and public and parapublic agencies on the legal aspects of resource management and development in the public domain, the...
Marie-Christine Gagnon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice. Marie-Christine, who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Marie-Christine is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.