Best Lawyers in Canada for Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice
Select a location from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Province
Jean is a Shareholder practicing primarily in the area of Indigenous Law, with a special emphasis on First Nations economic development. She is ranked as a leading Canadian Indigenous Law lawyer by LEXPERT and has extensive experience in advising on land issues and development projects in respect of reserve land. She has assisted both First Nations and developers in structuring partnerships and other business arrangements to pursue commercial and residential developments on reserve land, and ...
Bob Potts has been a Partner in the firm for more than thirty-five years. He is an experienced litigation counsel with a varied practice and extensive client list. Bob has successfully acted for clients in disputes involving real estate and business contracts, corporate disputes and mortgage enforcement remedies. He has defended class actions and served as counsel in several leading cases, including Abdool , Bre-X and the class action stemming from the 2008 propane explosion in Toronto. Actin...
Krista Nerland is a partner at OKT. Her practice focuses on litigation related to Aboriginal rights, Aboriginal title, and treaty rights; human rights and discrimination; and advancing Indigenous jurisdiction. Krista has particular expertise in appellate litigation and has appeared at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Krista holds a J.D. with honours from the University of Toronto, where she received awards for academic excellence and highest standing in constitution...
Dan Bennett's practice is focused in the areas of trial, arbitration, hearing and appeal work in commercial and administrative litigation. As a member of our litigation group, Mr. Bennett has conducted a broad range of cases in commercial, real estate, and natural resource matters in British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon superior courts and courts of appeal as well as the Federal Courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He also appears regularly before a number of administrative boards de...
Denis Blanchette is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice, Administrative and Public Law and Environmental Law. Denis, who practices law in Montréal, Quebec, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Denis is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Maggie Wente (BA, LLB, MSW) is a partner at Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP. She is a member of Serpent River First Nation and was born and raised in Toronto. Recently Maggie focuses much of her practice on advocating for equality for Indigenous children and individuals in child welfare systems and the exercise of inherent jurisdiction over child well-being. She does this in litigation and in negotiation about child welfare funding, program delivery and First Nations law-making. Maggie also advis...
Kevin O'Callaghan is a respected litigator in British Columbia and Leader of the firm’s Indigenous Legal Matters group. He is also the regional Lead for the Corporate Social Responsibility Law group and actively involved in our Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) initiative. Providing strategic advice on indigenous, regulatory, environmental and other CSR and ESG issues, Kevin advises clients throughout Western and Northern Canada, and around the world. Kevin provides strategic advice...
Graham Ragan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice, Administrative and Public Law and Public Procurement Law. Graham, who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Graham is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Christine practices environmental and Indigenous law, providing advice in respect of major project development, environmental assessment, permitting, operational matters and acquisition and sale of industrial projects. She provides mining industry advice, representing clients with respect to permitting and regulatory aspects of exploration, development, operation and closure of mining projects. A significant amount of Christine's practice is focused on advising clients with projects in Canada...
Keith advises private sector, public sector and government clients on Indigenous law and regulatory matters. He has appeared as counsel before numerous regulatory tribunals and all levels of Superior and Appellate Courts (both Federal and Provincial), including the Supreme Court of Canada. He has acted for clients in a number of natural resource industries including hydro-electric generation and transmission, oil and gas, mining, aquaculture, forestry, transportation and independent power pro...
Me Benoît Amyot pratique le droit depuis plus de 25 ans. Il a développé une expertise précieuse en affaires autochtones et en litige civil. Depuis son arrivée chez Cain Lamarre en 2002, il a accompagné de nombreuses communautés et organisations autochtones dans leurs négociations avec les instances gouvernementales ainsi que dans des dossiers de développement économique et de gouvernance. Reconnu pour son approche innovante ...
Jeff Langlois practices civil litigation and Aboriginal law in JFK’s Vancouver office, focusing on constitutional litigation, Crown consultation and environmental law. In his Aboriginal law practice, Jeff strives to support his clients’ efforts to protect and advance their Aboriginal and Treaty rights and expand First Nations’ self-determination over their lands and waters. Jeff advances his clients’ interests in a broad range of contexts, including through the courts,...
Marco is a strategic and accomplished litigator with 35 years of experience. Marco’s practice is focused on litigation and aboriginal law, with an emphasis on commercial litigation, contract disputes, construction litigation, estate litigation, shareholder disputes, commercial insurance disputes, professional errors and omissions claims, and municipal property assessment complaints. He has a broad range of experience before courts, tribunals and arbitrators, and has appeared before all ...
Bridget Gilbride is a partner in our Vancouver office. She is an experienced litigator focused on Indigenous legal issues and environmental law. Bridget advises on permitting, environmental assessments, and Indigenous and Aboriginal legal issues such as the duty to consult, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples , and section 35 of the Constitution. Bridget’s core focus is advising clients advancing projects, through provincial and federal approval processes,...
François Dandonneau is a partner in the firm’s Montréal office. His practice has been centred on Aboriginal law for over fifteen years with a specific focus on matters dealing with mining and natural resources, procurement, taxation and self-governance. Throughout his career, François has acted and played a major role in important litigation matters, notably constitutional cases, before all levels of the courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. François...
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.