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
John Hurley is a partner in the firm’s Montréal office and leader of the Aboriginal Law Group. He has more than 30 years experience in commercial law, with special emphasis on First Nations, energy and infrastructure, environmental law, regulatory matters and international development. John has long worked with Aboriginal peoples in Québec, especially the Crees and the Inuit, on a wide variety of matters, including government relations, energy and natural resources, enviro...
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...
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...
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...
Justine Mageau is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice, Administrative and Public Law, Construction Law and Labour and Employment Law. Justine, who practices law in Edmonton, Alberta, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Justine is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Arthur M. Grant is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice and Corporate and Commercial Litigation. Arthur M., who practices law in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Arthur M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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 ...
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...
Maya Stano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice and Environmental Law. Maya, who practices law in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Maya is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Roger Townshend, a founding partner of OKT, is now a senior counsel to the firm. He practices Aboriginal , Constitutional, human rights , and administrative law, with particular stress on land claims litigation. He has a B.Sc (Hons.) in Mathematics. He has appeared in Court and advised on numerous cases relating to Aboriginal law claims including claims related to Aboriginal title and other Aboriginal rights and treaty rights, and duty to consult and accommodate cases. His court work has also...
Nader R. Hasan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice, Administrative and Public Law, Appellate Practice, Criminal Defence and Privacy and Data Security Law. Nader R., who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nader R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Karin has done extensive legal work on behalf of First Nations in relation to treaty rights, consultation, environmental protection, and negotiating impact benefit agreements. She also practices in the area of environmental law, representing landowners, NGOs and companies, and served as the President of the Environmental Law Centre. As a trial lawyer, Karin has successfully represented clients in litigation in relation to the defence of malpractice claims, the protection of land and environme...
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...
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...
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.