Best Lawyers Near You in Toronto, Ontario for Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice

Bryce Edwards is a partner at OKT. He provides legal and strategic advice on lands and resource matters, on-reserve infrastructure, government to government negotiations, mining, energy, and land use planning. He is class counsel on national class actions regarding infrastructure on reserve, and does work addressing the intersection of Indigenous legal orders and the Canadian regulatory state. Bryce graduated from the University of Toronto, where he was the co-founder and first Editor-in-Chie...

Judith Rae is a Partner at OKT committed to advancing Indigenous peoples’ goals. Her focus areas include governance, child welfare, health and education. She has also worked on protecting Indigenous lands and resources, developing Indigenous laws, constitutional and human rights, and a number of other strategic, negotiation & litigation matters. In addition to her legal background, Judith also has a Masters in Social Work and experience working with youth at risk. She offers inter-d...

Renée Pelletier is a Partner at OKT. Her practice focuses on Aboriginal and Treaty Rights litigation and negotiation. Renée has extensive experience litigating Aboriginal title claims: having served as lead counsel both in Saugeen Ojibway Nation’s Aboriginal title claim to their water territory and currently in the Wolastoqey Nation’s Aboriginal title claim to their territory in New Brunswick. She has also developed significant experience in claims and legal matters ...

Senwung Luk is a partner at OKT. He has appeared in different levels of court and tribunals, including the Supreme Court of Canada and various courts of appeal, representing Indigenous clients fighting for their rights. He focuses on the protection of sacred spaces and cultural sites, in asserting treaty rights, in on-reserve service delivery, and in the duty to consult and accommodate Indigenous communities. He has published a number of peer-reviewed articles on the Crown's fiduciary obligat...

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...

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...

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-...

Christopher Rae practices civil and commercial litigation. He has broad experience litigating a variety of civil and commercial disputes (including contract, shareholder and governance disputes), fraud, breach of confidence, product liability, professional negligence, insurance and insurance brokering. Christopher is also a member of Fasken’s Indigenous Legal Matters practice group. Christopher regularly represents clients across a range of industries, including agriculture, mining, aut...

Adam Chamberlain is an active member of Gowling WLG's Environmental Law, Indigenous Law and the Canada North Practice Groups. Certified as a Specialist in Environmental Law by the Law Society of Upper Canada, Adam has practised environmental and energy law for most of his career, focused on infrastructure development. Adam's practice encompasses diverse matters related to the environmental and other regulatory requirements involved with project development. Adam is also extensively involved i...

Nick Kennedy is Partner at OKT with a broad litigation and advisory practice. In addition to his Indigenous law work, which includes matters related to the interpretation of modern treaties and the Duty to Consult, Nick has experience in constitutional (especially the division of powers), administrative, anti-money laundering, contract, construction, energy and freedom of information law matters. Nick has appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, the Quebec Court of Appeal, the Supreme ...

Jessie Stirling (Wa’ya T’so-la) is an associate at OKT. She is Kwakw a k a ’wakw and a member of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation located in Campbell River, British Columbia. She holds a Juris Doctor (JD) and Certificate in Aboriginal Legal Studies from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and is a member of the Ontario bar. Jessie's practice areas include child welfare, negotiation, and litigation. In the child welfare space, Jessie is honoured to work with First Nations to...

Cameron J.A. Rempel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice and Corporate and Commercial Litigation. Cameron J.A., who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cameron J.A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Graeme Cook is an associate at OKT. He is a member of the Metlakatla First Nation, located on the northwest coast of British Columbia. Graeme holds a JD from the University of British Columbia, where he received a number of awards for academic excellence. Prior to joining OKT, Graeme served as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal for British Columbia and the Supreme Court of Canada. While in law school, Graeme worked at the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic, providing legal services in the area...

Victoria Wicks is an associate at OKT. She completed her law degree at the University of British Columbia, where she obtained a specialization in Aboriginal Law and won the inaugural Competition Law moot. She also worked at the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic, where she represented Indigenous clients in various Aboriginal, criminal, and family law matters. Before joining OKT, Victoria completed her articles as a judicial law clerk at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and practiced at a litiga...

Sinéad is an Associate at OKT committed to working with First Nations to realize their visions of family and community well-being. Her focus areas are Indigenous governance, child welfare, negotiation, and litigation. The best part of her job is meeting with First Nations in their territories. In the child and family sphere, she works with First Nations to support the exercise of inherent jurisdiction, uphold and strengthen Indigenous laws, and defend and assert their rights in court. ...

Joel Morales is an associate at OKT’s Toronto office. He is a member of Cowichan Tribes First Nation, located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Joel attended the University of Ottawa for law school where he participated in the Kawaskimhon Moot. He also participated in Osgoode Hall’s Intensive Program on Lands, Resources, and Governance where he completed a placement with the Maya Leaders Alliance in Belize. Joel articled at a legal aid clinic in Toronto that focused on servin...