Department profile
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Aboriginal Law

Canada Guide 2026 : Nationwide - Canada

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Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

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About

Provided by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Osler provides comprehensive and national services to clients dealing with indigenous legal matters, both as part of the regulatory approvals process, agreement negotiations and other matters. The team has extensive experience advising clients in every jurisdiction in Canada on the full extent of Indigenous law, consultation, benefits agreements and related litigation issues, which includes the drafting of hundreds of agreements with indigenous groups in almost every province and territory in Canada.

Osler’s indigenous law practitioners are industry leaders and have also represented numerous industry clients in a wide array of Indigenous law related litigation before all levels of court and regulatory boards across Canada. In addition, Osler frequently provides strategic government relations and negotiation-related advice to industry clients on indigenous matters.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Aboriginal Law - Nationwide - Canada

Band 2

What the Team is Known For
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt is a well-reputed national law firm that provides assistance to a number of large energy and oil companies in connection with Aboriginal, environmental and regulatory matters; clients also include electricity transmission companies and utilities, provincial governments and their entities. The firm offers notable experience of major project development in multiple jurisdictions, advising on an array of matters relating to the duty to consult, impact and benefit and economic participation agreements. It is also active on the litigation front, representing clients before courts and regulatory boards across the country. Work also includes mandates in the forestry and offshore drilling industries.
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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt acted as counsel for the Government of Manitoba in various Indigenous matters, including in its defense of a treaty infringement action in the Manitoba Court of King's Bench brought by the Peguis First Nation, alleging that regulations restricting night-time hunting are unconstitutional.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Osler's response time is unbelievable. They are a lean team with excellent, responsive results.

    Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

  • Osler also have significant experience dealing with litigation related to Indigenous law issues or on the regulatory side. They are a strong team in multiple disciplines across Canada.

    Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

  • Oslers have a good footprint in Calgary and in Canada as a whole. They are one of the largest and are full service and have specialists that can help.

    Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

  • Osler is always timely in providing responses to inquiries and has such a strong grasp of the complex legal principles involved and how they all influence one another.

    Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

  • Oslers are very practical and don't pad the bill. We don't have a team of lawyers showing up when we can get direct advice from one person. They are very reliable and able to deliver on time.

    Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Richard King
    Richard King

    Richard King

    Operating out of the Toronto office, Richard King co-chairs Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt's regulatory, Indigenous and environmental group is a seasoned lawyer in the Indigenous law space, with extensive experience representing clients regarding energy and infrastructure projects.

    • The diligence and thought Richard put into the drafting is unparalleled. He is very considered in his thoughts, thorough and intelligent.

      Aboriginal Law respondentCanada
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  • Maureen Killoran
    Maureen Killoran

    Maureen Killoran

    Maureen Killoran KC is a highly regarded litigator who currently acts as Osler's national co-chair. Practising out of the firm's Calgary and Vancouver offices, she is especially skilled at representing clients from the energy sector as well as governmental entities on cases relating to Indigenous land title infringements.

    • Maureen is a very experienced litigator.

      Aboriginal Law respondentCanada
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  • Sander Duncanson
    Sander Duncanson

    Sander Duncanson

    Calgary-based Sander Duncanson co-chairs Osler's regulatory Indigenous and environmental group. He provides counsel to ongoing projects and provincial governments, regularly handling Aboriginal law obligations, regulations and contentious matters, with additional experience in negotiating impact benefit agreements.

    • Sander provides good, practical advice and is very detailed. He is able to translate complex issues into consumable products for all levels of the company.

      Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

    • Sander comes up with the most creative solutions for novel issues. He is absolutely unreal.

      Aboriginal Law respondentCanada

    • Sander is approachable and really able to get into our mind. It is one thing to know the law well, but he is able to translate niche laws and speak it to business people.

      Aboriginal Law respondentCanada
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  • Sean Sutherland
    Sean Sutherland

    Sean Sutherland

    Sean Sutherland continues to build a notable reputation for litigation. In particular, he is experienced in representing oil and gas clients in cases brought by Aboriginal groups concerning injunction applications and consultations.

    • Sean is an excellent resource to us.

      Aboriginal Law respondentCanada
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Ranked Individuals at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (4)

Nationwide - Canada

Members

Provided by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

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