Cherie Brant

Practice Areas

Indigenous Law

Corporate Commercial

Energy – Power

Commercial Real Estate

Public Policy & Government Relations

Storage

Indigenous Power

Renewable Energy

Career

Cherie has an Indigenous law and commercial practice across a wide variety of sectors, including major energy infrastructure, transmission and mining projects. She also works directly with First Nations organizations to advise on economic development activities including project development and financing for major projects. She is also a trusted advisor to developers, borrowers, lenders and governments as they navigate complex permitting and approvals where projects may impact aboriginal rights and interests. Always pushing boundaries, Cherie will often provide strategic advice to governments and other authorities seeking to address barriers to participation faced by First Nations communities in the broader economy.

Industry clients in the natural resource, energy and infrastructure sectors will seek Cherie's counsel when developing projects or partnerships with Indigenous groups and addressing constitutionally protected interests of the Indigenous nations with which Canada shares its land and jurisdiction.

As lead counsel to the First Nations Energy Alliance (a consortium of twenty First Nations) on the Integrated Power System Plan review before the Ontario Energy Board, her counsel was instrumental in raising Crown consultation requirements on the provincial energy plan and promoting Aboriginal participation models for renewable energy procurement.

In 2016, Cherie was retained as lead counsel by the regional government for all First Nations in Ontario to lead on multiple transactions arising out of the privatization of Hydro One Limited. One of the largest limited partnerships among First Nations in Canada was created in 2018 and the entity, through its subsidiary is still considered one of the top shareholders to the company.

She is both Mohawk from Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and Ojibway from Wikwemkoong Unceded Indian Reserve.

In 2017, Cherie received the Lexpert Zenith Award, a national award recognizing women's contributions in the law. In 2012, she was named one of Lexpert's "Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40."

Cherie is a member of the firm's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiative.