Aboriginal Law | Canada

Blake, Cassels & Graydon fields a strong Indigenous law group with a national presence and offering clients a full service. The team possesses expertise which encompasses consultation and accommodation, impact and benefit agreements, regulatory proceedings and a range of commercial transactions. It also handles treaty negotiations and litigation matters, including challenges to government actions and permitting, judicial review proceedings and settlements. The lawyers act for a number of large international energy and oil companies, as well as industry associations and Aboriginal groups. The firm has a particularly strong presence in Western Canada, but frequently advises on matters in Ontario and Québec.

Fasken is a premier law firm with a long history in the Aboriginal law field. It enjoys a notable profile in Vancouver, from where the team is well placed to advise on matters arising in British Columbia and throughout Northern Canada. The Indigenous law group advises on a wide array of litigation and consultation matters, as well as acting for business clients on commercial agreements and joint ventures with Indigenous groups. The team is lauded for its extensive experience negotiating and drafting impact and benefit agreements on behalf of major industry players, regularly representing significant clients from the mining and energy sectors. The firm also acts for clients in other industries including real estate and transportation, as well as representing municipalities and Crown corporations.

Lawson Lundell is a Vancouver-based regional law firm with a significant Aboriginal law practice across Western and Northern Canada. With a strong resources-focused practice, the team offers substantial experience of LNG, oil sands, mining and pipelines work. It represents industry clients in their negotiations with Aboriginal stakeholders, as well as advising on regulatory and court proceedings. The firm is regularly engaged by forestry industry participants to provide advice on dispute resolution with Indigenous communities, as well as representing major national clients in other sectors such as transportation and shipping. Its clients benefit from the firm's additional offices in Calgary and Yellowknife.

Bennett Jones advises energy industry clients on their Aboriginal law interests, primarily in relation to large project development. The firm's experience encompasses provincial and federal pipeline projects, LNG and mining work, and transportation infrastructure. Its Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto lawyers also offer considerable strength in litigation relating to Aboriginal rights. In addition, the team often represents government clients, as well as advising on commercial joint ventures with First Nations groups. The firm also possesses complementary expertise in environmental law.

Borden Ladner Gervais operates a strong national practice with a significant focus on Aboriginal law and litigation. The indigenous law team offers notable experience of title and rights and oil and gas exploration issues, as well as economic and community development, tax and employment law. The firm represents both First Nations and industry proponents in connection with major energy projects. It also advises provincial and federal governments and their agencies on a number of issues, including land claims. It is particularly active in BC and also well placed to advise on matters throughout the North as well as in Ontario and Québec.

Cassels Brock & Blackwell is a well-established Canadian law firm with offices in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. Its Aboriginal law group has a notable reputation for the representation of mining and energy industry clients, with its expertise extending to advising on impact and benefit agreements and business transactions. The practice is sought out by provincial governments and Indigenous bodies for its assistance with negotiations on various Aboriginal-related matters, including provincial regulations and treaties.

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.

Dentons Canada provides advice to companies from the energy, forestry, transportation, mining and real estate sectors on a wide range of issues relating to Aboriginal project development. Its Aboriginal law group leverages the firm's national and international presence to provide an integrated Aboriginal, environmental and regulatory law perspective, with areas of expertise including land claims, treaty rights, benefits and access agreements, and related litigation. The group is well known for its experience in relation to large-scale pipeline and LNG matters, and well placed to advise on related disputes. The department has a particularly strong presence in Montréal, with additional capacity in Calgary and Vancouver.

McCarthy Tétrault offers notable expertise in Aboriginal law across Canada, advising on infrastructure development on reserve lands, as well as issues relating to consultation and accommodation. The firm acts for large business clients, as well as all levels of government, with a focus on the mining and energy sectors. It has significant expertise in litigation, including before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Norton Rose Fulbright is a prominent international firm with strength across Canada and a notable presence in Alberta and British Columbia. It provides advice on a broad range of Aboriginal law matters, including duty to consult and regulatory advice, land claim negotiations, impact and benefit negotiations, and significant litigation. The team offers additional experience in matters relating to joint ventures and partnerships with Aboriginal communities to promote economic development, as well as advising on project finance mandates involving First Nations. Its lawyers are regularly engaged by government agencies in addition to private sector clients in the energy, mining, financial, forestry and real estate industries.

Torys fields a highly regarded Aboriginal law practice from its office in Toronto. The firm's lawyers are well versed in corporate transactions involving Indigenous-owned entities. Furthermore, the team excels in advising its clients on consultations with Aboriginal groups. Its clients include both government entities and private clients in the energy, mining and oil and gas sectors.