Alan Pratt Law Firm is a national leader in aboriginal law. We attach the same importance and attention to all areas of our practice regardless of the size of the matter.
The areas of Aboriginal law we practice are:
Specific Claims arise from breaches of the Crown’s duties regarding First Nations lands and other rights.
Settling Specific Claims not only resolve historical wrongs but provide financial resources to assist First Nations communities to build a better future.
We have been directly involved in the successful settlement of 10 Specific Claims with an aggregate value to the First Nations of in excess of $150 million.
Aside from Specific Claims, we engage in many other kinds of negotiations to deal with questions of rights.
These may include negotiations in respect of flooding of reserve land, rights of way for roads and transmission lines, hunting or fishing or many other kinds of important issues.
While we are not primarily a litigation Firm, it is frequently necessary to use the courts to advance our clients rights.
Indeed it is difficult to establish an effective negotiations practice without a credible presence in the courtroom.
Our litigation expertise has largely focused upon specific issues of aboriginal or treaty rights law that may arise in appellate courts.
We have appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada, either on behalf of a party or as an intervener, in several cases.
A particular focus of our practice has been advocacy to advance the treaties between our First Nations clients and the Crown.
We have been involved in the making of treaty policy since 1984 including work with the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Assembly of First Nations and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner (Saskatchewan).
We recognize the importance of hunting, fishing and trapping to the economy and social fabric of our First Nations clients. We have acted both in negotiations and in court proceedings to advance those rights.
We provide general legal advice to the First Nations governments relating to all aspects of their operations.
We provide advice and representation on many governance related matters for First Nations, including membership codes, by-laws and governance negotiations.
We have assisted First Nations to develop membership codes that reflect their internal customs and principles of self-identity.
We also provide advice on the interpretation of membership codes and other legislation that relate to membership.
With successful land claims settlements come the opportunities to invest capital and design economic ventures to provide economic security and employment.
We are increasingly turning our focus to providing advice on the creation of trusts, joint ventures and other vehicles for economic advancement of our clients, often at the successful conclusion of a settlement.
We devote a significant portion of our time and energy to ongoing initiatives to reform laws and policies that impede the course of justice for our First Nations clients.
We frequently appear at conferences to propose reforms, as well as appearances before Parliamentary Committees.
We have published a number of articles in both the mainstream press and legal publications on issues of current public policy and law relating to aboriginal peoples.