Colleen has nearly 30 years of experience with a focus on Indigenous governance and litigation, commercial litigation, fraud workplace investigations and fraud litigation, as well as employment and human rights
Colleen’s experience within Indigenous governance includes drafting membership codes, election codes, trespass by-laws, banishment by-laws, general by-laws, personnel policies, drug and alcohol policies, privacy policies and chief and councils code of conduct. Colleen provides opinions on matters involving the Indian Act, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) Act, in respect to Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
With respect to her Indigenous litigation experience, she advises and represents First Nations on consultation matters (both in respect to dealing with governments and industry), election disputes, human rights complaints, construction litigation, defamation actions, Canada Labour Code Adjudications, Canadian Human Rights Complaints, workplace investigations, fraud risk assessments and investigations, Treaty annuities claims and TLE negotiations.
Her experience also includes assisting clients with commercial litigation matters, judicial reviews, demand letters, construction litigation matters, non-competition agreements, injunction applications, forensic litigation, wrongful dismissal litigation and human rights complaints.
Colleen is called to the bar in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. However, as some of her clients are deemed federal employers, she practices all across Canada. She has appeared numerous times on behalf of clients before the following Courts and tribunals: the Alberta Court of King’s Bench and Alberta Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, Canada Labour Code Adjudications, Federal and Provincial Privacy Tribunals, the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
Colleen was appointed King’s Counsel in the Province of Alberta in 2020.
Colleen is counsel to numerous First Nations and their entities in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. She provides these clients with advice on Indigenous governance, consultation matters, election disputes, employment, human rights and defamation matters and forensic litigation.
Her recent experience includes:
- Representing numerous First Nations in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Yukon with fraud workplace investigations and fraud litigation in relation to housing contracts, CCDC commercial contracts and employer’s trusts
- Representing several First Nations and Tribal Councils with human rights complaints
- Representing and advising several First Nations and Tribal Councils on consultation matters that affect their Treaty Rights
- Representing several Treaty 8 First Nations with their annuities claims
- Representing a First Nations in the Northwest Territories on their TLE negotiations
- Drafting both election codes and membership codes for several Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 First Nations
- Drafting personnel policies, drug and alcohol policies and workplace harassment policies for numerous Tribal councils and First Nations
- Drafting several Education Services Agreements between Tribal Councils and First Nations
- Providing opinions to First Nations and Tribal Councils involving the Indian Act, the UNDRIP Act, in respect to Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982
- Chair, North Labour Law Section, Canadian Bar Association (four years)
- Past Board of Directors, YMCA Edmonton
- Childcare Committee Member, Royal Glenora Club
- Past Board of Directors, Workshop West
- Board of Directors, Chestermere Home Owners Association
- Presenter, “How First Nations Can Avoid Housing Fraud!!” National AFOA Conference and AFOA B.C. Chapter
- “How to Avoid an Unjust Dismissal Complaint Under the Canada Labour Code”
- “Why it is Important to Have a Current Personnel Policy, Employment Contracts and a Human Rights Policy”
- “The Ins and Outs of Employment Contracts and Independent Contractor Agreements”
- “How to Avoid Litigation?”
- “Why is it Important to Have an Updated Election Code and What Should be in it?”
- Named a Leading Practitioner, Aboriginal Law, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Appointed King’s Counsel (Alberta, 2020)