OKT welcomes Sara Mainville

OKT LLP is thrilled to announce that Sara Mainville will be joining the firm as a senior associate.

Sara is a member of Couchiching First Nation in the Anishinaabe territory of Treaty #3. She brings to the firm a broad range of remarkable experience working on indigenous issues over the past two decades. Sara has an LLB from Queens University and received her LLM from the University of Toronto. After her graduate studies, Sara has become recognized for her understanding of Anishinaabe law and the role of inherent jurisdiction in reconciling Indigenous societies place in Canadian law. She has served as both a councillor and most recently as Chief of her community. Sara has also been extremely active in territorial government and in larger indigenous organizations as a policy advisor and negotiator. Sara has also taught jurisprudence at Algoma University and for Seven Generations Education Institute.

Sara’s past legal practice has included work on Aboriginal title claims, consultation and accommodation work, and economic development. Sara is also a skilled mediator and has a particular interest in resource and energy law. She has articled at a national environmental law firm and continues to have a keen interest in green energy, climate change and Anishinaabe Aki Inakonigaawin (Indigenous laws related to lands and water).

Sara brings an important indigenous perspective to the work she undertakes on behalf of her clients. She also is in the unique position of having a deeper understanding of the issues First Nation clients face having herself served as Chief of her community, a perspective that we are certain will benefit OKT LLP’s clients.

Contact information for Sara Mainville will be posted on OKT LLP’s website when she begins at the firm on April 14, 2016.

By Renée Pelletier