Kirsten Barnes is a Gitxsan lawyer who was born and raised in the community of Gitanmaax. Her practice focuses primarily on First Nations governance, child and family well-being and jurisdiction, justice, policy, and law reform, and strategic advice to First Nations governments. Central to Kirsten's practice is a respect for Indigenous Legal Orders and the inherent jurisdiction of First Nations. Her approach begins with the laws, legal traditions and governance systems of the Nation she is working with, rather than treating them as something that must first be reconciled with or fitted within provincial or federal law. Where Canadian law intersects with a Nation's laws and jurisdiction, Kirsten works with clients to navigate that relationship while keeping the Nation's own laws, priorities, and decision-making authority at the centre of the work.
Before OKT, Kirsten served as Director of Legal and Wraparound Services with the BC First Nations Justice Council, where she oversaw legal services delivered through the Indigenous Justice Centre network. She also previously served as Senior Policy Counsel, working on systemic reform and the advancement of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy.
Kirsten's practice is also informed by her experience in elected leadership. From 2024-2026, she served as Chief Councillor of the Gitanmaax Band. Having both advised First Nations governments and served in elected office, she understands the legal, political and community considerations leaders navigate when making decisions and advancing their Nations' priorities.
Before becoming a lawyer, Kirsten was a teacher and school administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education SY from the University of Northern British Columbia and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia's Peter A. Allard School of Law, where she pursued a dual specialization in Aboriginal Law and Social Justice.
