Cultivating Indigenous and Trauma-Informed Legal Practices Workshop 2026

Learning how to adopt a strength-based approach

Monday, November 23, 2026 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Tuesday, November 24, 2026 (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
CLEBC Office, 500 – 1155 W. Pender St., Vancouver

Limited enrollment. Register early to avoid disappointment! 

Please note: This course will not be added to Courses on Demand.  Courses involving professional speakers and skills-based workshops generally do not get added to Courses on Demand.

Who should attend: Lawyers, legal support staff, notaries, and anyone involved in the legal profession in all areas including family, child protection, criminal, Aboriginal, litigation, and others

Learning level: All levels

This course is designed to help members of the legal profession deepen their commitment to reconciliation by enhancing their intercultural competency skills and client relations through the development of Indigenous-informed legal practices. Participants will build on their practical communication and interviewing skills by examining the impacts of historical and intergenerational trauma and learning how to adopt a strength-based approach in working with Indigenous communities and individuals.

The course content will explore intercultural competency and concepts such as cultural recognition, empowerment, collaboration, trust-building, therapeutic justice, and cultural humility.

A note about pedagogy: This one-and-a-half-day course will be rooted in Indigenous values that emphasize the importance of connection, storytelling, and collective wisdom in developing an Indigenous-informed practice. Open dialogue 'In the Round' will be encouraged, offering participants the chance to share their stories, knowledge, and expertise. This process serves as a powerful tool for learning and building connections, enabling participants to engage in discussions that promote mutual respect, collaboration, and reflection while gaining new insights from diverse perspectives on a common issue. This approach illustrates an Indigenous strength-based method of learning grounded in the belief that knowledge is shared rather than held by a single individual, nurturing trust and relationship-building by honouring each other's voices and perspectives. 

Participants will not be asked to engage in any role-playing exercises; instead, they will focus on case studies that require collaborative problem-solving and participate in meaningful peer discussions about best practices as well as the challenges they encounter. By adopting this approach, legal practitioners can integrate Indigenous-informed practices into their work, enriching their understanding of how to engage meaningfully with clients and communities. This will ultimately lead to more effective and respectful legal outcomes.

This course is specifically designed to provide members of the legal profession with Indigenous-informed cultural competency training in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action No. 27 and 42.

This course counts for 9 CPD ADR hours.

Mediate BC Roster mediators will receive 20% off the full regular course registration fee. Please contact Customer Service to register.

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 9 hours (this course will contain a minimum of 9 hours pertaining to professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Course Instructor
Halie Kwanxwa'logwa Bruce — Barrister & Solicitor, Mediator, Cedar & Sage Law, Chilliwack

CLEBC Program Lawyer*
Teresa Sheward
tsheward@cle.bc.ca
*non-practising