Aboriginal Law Conference 2025

Product Type: Course

Session 1

Format

Courses - In-Person

Start Date & Time

2025-11-28 9:00 AM

End Date & Time

2025-11-28 4:30 PM

Location

Vancouver location TBA

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Session 2

Format

Courses - Webinar

Start Date & Time

2025-11-28 9:00 AM

End Date & Time

2025-11-28 4:30 PM

Online Provider

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Session 3

Format

Courses - Rebroadcast

Start Date & Time

2026-03-06

End Date & Time

2026-03-06

Online Provider

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DescriptionMore DetailAgenda

Your essential yearly update

Friday, November 28, 2025
9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Vancouver location TBA
or attend via webinar

—Rebroadcasts—
On the rebroadcast date, you will have until midnight of that rebroadcast date to access the course. Please note that technical support will be available during regular CLEBC business hours.

Jump Start on CPD 2026
Friday, March 6, 2026

Can't make the webinar or rebroadcasts?
Want online CPD available 24/7?
Subscribe to Courses On Demand, our comprehensive online resource with 4,000+ videos and 6,300+ papers from CLEBC courses. This course will be added to Courses on Demand approximately 30 days from the original course date.

Who should attend: Lawyers practicing in the area of Aboriginal law, in private practice, industry, and government; others who focus on Aboriginal law issues will also benefit, including Indigenous organizations, in–house counsel, and law students

Learning level: All levels

This annual conference brings together leading Aboriginal law practitioners to address current and emerging issues with a focus on BC. We will explore the legal and pragmatic implications of current developments affecting Indigenous Peoples, governments, and industry. We aim to provide those working in the area with a substantive look at the trends and practical approaches to meet the increasingly complex challenges in this practice area.

We look forward to having you with us.

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 6 hours (this course will contain a minimum of 1 hour pertaining to professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Course Chairs
Jeffrey R. Nicholls — Ratcliff LLP, North Vancouver
Melinda J. Skeels — Ratcliff LLP, North Vancouver

Pricing	EARLY BIRD Register by Oct. 31/25	Regular Price After Oct. 31/25
In-person*	$659	$739
In-person Articled Student*	$419	$419
Webinar	$559	$639
Webinar Articled Student	$319	$319

Jump Start 2026	EARLY BIRD Register by Feb. 2/26	Regular Price After Feb. 2/26
Rebroadcast	$509	$579
Rebroadcast Articled Student	$289	$289

*Please note: The in-person session is dependent on a minimum number of registrants and may not be confirmed until 4 weeks before the course date.

Are you a member of the Indigenous legal community (lawyer/Articled Student/legal support staff/paralegal) or a non-lawyer Indigenous community member?
We value your contributions and encourage your participation in all of our programs. To increase accessibility, we offer a 50% discount* to all Indigenous lawyers/Articled Students/legal support staff/paralegals and a limited number of free online registrations to non-lawyer Indigenous community members. (*discount applies to Regular prices, not Early Bird prices). Please contact Customer Service to find out more.

Unable to attend a course without financial assistance from CLEBC?
Click here for bursary information.

Want to register for a course now, but prefer a monthly payment plan?
Check out our Easy Pay Plan.

Registration includes an electronic copy of the reference materials and lunch for in-person registration.

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

Course Chairs
Jeffrey R. Nicholls — Ratcliff LLP, North Vancouver
Melinda J. Skeels — Ratcliff LLP, North Vancouver

About the Course Chairs
Jeffrey Nicholls is a member of the Lax Kw'alaams First Nation and works as a lawyer with Ratcliff LLP supporting Indigenous Peoples in litigation, negotiation, and law and policy development. He has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada and other courts on matters related to First Nations government.

Jeff enjoys teaching and has given lectures on various topics related to Indigenous lawmaking at both UBC's Allard Law School and UVic's Joint Degree Program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders. He promotes access to justice and environmental justice by volunteering with RAVEN Trust—a charity that raises funds to support First Nations asserting their legal rights in court.

Melinda Skeels is an accomplished and dedicated legal advisor to First Nations governments. She assists her clients with governance, litigation, and regulatory matters. A key area of this practice is providing governance advice and assisting in the implementation of self-governance through all stages of the development of law and policy. She is committed to engaging closely with client communities to develop laws that reflect their cultures, practices, and values.

An experienced litigator and advocate, Melinda has appeared in all three levels of court in BC and before various administrative tribunals, including the BC Utilities Commission, the National Energy Board, and the Huu-ay-aht First Nations Tribunal.

Melinda completed her articles at Ratcliff LLP in 2008 and has been in practice with the firm since. In her spare time, she is an avid sea kayaker, camper and traveller, usually snapping at least a few photos along the way.

Welcome
Elder Syex̱wáliya Ann Whonnock — Skwxwú7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation), North Vancouver

Faculty
Michelle L. Bradley — Woodward & Company Lawyers LLP, Victoria
Mary N. Childs, KC — General Counsel, Tsawwassen First Nation, Tsawwassen
Ewa Holender — Ratcliff LLP, North Vancouver
Ava G. Murphy — Woodward & Company Lawyers LLP, Victoria
Dr. Millie Nickason, PhD, MPA — Barrister & Solicitor, Nanaimo
Lou Poskitt — Cooperwilliams Truman & Ito LLP, Vancouver
Josh Regnier — Law Clerk, Court of Appeal of BC, Victoria
Amitpal C. Singh — Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Megan Vis-Dunbar — Director, Reconciling Crown Legal Frameworks Program, BC Law Institute, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios

Full Agenda to follow!

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Aboriginal Law Conference 2025

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