“Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinct political, legal, economic, social and cultural institutions, while retaining their right to participate fully, if they so choose, in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the State.” - United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
James is an associate based in Rana Law’s Vancouver office. He practices aboriginal and administrative law, focusing on Specific Claims and providing strategic advice on the Duty to Consult and aboriginal and treaty rights.
Prior to joining Rana Law, James articled with Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General and Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. He worked on the development of the Ring of Fire mining project and a wide variety of legal issues involving First Nations in Ontario’s north. In his final year of law school James interned with the Specific Claims Tribunal in Ottawa.
Before law, James’s academic and professional work centered on studying Indigenous history. He completed a master’s degree in history, analyzing the parallels between Canadian policies applied to Indigenous peoples and Apartheid in South Africa.
