Vancouver, unceded Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) homelands – Lawyer Michael J. McDonald, KC has been recognized with the Aboriginal Lawyers Forum Special Contribution Award, along with three remarkable law students presented with the ALF Student Appreciation Awards.
The Canadian Bar Association BC Branch, Aboriginal Lawyers Forum is a social networking, professional development and mentoring forum for Aboriginal law students, law graduates and lawyers. The ALF Special Contribution Award recognizes a firm’s or individual's contribution to Indigenous people in the legal profession.
Michael J. McDonald, KC is of Cree descent and a member of the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba.
Throughout his exceptional legal career of more than three decades, McDonald supported Indigenous economic development and negotiated some of Canada's largest and most successful precedent-setting impact and benefits agreements.
A founding member and co-chair of the Law Society of BC's Truth and Reconciliation Committee, McDonald led the work of creating and implementing its Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan as well as mandatory Indigenous cultural competency training for all lawyers in B.C.
“Mike McDonald is a trusted legal advisor to Indigenous businesses and governments. He is a dedicated mentor and educator to Indigenous lawyers. This award celebrates his remarkable achievements and emphasizes the importance of inspiring the next generation of lawyers to carry forward his mission of advancing Indigenous rights,” said Christina J. Cook, Chair of the CBABC Aboriginal Lawyers Forum.
The ALF Student Appreciation Awards are presented to Indigenous law students who have shown consistent dedication to Indigenous people in the field of law. This year, the awards recognized the achievements of Jessica Frappier (University of Victoria Faculty of Law), Rachelle Grabarczyk (Peter A. Allard School of Law) and Garfield Staats (Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law).
The awards were presented on Friday, November 29, 2024 at the 14th Annual ALF Holiday Banquet held at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver.
About CBABC:
The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing more than 40,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada with over 8,000 members in British Columbia. CBABC members practice at the forefront of the justice system, providing services to British Columbians in every area of law. CBABC is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish and Musqueam First Nations.
Media Contact:
Jo Brayshaw, Marketing & Communications Manager
604.687.3404 x359 | media@cbabc.org