Aria Laskin is a partner at JFK Law LLP. She practices Aboriginal, administrative, and constitutional law.
As a litigator, Aria focuses primarily on public law matters relating to the rights and powers of Indigenous clients, including issues relating to Aboriginal and Treaty rights, the division of powers (including Indigenous, Canadian, provincial, and territorial governments), the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and regulatory law. Aria’s expertise also extends to other areas of public law, including administrative and constitutional law more generally.
Aria has broad courtroom experience, having appeared before all levels of court in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nunavut, the Federal Court, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Aria has also represented clients in a range of administrative forums and before both domestic and international arbitral panels.
Outside of litigation, Aria works with clients on complex negotiation and governance matters. She has particular expertise on the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and Indigenous self-determination and law-making in the sectors of gaming, education, and child welfare.
Aria frequently presents, podcasts, and writes on emerging Aboriginal and public law issues. Among other topics, she has provided recent commentary on the application of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to Indigenous language-related issues, the application of UNDRIP in Canadian law, and the role of the Canadian legal system in actively advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
Updated April 2024
