The author of this paper looks at legal issues faced by lawyers and support staff who work with indigenous clients. She defines key terms such as treaties, Metis, and “duty to consult” and examines some of the primary legal authorities in Alberta including the Indian Act, Metis Settlements Act, and R. v. Prowley. She concludes the paper by making some practical suggestions for how to deal effectively with the government departments and agencies in this area.

This paper was drawn from materials presented at the Civil Litigation for LSS seminar held in May 2012.