Catherine Fagan is a member of the Barreau du Québec, the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Law Society of Manitoba. She works exclusively with Indigenous clients in the areas of Aboriginal law, Indigenous law revitalization, constitutional law, and environmental law. She lives in St. John’s, the ancestral homelands of the Mi’kmaq and Beothuk. She is of mixed Irish and Inuit ancestry.

Catherine has particular expertise in negotiating self-governance agreements and various environmental agreements, including in relation to the creation of parks and protected areas.

Catherine works extensively with her clients to develop laws, particularly in the areas of governance, environmental protection, land use planning, and housing. She is especially interested in working with communities to revitalize their traditional Indigenous laws and to incorporate them into modern legal structures.

Catherine has worked on cases at all court levels, including several at the Supreme Court of Canada. She is experienced in the areas of treaty compliance, Aboriginal rights and title claims, consultation and obtaining consent for resource development projects, endangered species, and forestry.

In 2021, Catherine was appointed a part-time member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for a five-year term.

As well, Catherine is the President of First Light, St. John’s Native Friendship Centre, the Co-Chair of the First Voice Working Group on Police Oversight, and has volunteered for many years with Lawyers Without Borders Canada, working particularly with Indigenous nations in Central and South America. She previously worked with the United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on Biodiversity, as well as the Maori Waikato-Tainui Tribal Council in New Zealand.

Catherine works in both English and French.

Recognitions:

• In 2019, Lexpert recognized Catherine as one of Canada’s ‘Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40’

• In the 2019-2024 editions of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Catherine has been recognized as among Canada’s top practitioners in Aboriginal law

• In the 2022-2024 publications of Best Lawyers in Canada, Catherine has been recognized in the area of Aboriginal law

• In February 2021, Catherine was presented with an award from Indigenous Services Canada for ‘Recognition of Outstanding Contributions – Centre of Excellence on Matrimonial Real Property’

Professional Memberships:

• Barreau du Québec

• Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

• Law Society of Manitoba

• Indigenous Bar Association

Contact:

• ✉️ catherine [at] nogala [dot] ca

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