WELCOME TO SAGE

Working to empower clients now and into the future

We’re closely connected to other specialist lawyers to create networks of services and support for our clients and their communities. The clients and network of professionals we work with are exceptional, because we trust them and truly value their insights and opinions.

WELCOME TO SAGE

Working to empower clients now and into the future

We’re closely connected to other specialist lawyers to create networks of services and support for our clients and their communities. The lawyers and clients we work with are exceptional, because we trust them and truly value their insights and opinions.

Negotiation

At Sage Legal, we believe that effective negotiation requires a mastery of contrasts: competition and cooperation; knowledge and creativity; art and science. This versatility positions us to achieve optimal results for our clients.

  • Government-to-government agreements, including revenue/benefits sharing agreements, agreements requiring consensus-based processes, and various consultation-related agreements

  • Relationship Agreements, Project Agreements and similar agreements between Indigenous clients and project proponents in various resource sectors, including pipeline, mining, forestry, wind, aggregate, construction, and oil and gas.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

We provide corporate/commercial law services to facilitate the growth and sustainability of modern and traditional Indigenous economies. This requires an understanding of the unique cultures and goals of clients, expertise using a wide variety of business and legal tools, and the good judgement to know which ones are best suited to each situation.

  • Corporate structuring, including limited partnerships, corporations, trusts, joint ventures, MOUs, and other business arrangements

  • Contract drafting and review related to procurement opportunities

  • Commercial transactions, including commercial acquisitions, share purchase agreements, and other investment opportunities

CONSULTATION & REGULATORY PROCESSES

With extensive experience in the area, we support Indigenous leaders in a number of ways. In some cases, we simply highlight unclear or obscure legal and policy issues within a given process. In others, we develop and help carry out multifaceted strategies aligning consultation with other activities such as negotiation, litigation, media, and mobilization.

  • A wide range of resource sectors, including, oil and gas, pipelines, hydro-electric projects, mines, forestry and independent power projects (run-of-river, wind)

  • Various regulatory processes, including National Energy Board hearings, BC and Canadian Environmental Assessments, BC Utilities Commission hearings, Alberta Energy Regulator hearings

GOVERNANCE & OPERATIONS

We provide legal support for employment, membership, financial management, on-reserve issues, law and policy development and implementation, and a wide range of other governance affairs encountered by our Indigenous clients. Our approach is efficient, respectful, and practical. We don’t draft 100-page policies when 10 pages will do. We find solutions that work in situations that tend to be complex and highly personal.

  • Employment matters (wrongful dismissal, harassment, human rights, HR policies)

  • Membership (membership rights/codes, approval & ratification procedures)

  • Financial Management (INAC social assistance programs, audit & reporting, debtor/creditor matters)

  • On-reserve issues (criminal activity & enforcement, jurisdictional issues, land management, residency issues)

  • Other governance affairs (Indian Act bylaws, taxation, on-reserve economic development)

LITIGATION

Our approach to litigation is to work closely with a network of accomplished litigators and trusted professionals to assemble case-specific litigation teams. These teams benefit from the courtroom expertise of seasoned litigation counsel, and Sage Legal’s experience working in the field of Aboriginal law and with each Indigenous client’s unique community, culture, and interests.

We have represented Indigenous clients in actions covering a wide range of issues.

  • Duty to consult and accommodate

  • Aboriginal and Treaty rights

  • Administrative law (judicial reviews on procedural fairness, statutory interpretation, etc)

  • Breach of contract

INDIGENOUS & SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Whether its as solo entrepreneurs, non-profits or charities, we offer legal services to clients starting and managing social enterprises.

  • Incorporation, registrations and other start-up documentation

  • Contract drafting and review