Robin has been an integral part of the JFK team for almost 5 years. Before she joined the firm in 2019, Robin practiced at a boutique firm advising a wide range of clients and, before that, Robin clerked at the BC Supreme Court.
As a lawyer, Robin is client focused. She seeks to understand each client’s needs and priorities within the full context. She often works with self-governing Treaty Nations, Nations governing under Land Code, First Nations under the Indian Act, Indigenous-led societies, and Indigenous-owned corporate entities. With a prior experience advising local governments Robin brings unique insights to JFK clients engaged in lawmaking and economic development. She has successfully led various subject-specific negotiations, advised on land use and resource management issues, assisted clients to draft laws rooted in their own legal orders, and advocated for Indigenous sovereignty in various creative ways. Though she is often supporting clients on negotiations or governance matters, she also draws on her experience in litigation and regulatory proceedings to offer comprehensive and strategic advice to respond to each client’s specific needs.
During her time at JFK Law, Robin has become a leader in our Nation-Building practice group and helped develop a strong team of lawyers advising Indigenous governments and organizations. She actively coaches her colleagues, helping them to grow and develop their skills and is always willing to step in and lend a hand. She has a keen sense of social justice and demonstrates deep commitment to reconciliation in her work and beyond.
Outside of her work at JFK Law, Robin is actively involved in various community organizations, including the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) Aboriginal Law Section and Mediate BC. She serves as the Chair of Mediate BC, where she is leading the development of an Indigenous Dispute Resolution Hub, and she works with the CBA to organize meetings and presentations for local members. Robin can also often be found showing up with coffee and donuts for the team working to deadlines and always seems to know when someone has a birthday.
As Robin steps into her new role as a partner at JFK Law, we are confident that her leadership, experience, and commitment to our clients and the firm’s vision will continue to drive positive change inside and out of the firm. We look forward to the contributions she will make in guiding our team, shaping our strategies, and supporting our clients.
Please join us in congratulating Robin Phillips on this well-deserved achievement and wishing her continued success in her new role as a partner at JFK Law LLP!