Aria Laskin She/Her

Aria Laskin is a partner at JFK Law LLP in Vancouver. Her practice focuses on litigation relating to Aboriginal, administrative, and constitutional law, and on advancing Indigenous jurisdiction.

As a litigator, Aria specializes in public law issues concerning the rights and powers of Indigenous clients, including Aboriginal and Treaty rights, division of powers (including Indigenous, Canadian, provincial, and territorial governments), and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. She has appeared before all levels of court in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nunavut, as well as the Federal Court, the Supreme Court of Canada and various administrative forums and arbitral panels.

Outside litigation, Aria supports clients on complex negotiation and governance matters. She has 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 is also committed to learning and teaching. She previously co-taught a class on Indigenous Nation Building at Osgoode Hall Law School, and regularly speaks and writes on emerging Aboriginal and public law issues. Among other topics, she has provided commentary on the application of the Charter to Indigenous laws, the application of UNDRIP in Canada, integration of Aboriginal and fee simple title rights, and the role of the Canadian legal system – and lawyers – in actively advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Prior to joining JFK, Aria clerked at the BC Court of Appeal in 2014-2015 and worked as a litigation associate at a leading national firm. Aria also holds a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a Masters of Arts (History) from Cambridge University, where she focused her work on British colonial history and local resistance.