Christina Gray

Associate

She/Her/Hers
  • cgray@jfklaw.ca
  • P 604-687-0549 ext 301
  • 340 - 1122 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5L1

Christina is a Ts’msyen citizen from Lax Kw’alaams in northern British Columbia and Dene from Treaty 8 in the Northwest Territories. She works remotely in Prince Rupert and is part of JFK’s Victoria and Vancouver offices. She is passionate about advancing and advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, social justice issues, intersectional equality and equity issues, and Indigenous governance and laws.

Christina’s practice focuses on advocating for the advancement of Indigenous Peoples’ inherent and constitutional rights. Christina has represented Indigenous clients in civil litigation matters before the Federal Court and the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. She has also represented clients in Ontario at the Human Rights Tribunal, the Landlord and Tenant Board, and Social Benefits Tribunal. Additionally, as an articling student at a legal clinic in Ontario, she worked on trial preparation for test case litigation at most levels of court in Ontario.

Christina’s practice also includes complex negotiations with governments. Negotiations include ongoing federal Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination negotiations.

Christina is involved in a number of community-based and research initiatives. She is currently completing her graduate research, which focuses on issues of gendered narratives in the Ts’msyen legal order. She is also a current Yellowhead Institute Research Fellow; a member of the Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) Law Program Committee; and a board of director with Coast Funds.

In her personal time, Christina enjoys being with her family, learning the Sm’alygax language, participating in Ts’msyen cultural activities, and being on the land and waters.

Practice Areas:

  • Advocacy
  • Inherent rights and Indigenous Laws
  • Litigation
  • Negotiation
  • Indigenous governance

Education and Professional Affiliations

University of Victoria, Masters of Law Candidate, on-going

University of British Columbia, Juris Doctor, 2013

University of British Columbia, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art History), 2008

Member, Law Society of Yukon, 2022

Member, Law Society of British Columbia, 2016

Member, Law Society of Ontario, 2015

Member, Indigenous Bar Association of Canada

Member, Advocates Society

Member, Canadian Bar Association

Research Fellow, Yellowhead Institute

Board of Director, Coast Funds

Member, Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) Law Program Committee

Selected Publications and Presentations

Christina Gray and Jessica Asch, The Transitional Space to Learn Indigenous Law (Canadian Bar Association National Magazine, 8 April 2021)

In conversation with former Yukon Premier Tony Penikett, “Deconstructing Artificial Borders” (Delivered virtually at the NW Collaborative Futures Conference: Deconstructing Artificial Borders,” 21 October 2021)

Rights-Based Social Policy – Does Our Post-Pandemic Future Need It?” (Delivered virtually at Democracy XChange, 15 October 2020)

Christina Gray, “Indigenous Law and ADR” (Victoria, BC, delivered at the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada, 22, November, 2019)

Christina Gray and Daniel Rück, “Reclaiming Indigenous Place Names” (Yellowhead Institute, 8 October 2019)

Christina Gray, “Being in Good Relations” (Upstage Magazine, 24 January, 2019)

Christina Gray, “Protecting Traditional Knowledge in Canada and Globally” (New York, US, delivered at the United Nations’ Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues side-event at United Nations Headquarters, April 2018)

Christina Gray, “A place for Indigenous peoples on Canada’s top bench” (Policy Options, 21 February 2018)

Christina Gray, “Indigenous Laws & Human Rights” (Richmond, BC, delivered at the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia’s Indigenous Laws Conference, 25 October 2018)

Christina Gray, “Christina Gray: Why I wore regalia to my call to the bar” (Rabble.ca, 25 June 2015)

Highlights

  • Researching and preparing materials to assist with test case litigation at the Ontario Court of Justice, Superior Court, Court of Appeal, Federal Court, and Supreme Court of Canada.

  • Representing clients throughout Ontario in many types of human rights matters

Publications

Sara Mainville of JFK Law LLP is proud to have assisted as a legal advisor to the Little Bird series on Crave and APTN

May 26, 2023 the Crave and APTN (Lumi) series begins with the first episode of the six-part series, Little

Membership (and Status) Myths & Facts:

In this resource guide, we address some of the key myths around status and