
Christina Gray
Associate
She/Her/Hers- cgray@jfklaw.ca
- P 604-687-0549 ext 301
- Legal Administrative Assistant Nicole MacDonald 250-405-3467 nmacdonald@jfklaw.ca
- 260 - 200 Granville Street Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4
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
On November 1, 2023 the Quebec Superior Court released its R v Montour decision (2023 QCSC 4145) in which
Introduction In recent years, there have been an increasing number of class action lawsuits alleging systemic discrimination against Indigenous