Lawyer sets up new shop

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She has acquired plenty of experience in the field of law and has now opened her own law office in the brand new Cattail Centre on the Muskeg Lake First Nation's urban reserve in Saskatoon.

"I think it is an exciting opportunity as a First Nations lawyer to be able to house my practice on a reserve in an urban centre," said Leanne M. Bellegarde Daniels, lawyer.

Bellegarde Daniels completed law school in 1991 and went on to become the assistant negotiator on the Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement that settled outstanding Treaty land entitlement for 26 Saskatchewan First Nations.

After being admitted to the bar in 1993 Bellegarde went on to work with the City Solicitor's Office with the City of Saskatoon where she provided legal services to various departments of the City Council. In 1995 she became the lawyer for the SaskTel Industrial Relations department and the Corporate Counsel department in Regina. In 1998 she returned to Saskatoon where she provided various legal services for the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations until starting her own practice in February 2000.

Bellegarde Daniels is feeling confident with the clientele she has built and would like her work to bring First Nations and non-First Nations into partnerships.

Her practice is made up of predominantly First Nations clients now, but she does have some significant non-First Nations clients, an area she would like to see expanded, said Bellegarde Daniels.

There are some exciting opportunities for partnerships between First Nations and non-First Nations that she would like to bring together, she said. It is an added benefit for any non-First Nations clients she has, as well as an opportunity for education.

Bellegarde Daniels hopes her new location will find her developing partnerships with other Aboriginal lawyers that will see her office expand with Aboriginal professionals, opening up the opportunities and possibilities, said Bellegarde Daniels.

Bellegarde Daniels is dedicated to providing legal and mediation services to First Nations. She plans to continue to give preference to matters that further Aboriginal, treaty, and inherent rights.