About

William has 32 years of experience as legal counsel. William received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Alberta and completed his articles with the Federal Department of Justice. He then practiced civil litigation there for the next twelve years, concentrating on disputes involving Aboriginal Law. He was in-house counsel for Indian Oil and Gas Canada (IOGC) and also served as the General Manager of Land and a member of the executive management team, where he was responsible for on-reserve oil and gas dispositions, including negotiations, environment, geophysics, and surface and subsurface land administration.

William left IOGC to be Senior General Counsel for Siksika First Nation, after which he opened his own law firm in partnership with another lawyer from 2006 to 2019. During this time, William dealt with many Aboriginal law matters. He has negotiated the settlement of a variety of disputes and issues involving reserve lands, TLE lands, Band membership and election issues, agreements concerning on-reserve health services, education and Child and family services. He has also drafted Impact Benefit Agreements and participated in consultation issues on traditional lands. William has handled many litigation matters including sexual assault, wrongful death, personal injury, wrongful dismissal, breach of contract and judicial review involving appearances before the National Energy Board of Canada, the Federal Court of Canada, the Court of King’s Bench and the Alberta Court of Appeal. William was lead counsel for the Indian Resource Council of Canada in amending the Indian Oil and Gas Act. William has learned a great deal over the years from his clients including many Indigenous Elders in Western Canada, as he has interviewed over 1200 survivors of Indian Residential School (IRS), completed several hundred IRS IAP Hearings, and negotiated IAP settlements in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. Since 2019, William operates a general practice as William James Legal Services, providing paid and pro-bono legal support to a broad spectrum of clients.

William is pragmatic and business-oriented, with strong soft skills. He enjoys participating in continuing professional development and has received advocacy training and training in alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration and advanced negotiation. He has also received media training and has appeared on Access Television’s Hotline Program, speaking about Aboriginal law issues, and has been interviewed for radio and print. William is a member of the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba, signatory to Treaty 1. In addition to the practice of law, William apprenticed as a carpenter and enjoys collecting tools and being a part of construction and renovation projects.

Rebecca received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Calgary and was called to the Alberta bar in 2020. She has experience drafting Wills, Personal Directives, and Powers of Attorney, applying for probate or a grant of administration, as well as litigating personal injury and other civil litigation matters. Her practice is primarily focused on family law matters and mediation. She has appeared in the Alberta Court of Justice, Alberta Court of King’s Bench, and the Alberta Court of Appeal. Rebecca was a staff mediator for the Alberta Justice Family Mediation Program operating in the Calgary Courts Centre. Rebecca has also assisted in litigating sexual and physical assault claims in the IAP process and has interviewed many survivors of sexual and physical assault.

Rebecca enjoys participating in continuing professional development including completing programs on identifying and responding to violence, abuse, and control in relationships, child-inclusive mediation, meeting with children, transformative mediation, collaborative practice, and parenting coordination.

Prior to being admitted to the Law Society of Alberta, Rebecca obtained her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Ambrose University and her Master of Arts degree in English Literature and Film from the University of Alberta. Rebecca has learned much from her shared settler and Indigenous family heritage. A voracious reader and book collector, she has volunteered with the Calgary Reads Big Book Sale for many years. Her other volunteer work includes being a board member of Radiance Family Society, a second stage domestic violence shelter in Calgary, Alberta.

Travis received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ambrose University. With a precise eye for detail and thoughtful, thorough manner, he provides excellent legal research, administrative and litigation support, and commissioner of oaths services. He is experienced in obtaining and managing documents including educational, medical, income, tax, and corporate records, and creating databases in support of litigation claims. He was instrumental in completing historical treaty research on Treaty 7 adhesions, treaty land entitlement (TLE), and treaty annuities and has written many historical reports and memoranda.

He has participated in continuing professional development training at the Library and Archives Canada for historical research and is familiar with the requirements of FOIP, PIPA, and PIPEDA legislation. Outside of work, he is a keen reader and also enjoys composing music and spending time outdoors.