Christina J. Cook

Christina J. Cook is a civil litigator with extensive trial experience. She has appeared in the Manitoba Court of Appeal, Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, the Manitoba Provincial Court, British Columbia Supreme Court, British Columbia Provincial Court, the Federal Court of Canada, and has prepared files for the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Of note, Christina successfully argued the nationally reported decision of Kelly v. Leq’a:mel First Nation, 2010 BCSC 1801, wherein the B.C. Supreme Court clarified the issue of when the provincial and federal court each had jurisdiction to consider property disputes on First Nations reserves. Christina works for large insurers; corporations, individuals, as well as for many First Nations bands and organizations.

Christina was born in Manitoba and is a member of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. She attended law school at the University of British Columbia wherein she won numerous academic honours. Christina articled in Vancouver at a national law firm then practiced Aboriginal law and general civil litigation. She is pleased return to Winnipeg to practice civil litigation, insurance, Aboriginal law, employment law, and corporate law including incorporations, joint ventures and limited partnerships. Christina is called to the bar in British Columbia and Manitoba.

Christina is a member of the Canadian Defence Lawyers Association and the international Defense Research Institute. In 2019 Christina was appointed to the DRI’s international Native Nations Law Task Force. The DRI’s Native Nations Law Task Force was launched in 2017 and this first-of-its-kind initiative provides networking and educational opportunities for defense litigators, First Nations and tribal in-house counsel and insurance companies called upon to defend First Nations faced with civil lawsuits.

Christina is also the founder and inaugural chair of the Canadian Bar Association B.C. Branch Aboriginal Lawyers Forum. This forum is the first of its kind at the Canadian Bar Association. The Forum is dedicated to bringing together Aboriginal judges, lawyers and students for networking, mentorship, support, professional development and a celebration of Aboriginal cultures. Through its mandate the forum strives to address the issues facing Aboriginal people in the legal community and raise the profile and stature of Aboriginal people in the law. Additionally, Christina has been an active committee member of the development and implementation of Law Society of British Columbia’s Aboriginal mentorship program. This program is the first of its kind across Canada. Christina is the past president of the Kamloops Bar Association, and executive of the Women Lawyers Forum – Kamloops.

Christina also facilitated the establishment of a pro bono legal clinic at the Interior Indian Friendship Centre, and volunteered there from 2011 to 2015. She has presented at University of British Columbia Faculty of Law and Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law on Aboriginal legal issues, human rights, and civil litigation. She has also mentored Aboriginal law students at UBC and TRU Law.

Christina has been an avid volunteer for various non-legal organizations including the Interior Indian Friendship Society, Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, Kamloops Art Gallery, and the Royal Inland Hospital Ladies Auxiliary. When not working or volunteering, Christina enjoys spending time at her second home in Kamloops, B.C.

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