Bob is an accomplished lawyer and Indigenous rights advocate with more than three decades of dedicated experience in Aboriginal and environmental law. He is passionate about pushing for legal and constitutional change as he works hand-in-hand with Indigenous communities to advance their distinct visions of Indigenous self-determination and achieve their economic development goals.
Bob is a member of the firm’s Indigenous Practice Group. He is also a member of the firm’s Environmental Law and Energy Groups. Bob’s practice focuses on advising Indigenous peoples on a diverse range of areas, including Aboriginal and Treaty rights-related matters, the negotiation of modern-day treaty and self-government arrangements, the duty to consult and accommodate, complex resource benefit agreement negotiations and advising on regulatory compliance obligations. He has been repeatedly been recognized by Lexpert, Chambers & Partners and Best Lawyers as a leading practitioner in the area of Aboriginal law, and was named as "Lawyer of the Year" for Aboriginal law in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada.
Bob’s strengths lie in his deep understanding of Indigenous and non-Indigenous legal systems, strategic vision, strong negotiation skills and ability to translate his clients objectives into tangible and lasting results. A significant component of Bob’s practice is in providing strategic and tailored advice to his Indigenous clients as they navigate regulatory and environmental approval processes. Bob has substantial expertise in conducting cumulative impact studies that are aligned with and grounded in the Indigenous cultures, worldviews and laws of his clients. He has worked closely together with Indigenous communities, non-Indigenous governments and third parties to achieve precedent-setting impact benefit agreements, equity arrangements and shared decision-making processes that bridge the interests of the Indigenous community, industry and the Crown.
As an experienced negotiator and litigator, Bob’s work on behalf of his clients includes having appeared before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia, and he has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada several times. Bob has also appeared before regulatory bodies and tribunals, including regulatory and assessment bodies in the Yukon, British Columbia and joint federal-provincial assessment panels.
Prior to joining Aird & Berlis, Bob practised at a large, internationally known law firm specializing in Aboriginal and Indigenous rights law and was formerly a founding partner of and member of the management committee of a nationally-known boutique firm specializing in Indigenous and Aboriginal law. Bob is located in the firm’s Vancouver office and advises clients primarily in British Columbia, the Yukon and Saskatchewan.
