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www.canadianlawyermag.com 33 Congratulations to our partner, Gerald Chan, for being named among Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the justice system and legal profession. HE INFLUENCES THE INFLUENCERS. Changemakers MICHAEL FEDER Partner, McCarthy Tétrault, Vancouver Michael Feder's pro bono work has primarily focused on helping people with disabilities. Feder acted as lead counsel for persons with disabilities in S.A. v. Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation, 2019 SCC 4. In its decision, the SCC reversed the B.C. court's decision and held that discretionary trusts widely used to provide financial support to persons with disabilities are not their assets and, therefore, do not generally affect their eligibility under social assistance programs. This is a significant decision for the disability community in Canada as the status of these trusts had never been addressed by the SCC. As lead counsel for the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Feder brought a constitutional challenge to B.C. laws permitting involuntary treatment of people with mental disabilities without regard to their capacity. Pro bono clients are in good hands when they're being represented by 2017's British Columbia Litigator of the Year and one of the handful of lawyers to be appointed by the Chief Justice of Canada as amicus curiae. Changemakers JAIMIE LICKERS Partner, Gowling WLG, Hamilton As national leader of Gowling WLG's Indigenous Law Group, Jaimie Lickers was the first Indigenous woman admitted to the partnership and is the first Indigenous professional to hold a management position. She advances First Nations' wealth, economic development and autonomy through her work structuring and drafting trusts for more than 25 First Nations, collectively holding assets of $1 billion. She advances First Nations' rights through appearances at the SCC on landmark cases: Daniels v. Canada as co-counsel for the Assembly of First Nations on the question of whether Métis and non-status Indians are "Indians" under the Constitution, Clyde River and Chippewas of the Thames v. Enbridge as co-counsel for the Chiefs of Ontario on the question of the adequacy of consultation in relation to a pipeline development. Lickers fought for the rights of non-status Indians who applied for membership in Canada's newest First Nation, the Qalipu Mi'kmaq Band, through judicial review applications challenging the enrollment process and in Foster and Howse v. The Queen, which challenged 6,000 decisions to deny membership based on technical irregularities.