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REGIONAL WRAP-UP "were astonished at how many well-qualified articling students applied" for the two positions filled last month. "These were strong candidates interested in aboriginal law." Schulze says it is a testament to the market in Quebec for lawyers dealing in both aborig- inal and environmental law. "There's quite a bit of work." Unlike in B.C., the Prairies, and Ontario, where Schulze notes there are quite a num- ber of boutique firms catering to native clients, Quebec has more sole practitioners and bands with in-house counsel. Schulze, Paul Dionne, and Franklin David Schulze Paul Dionne Gertler met while working at the Mon- treal general partnership firm Hutchins Caron & Associés, that, along with an office in Vancouver, represents aborigi- nal communities across the country. He says of the partnership, "We figure, between the three of us, we've virtu- ally worked for every [First] nation, if not community." Those nations are the Abenakis, Algonquins, Attikameks, Crees, Hurons-Wendat, Malécites, Mic- macs, Mohawks, Montagnais, Naskapis, and Inuit, which are spread across more than 50 communities within the prov- ince. Schulze, who has specialized in Pound leaves doping agency Lawyer cover story, has stepped down from the one post for which he's probably best-known internationally — president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which he estab- lished in November 1999. One of only five Ca- M nadians to make Time magazine's 2005 list of the world's most influ- ential people, mainly for his anti-doping efforts, Pound on Jan. 1 handed over WADA's reins to John Fahey, a former Australian finance minister elected to replace him. The leading tax litigator at Stike- ontreal lawyer Richard (Dick) Pound, subject of the July 2005 Canadian Richard (Dick) Pound signing a deal with the provincial and federal governments to keep the facil- ity where drug testing is done by all of the world's sports federations in Montreal until at least 2021. A former Olympic swimmer who would become the bane of drug-using athletes around the globe, the 65-year- old Pound remains with the International Olympic Commit- tee, as a member of its WADA foundation board and of its ju- ridical and marketing committees. There's strong specu- lation he could eventu- man Elliott LLP performed his final official duty for WADA on Dec. 19, ally head the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the arbitration body created by the IOC in 1983. — MK 12 FEBRU AR Y 2008 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com aboriginal law since being called to the bar in 1995, pointed out that the larger native communities have in- house counsel, "But not every one can afford or wants that, so they will scout for litigators." He listed the large variety of different files, from specific and comprehensive claims to environmental assess- ments of reserve development and aboriginal-run institutions. There is also criminal law involved in dealing with such matters as hunt- ing and fishing offences. "We're experts and authorities on aboriginal law in this province," Schulze added, referring both to Dionne's more than 25 years and to Gertler's 20-plus years in litigation and negotiations. Both Schulze and Dionne were rec- ognized by the National Post last year as among the best lawyers practising aboriginal law in Canada. Dionne also made the list in 2006. They also have as part of their team young lawyer Geeta Narang, who is developing a practice in administra- tive, constitutional, and aboriginal law. Narang practised with Franklin Gertler & Associates before joining Dionne Gertler Schulze, and last year collaborat- ed with Gertler in providing legal sup- port in drafting the Consultations Pro- tocol of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador. Schulze won authorization in 2007 for a Quebec Superior Court class ac- tion lawsuit to proceed on behalf of lead plaintiff Ghislain Picard, grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador, over out- standing payments related to federal tax exemptions on fuel purchased on reserves. In addition to working with aborigi- nal and environmental groups, the new firm's clients also include non-profit or- ganizations and citizens' coalitions. Schulze notes how rewarding it is to have exchanges and to trade views and insights on a daily basis with two col- leagues whose work overlapped with his own for at least two years prior to their forming the new firm. — MIKE KING mking@videotron.ca PHOTO: RON DIAMOND