Indigenous Law Student Scholarship

The pursuit of social justice is generational.

Indigenous Law Student Scholarship


As part of our commitment to supporting the development of Indigenous lawyers, First Peoples Law offers an annual scholarship to an Indigenous law student with a demonstrated commitment to serving and advancing the interests of Indigenous Peoples.

Everyone at First Peoples Law is extremely excited for the opportunity to support the scholarship recipients in their studies. We are confident they will make important contributions to defending the rights of Indigenous Peoples across the country.

We are pleased to introduce the 2023 scholarship winner, finalist and honourable mention below. This year's winner and finalist received a $10,000 and $2,000 scholarship award, respectively. Check out our latest podcast episode for a conversation with past years' winners and finalists, Casey Caines, Raven Richards and Sophia Sidarous, here or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Applications for the 2024 scholarship are now closed. Thank you to everyone who applied. We're looking forward to carrying it on again next year. 

Meet the recipients!

2022

Congratulations to Casey Caines!

 

Listen to our podcast episode featuring a conversation between Casey and 2021 winners Anita Cardinal-Stewart and Mary McPherson: Reclaiming the Law Part 4: Indigenous Law Students in Conversation.

Casey Caines is a Cree and Dene woman, mother of two young girls, an advocate from Fort Nelson First Nation on Treaty 8 Territory and a third-year law student at the University of Alberta.  

Tansi Nîtôtemtik, 

It is truly an honour to be this year’s recipient of the First Peoples Law scholarship - the encouragement and support that this award provides is immeasurable and I am grateful beyond measure to be recognized in this space and in this way. I stand alongside so many previous and current recipient’s and applicants whose work, activism, and vision for their communities continue to inspire my own.  I have been fortunate enough to work in many of these spaces, alongside many of these incredible leaders bringing awareness to Indigenous issues and finding community-engaged solutions.  

As I look to graduation, Indigenous and Aboriginal law is where my heart is, and where I hope to make a meaningful contribution by working to reduce inequalities and barriers to access within the legal system. By empowering communities to reclaim and revitalize laws rooted in their traditional knowledge I believe that we can begin to appreciate our multi-juridical nation in ways that will dismantle the colonial systems that continue to oppress Indigenous peoples and provide space for true reconciliation. While my future holds many unknowns, I know that wherever my legal education takes me will always be in reciprocity with community, and I will continue to use it to advocate for systemic change. 

--Casey Caines

Photo credit: Cole Crane

 

Honourable Mentions


Darian Lonechild

 

Tansi, my name is Darian Lonechild, and I am a Nêhiyaw woman from the White Bear First Nation in Treaty 4 Territory. I am a third-year law student at the University of Saskatchewan. My purpose is to work in Indigenous law and dedicate myself to advancing the interests of First Nations in the prairies. I hope to focus on Treaty/inherent rights, self-government, and economic development.  Thank you to First Peoples Law for an honourable mention and the encouragement to be a part of this important work. 

 

Sophia Sidarous


Kwe’ msit wen! My name is Sophia Sidarous and I am a Mi’kmaq land defender and water protector from Metepenagiag First Nation. I am in my second year at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, and am particularly interested in reviatlizing Mi’kmaq traditional laws and structures. Advocating for sovereignty, self-governance, and justice for our nations are very critical to me. I am honoured to be recognized by First Peoples Law and to stand alongside the winner of this year's award! Wela’lioq.