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William J. Taggart

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Bill’s practice focuses exclusively on Aboriginal and Indigenous law.

He began practicing in this specialty as in‐house lawyer for Grand Council Treaty #3, and was a member of the legal team which represented Ontario First Nations in the 1981 First Ministers Conference which resulted in the inclusion of s. 35 in the Constitution Act, 1982.  

Legislative drafting for Indigenous clients has remained one of the main bases of his law practice but he has also acted for First Nations in claims and other matters including, most recently, acting as legal counsel for Henvey Inlet First Nation in the creation of the environmental laws and land tenure system for Henvey Inlet First Nation’s 300 MW wind  energy centre, one of the largest Indigenous projects in Canada.  He advises First Nations in Ontario and in other provinces in relation to the legislative and executive functions of Indigenous governments, and is Past Chair of the OBA’s Aboriginal Law Section.

Bill Taggart’s comprehensive review of the Anishnabek Nation Governance Agreement appears in Key Developments in Aboriginal Law, Volume 2 edited by Thomas Isaac and published by Thomson Reuters.

Bill is recognized as a leading lawyer in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers™ in Canada and The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory in Aboriginal law / Indigenous Practice.

Education & Memberships

education

Osgoode Hall Law School, LL.B.,1979
University of Calgary, B.A. (Hons), 1974

Memberships

Ontario Bar Association

OBA Section Executive, Aboriginal Law, Technology Liaison, 2023-2024

Canadian Bar Association

Awards and Recognition

The Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory

Aboriginal Law

The Best Lawyers ™ in Canada

Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice

Professional & Community Involvement

Trustee, Rotary Club of Cobourg Robert S. Scott Charitable Trust
Town of Cobourg Heritage Advisory Committee
Past President, Rotary Club of Cobourg

Speaking Engagements & Publications

OBA Aboriginal Law Update: Emerging Issues and Game Changing Cases, June 2022

Program Co-Chair

Key Developments in Aboriginal Law, Volume 2

Edited by Thomas Isaac and published by Thomson Reuters, 2021

Eastern Canadian Aboriginal Land Resource Management Forum

“Organizing Off-Reserve Joint Ventures Involving Multiple First Nations”, Insight Information

Commercial Projects on First Nations Reserves: From Indian Act to First Nations Land Management Act, 2016.

Practice Areas

Indigenous