Adjudication and Appeals

for First Nations

Adjudication and appeals under First Nation Laws

In addition to offering legal services, Sonya is available to adjudicate disputes and conduct appeals, both in person and virtually, that incorporate Indigenous legal traditions into dispute resolution under First Nation laws, including:

• Election appeals under a Custom Election Code

• Removal or discipline of a Chief or Councillor under a Custom Election Code

• Membership appeals under First Nation Membership Laws / Rules

• Appeals of administrative decisions made under First Nation Education Laws

• Appeals of administrative decisions made under First Nation Child Welfare Laws

• Disputes under a First Nation Land Code or other First Nation land law

• Appeals of administrative decisions under First Nation Land Codes and First Nation land laws

Experienced in hearing management and decision-making

From 2021 to 2025, Sonya was an administrative law judge with the BC Human Rights Tribunal where she conducted all aspects of hearings for discrimination complaints made under the Human Rights Code. Her work included:

• Making decisions about applications to dismiss a complaint without a hearing based on grounds set out in the Code;

• Pre-hearing case management to ensure all parties understood the hearing process and how to prepare for a hearing;

• Making decisions about procedural matters, including orders about the disclosure of documents and sharing of details about a complaint, witness attendance, publication bans, complaint deferrals, timeline extensions, and hearing adjournments;

• Managing a fair hearing for all parties involved;

• Making evidence-based findings of fact based on credibility and reliability principles; and

• Writing final and binding decisions about whether discrimination occurred, and the appropriate remedy to order.

If you would like to view samples of Sonya’s decisions regarding discrimination complaints, CLICK HERE.

Trained to conduct fair hearings and write reasoned decisions

Sonya is thoroughly trained to conduct fair hearings, work effectively with people who are self-represented or have diverse needs, and make decisions that are impartial and well-reasoned. Her training includes the following:

BC Council of Administrative Tribunals

• Annual Education Conference (2024)

• Managing Tribunal Processes and Running Fair Hearings: Trials, Tribulations and Tips (2022)

• Essential Practice Points for Tribunals (2022)

• Hearing Skills Workshop (2021)

• Decision-Writers Workshop (2020)

• Administrative Justice for Decision Makers: Administrative Law and Principles of Procedural Fairness (2020)

• Annual Education Conference (2018)

Canadian Council of Administrative Tribunals

• 3-Part Learning Series: Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canadian Courts and Tribunals (2024)

• Writing Matters - Write Better Reasons / How to Write Concise Decisions (2024)

• Adjudication Skills for the 21st Century - An Online Primer - Interactive Adjudication (2023)

• Reconciling Indigenous Legal Systems in Administrative Law (2023)

• Administrative Law Update (2022)

Justice Institute of British Columbia

• Associate Certificate, Investigations and Enforcement (Current / 2025; Estimated Completion mid-2026)

• Foundations of Collaborative Conflict Resolution (2021)

• Mediation Skills - Level 1 (2021)

BC Human Rights Tribunal

• Effective Hearing Management (2024)

• Procedural Fairness Refresher  - Evidence in Tribunal Proceedings (2024)

• Working Effectively with Self-Represented Litigants (2023)

• Evidentiary Objections (2021)

• Hearing Preparation (2021)

• Decision-Making and Decision Writing (2021)

• The Four Elements of a Trauma-Informed Tribunal (2020)