Jerome N. Slavik

First Year of Call
1984

Areas of Practice
Administrative Law, Aboriginal Law

Description
From 1972 to 1978, Jerome worked for the Indian Association of Alberta and as a socio-economic consultant for numerous Aboriginal communities, industry and government. Jerome was called to the Alberta Bar in 1984.

He is a graduate of both the Introductory and Advanced Courses on “Negotiations” offered by the Harvard Law School.
His practice for 30 years has focused on providing a broad range of legal advice to over 40 First Nations in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Jerome has specialized in the provision of legal counsel to First Nations on the settlement of outstanding Treaty entitlements and specific claims against the Crown. He has appeared before the Indian Specific Claims Commission on five occasions and is currently engaged on numerous specific claims before the Specific Claims Tribunal.

He has been legal counsel for 18 claim settlements with a net present value of over $2 billion. He is widely known as a leading practitioner in this area of law.

He has advised on the negotiation of 20 aboriginal/industry, fiscal, commercial, environmental, and regulatory agreements with a net present value of over $1 billion.

His expertise has been sought by the First Nations on governance matters, including preparation of constitutions, membership codes, customary election regulations, Band bylaws, corporate and commercial transactions, business and community trusts, and First Nation taxation issues. He has been counsel for First Nations on negotiating tripartite comprehensive self-government agreements.

Jerome has assisted in the organization and structuring of corporations and limited partnerships for numerous Aboriginal businesses of all sizes in the industrial, retail, forestry and tourism sectors and provided advice on the preparation of business plans, negotiation of joint ventures, and the obtaining of public and private sector financing.

His practice has focused on environmental matters and administrative law where Jerome represented First Nation and other intervenors before public tribunals, including ERCB, AEUB, and the Natural Resources Conservation Board regarding matters of oil sands development, oil and gas projects, coal mines, forestry and pulp and paper projects, and hazardous waste treatment plants.

From 1995 to 2011, Jerome was the Faculty Leader for the Negotiation Skills Training program for the Aboriginal Leadership Program area at the Banff Centre which deals with “Crown/First Nation negotiations”. In addition, through his consulting company, J Slavik & Associates, he has provided training in Crown/First Nation negotiations to the Governments of Canada, Ontario and Quebec, as well as numerous Tribal Councils, First Nations and Aboriginal organizations throughout Canada.

Jerome has appeared before the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indian and Aboriginal Affairs on two occasions, and on four occasions before the Senate Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs regarding specific claims and Indian Act election regulations.

He is the author of numerous articles, including:

“Negotiating Reconciliation and Accommodation –The Duty to Consult in Action”
“A Framework and Principles for Reconciliation of Crown and First Nation Interests through Negotiations”
“First Nation Trust”
Jerome has chaired numerous conferences on issues related to First Nation Trusts, Aboriginal law and has delivered numerous papers to the Canadian Bar Association Aboriginal law sub-section.