Prominent First Nations Negotiator Joins Miller Thomson's Growing Saskatchewan Presence

TORONTO, March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian business leaders must adopt a policy of respect, transparency and consensus in order to engage in meaningful consultation with First Nations communities across Canada, according to W. Thomas Molloy, one of Canada's most prominent First Nations negotiators and business law experts. Molloy, who is best known as the federal government's lead negotiator in talks that led to the creation of Nunavut in 1999, is one of four recent appointments to Miller Thomson's Saskatoon office.

"Canadian corporations and policy makers spend substantial resources to understand how to successfully conduct business internationally," said Molloy, an expert in Aboriginal and Business law. "They recognize that success depends upon a relationship-based approach rooted in cultural understanding. The question we need to ask ourselves is why do we not take a similar approach here at home when seeking to engage First Nations communities?"

Mr. Molloy has negotiated treaties with the Nisga'a of British Columbia and the Inuit of Northern Quebec in Nunavut and Labrador claims and treaties with British Columbia's L'heidli T'enneh and Sliammon First Nations. He is currently involved in the ongoing land claim in Caledonia, Ontario. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996, and recently received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.

"Tom is singular in stature in Canada," said Gerald Courage, Chair of Miller Thomson. "He has the extraordinary ability to bridge business, government and First Nations interests in the most complex of circumstances - a skill that has been honed over decades working in every region of the country."

With Mr. Molloy's arrival at Miller Thomson, he becomes an integral member of the firm's national Aboriginal Law Group, and a key contributor to that team's continued growth and success within this rapidly evolving area of legal practice.

Miller Thomson is the only national firm with a presence in the province of Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan showed dynamic growth in 2011 with support from its strong resources sector. Miller Thomson provides expertise in many of these areas including energy, natural resources and mining.

The Saskatoon office is also announcing the appointments of Crystal Taylor in the firm's Tax Law Group; Chad Eggerman in the Mining and Resources Law Practice; and Haidah Amirzadeh in the firm's Immigration Law Group.  

About Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson LLP is a national business law firm with more than 470 lawyers working from 11 offices across Canada. The firm offers a complete range of business law, advocacy and personal legal services. Miller Thomson works regularly with in-house legal departments and external counsel world-wide to facilitate cross-border and multinational transactions and business needs. Miller Thomson offices are located in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Toronto, Markham and Montréal.

SOURCE Miller Thomson LLP