Queen’s Law is partnering with the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest (KNCLN) to launch a new Indigenous-led legal centre in Kingston.

Students, faculty, alumni, and clinic lawyers at Queen’s Law are working with KNCLN to establish a centre that will provide much-needed legal services to Indigenous people in the greater Kingston area. What began as a first-year law student’s idea to fill a gap is now evolving into the KNCLN Indigenous Legal Centre (KILC) – a community-based initiative grounded in Indigenous leadership and strengthened by Queen’s Law’s legal expertise, research, and clinical resources.

A student’s vision becomes a community partnership

Constance Carrière-Prill, Law’25 (Artsci’21), a former federal public servant, was just seven months into her role as KNCLN’s Executive Director when she started law school in September 2022. That was more than enough time for her to recognize the challenges in accessing appropriate resources for community members, many of whom had questions about their rights or needed legal referrals.

“Few legal resources are Indigenous-led, and those that are can only do so much. In addition, past harmful experiences in the legal system also create barriers,” she says.

“Meeting community needs takes the whole community, and as a Friendship Centre, I saw it as our responsibility to help fill the gaps,” she explains. “Indigenous clients deserve legal supports that are Indigenous-informed, culturally responsive, safe, and barrier-free. Seeing the work that the Queen’s Law Clinics were already doing, I knew we could create something beautiful together.”

Building the foundation

Before entering second year, Carrière-Prill pitched her vision to Professor Lindsay Borrows, Anishinaabe from Neyaashiinigmiing (Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation), who was “fully supportive, excited, and vowed to do what she could to help.”

Together with Dean Colleen M. Flood, Assistant Dean Karla McGrath, LLM’13, and Queen’s Law Clinics Executive Director Blair Crew, they formed a working group. Borrows provided cultural guidance and helped shape the KILC model’s vision based on the Anishinaabe medicine wheel – a vision that looks to create resources to care for the whole person. “Our group then came up with a plan founded on wise practices research,” says Carrière-Prill. “The results will be used to develop a business plan tailored to local needs and then pilot the KILC.”

In spring 2024, Carrière-Prill transitioned into a new role as KNCLN’s Director of Strategic Development to focus, in part, on the KILC project during her third year of studies. Brandon Maracle, Law’22, formerly Director of Supportive Housing with Lionhearts Inc., became KNCLN’s new Executive Director.

“I’ve always wanted to support community,” says Maracle, Kanyen'keha:ka from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. “The driving force behind me going to law school was to make a difference that would last seven generations.”

The first step was securing funding. Carrière-Prill’s efforts paid off in January 2025 when The Law Foundation of Ontario awarded a $179,000 grant for a two-year pilot project and study into best practices for establishing a community-based Indigenous legal services centre. The funding supports research, an articling student, and development of the KILC business plan.

That same month, Professor Kimberly Murray, Kanyen'keha:ka of Kanehsatà:ke Mohawk Nation, joined Queen’s Law as the Queen’s National Scholar in Indigenous Legal Studies and became an active member of the working group. She had already begun contributing to the project in Fall 2024 through pro bono research and advisory work.

Over the past academic year, Murray and Borrows led research into wise practices, with student supervision beginning in January. Carrière-Prill and her Law’25 classmates, Hayley Crooks, Logan Dillon, and Cynthia Rizzo supported the research by conducting academic and open-source reviews, as well as learning (interview) circles with participating agencies across Canada.

Borrows’ team explored how KILC can support the resurgence of Indigenous law and legal education. “Not many legal services organizations are focusing on revitalization,” she says. “They are so busy tending to Canadian legal needs from Indigenous people.” Based on survey feedback, she anticipates areas like family law and child well-being will be priorities.

Murray’s team examined Indigenous-focused legal and justice support services. “There are a lot of wise practices in these areas that we can learn from,” she says. “But there are not many examples of all four areas operating within an Indigenous legal services organization together. Our research will inform a broader proposal to create a program that offers services in all four areas.”

A collaborative, wraparound model

In May, KNCLN hired an articling student: Aidan Jeffrey, Kanyen'keha:ka of Kanehsatà:ke Mohawk Nation and a dual Arts and Law graduate from Trent University and Swansea School of Law in Wales. His role includes building relationships with KNCLN clients and existing legal resources while gathering feedback on local needs.

To support a holistic approach, KNCLN is connecting Jeffrey to broader wraparound programming. “This approach involves support not only with legal challenges, but also with the rest of life’s challenges,” Maracle explains. “When I was a Queen’s Legal Aid student caseworker, I saw how clients were facing the difficulties of life and, at times, poverty. Indigenous folks often face the same struggles, compounded by the effects of intergenerational trauma. Aidan’s work at the centre can be bolstered by our programming which spans from Indigenous mental health to childcare.”

At KNCLN’s building, a welcoming space for Indigenous people in need of support, Jeffrey will spend time on client intakes and other meetings. “Aidan is also becoming part of our community in the slow way that healthy relationships develop – the same way the roots grow,” adds Maracle.

From pilot to long-term change

Jeffrey’s legal work is supervised by Blair Crew, who also serves as Director of Queen’s Legal Aid. “Our experience at the Queen’s Law Clinics has shown us that the highest demand for services from Indigenous clients will likely be in areas like civil and criminal litigation, housing, human rights, and social benefits,” says Crew. “Through the Queen’s Law Clinics, Aidan can also access support for clients needing help with business or family law matters, and with drafting wills or powers of attorney. All of our clinics are excited to extend our services to the local Indigenous community in a culturally responsive way.”

In September, Jeffrey will begin offering legal services to Indigenous clients from the KNCLN building. The pilot project will help the working group identify the highest-priority areas of need and inform next steps.

“The long-term vision is for Queen’s Law students, under lawyer supervision, to provide legal services at KILC, expanding both access to justice and opportunities for experiential learning rooted in Indigenous legal traditions,” says Crew.

This summer, Carrière-Prill – now a consultant with KNCLN until her articles with the Crown Attorney’s Office in Kingston begin in August – will finalize her research and develop the business plan. She is also working with Borrows and Murray to compile the research findings into a final wise practices document for publication.

“The outcomes of all this work,” says Carrière-Prill, “we hope, will help secure the next phase of funding to pilot the KILC and build a strong foundation for sustainable Indigenous legal services and education.”

The Queen’s Law Clinics gratefully acknowledge the support of Legal Aid Ontario, the Law Foundation of Ontario, the Class of Law’81, and alumni and industry sponsors, including Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP.

By Lisa Graham