
Koren Lightning-Earle
Koren Lightning-Earle, Blue Thunderbird Woman, is Cree from Samson Cree Nation. She is the Legal Director of Wahkotowin Law and Governance Lodge. She is a Board Member for First Nations Caring Society, Acting Commissioner for Alberta Utilities Commission and Board Member for Peace Hills Insurance. She was President of the Indigenous Bar Association for 6 years. Koren graduated from Law School in 2007 at the University of Alberta. She was called to the bar in February 2009 and had the honour of having her Bar Call in her First Nation Community, Samson Cree Nation. Koren received her Master of Laws in 2018 from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, her concentration was Alternative Dispute Resolution. Koren’s work focuses on working with Indigenous clients and supporting the revitalization of Indigenous Laws. Koren advises in the areas of Indigenous Governance, Indigenous Child Welfare, Indian Act matters. She was recently awarded the “Pringle/Royal sessional teaching excellence” Award from Faculty of Law, University of Alberta for 2021/2022. She was awarded “Tomorrow’s Leader” Award from Women in Law Leadership Awards in 2019. She was also awarded the Alumni Horizon Award from the University of Alberta in 2017. Koren is alumni of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, she participated in the 2017 NWT Tour. She is a sessional instructor at Maskwacis Cultural College and University of Alberta, Faculty of Law.