Catherine Ouellet

About Catherine Ouellet

Catherine Ouellet works on two fronts at Gowling WLG's Ottawa office: Aboriginal law, including how Indigenous communities govern themselves, and appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada. As an associate there, Catherine helps communities put their own by-laws and codes in writing and handles questions that range from the duty to consult to contested Band Council votes. Clients can work with Catherine in English or French.

Catherine's background includes public service roles in the federal government, at the Privy Council Office, the Canada Border Services Agency and Global Affairs Canada. Law school was the University of Ottawa's programme de droit canadien, which left Catherine with both a J.D. and an LL.L. The Ontario call came in 2022, and a Quebec call followed in 2024.

Appellate work sits next to the Indigenous practice. Catherine has acted as agent before the Supreme Court in the Gitxaala appeal, where British Columbia's Chief Gold Commissioner is among the appellants, for parties that include the Confederated Tribes of The Colville Reservation and the BC Seafood Alliance.

In 2026 Catherine was one of the panellists at the 46th congress of AJEFO, the association of Ontario's French-speaking jurists, held in Burlington. Away from the office, Catherine loves being outdoors and is a self-described foodie.