Profile
“I’m so proud to see that through my hard work and that of my team, we have built trust with our industry partners”
Victoria Coster,
Credit Fix Solutions
Hon. Leonard S. Tony Mandamin, IPC, has dedicated over four decades to championing Indigenous rights within the Canadian legal system, a body of work guided by the Anishinaabe teachings of honesty, humility, courage, and respect, values he embodies every day.
His commitment to serve his community began in childhood, inspired by watching his grandmother help an elderly couple write a letter to the Indian agent on an important matter.
“That memory stayed with me, and as I become increasingly aware of the disadvantaged situation of Indigenous people, I resolved to work toward changing that circumstance,” he reflects. “Eventually, I settled on law and am still working toward a better place for Indigenous people in Canada.”
As an Anishinaabe and a proud member of the Wiikwemikoong Unceded Indian Reserve on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Tony was brought up with a deep-seated passion for championing Indigenous causes.
The desire to protect and expand Indigenous rights within the legal system has been his key motivation, stemming from a profound sense of responsibility toward his community and the Indigenous community at large, as he passionately works to ensure justice and equality.
Tony joined the Alberta Bar in 1983, and just two years later, he founded Alberta's first Indigenous law firm with the intent to create a space where First Nations, Indigenous organizations, and Treaty and Métis individuals could seek justice.
Those early years were filled with long days and the challenge of breaking into a system that often felt indifferent to the struggles of Indigenous peoples. Despite the hurdles, Tony’s advocacy for his clients was unyielding, leading him to landmark cases such as R v Badger, which reached the Supreme Court of Canada.
In 1999, he was appointed a Provincial Court Judge. Tony assisted the Tsuu T’ina in establishing the Tsuu T’ina Peacemaking Court and worked with the Siksika to incorporate Blackfoot Askapiimohkiiks traditional mediation as an integral part of the process in the Siksika Provincial Court.
In 2007, his dedication to Indigenous justice led to his appointment as a Federal Court Justice. This role allowed him to influence the development of Aboriginal law nationally, chairing a committee that developed the Federal Court Aboriginal Law Practice Guidelines, an essential tool for practitioners working on Aboriginal issues.
In 2019, Tony was bestowed the Indigenous Peoples’ Counsel designation by the Indigenous Bar Association.
Canadian Lawyer recognized Tony among the Top 25 Influential Lawyers of 2024.
In the past 18 months alone, he has delivered 19 presentations in various forums across Canada, including at law schools and post-secondary institutions, at Indigenous agencies, Indigenous conferences, judges’ seminars, and government agencies.
“To the extent that being influential helps, it enables me to carry on,” he says. “Being influential means leveraging my knowledge and experience to effect positive change. This involves sharing insights with a broad audience, including decision-makers and Indigenous communities. It also means mentoring the next generation of Indigenous legal professionals, empowering them to continue the work begun and to drive further progress.”
At nearly 80 years old, Tony remains as passionate as ever. While he balances his time more carefully, dividing his attention between his grandchildren and his work at Witten LLP in Edmonton, Alberta, he continues to represent First Nations clients, defending their Treaty Rights with the same enthusiasm he’s had since the beginning.
He plans to expand and publish his master's thesis, "Naadamaagewin: Indigenous Restorative Justice."
“My goal remains for meaningful progress in protecting and expanding Indigenous rights within the Canadian legal system,” he says.
2500-10303 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, AB T5J 3N6
780 701 3774
lmandamin@wittenlaw.com
ca.linkedin.com/company/witten-llp
wittenlaw.com/our-people/contact_id/7718
Honourable Leonard S. Tony Mandamin, IPC
Counsel at Witten LLP
Retired Judge of the Federal Court, Trial Division
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
“I’m genuinely keen to keep bettering myself”
Victoria Coster,
Credit Fix Solutions
1982–1983
1984–1999
1999–2007
2007–2019
2022–present
1982: Harvey Bell Memorial Award Native Law Centre, University of Saskatchewan
1983: Associate lawyer with Ackroyd Piasta Roth and Day
1982–
1983
1984–1999: Mandamin and Associates
1995: Canadian Native Friendship Centre Lifetime Membership
1996: Aboriginal Justice Award by Aboriginal Law Students Association, University of Alberta
1984–
1999
1999: Four Eagle Feathers (traditional Indigenous award) presented by Family, First Nations, and Indigenous individuals
1999–2007: Judge, Provincial Court of Alberta
2003: Dr. Douglas Cardinal Award by University of Calgary Native Centre and First Nations Student Association
1999–
2007
2007–2019: Justice, Federal Court
2018: Law Society of Ontario: Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa
2019: Indigenous Bar Association: Indigenous Peoples’ Counsel (IPC)
2007–
2019
2022–present: Scholar in Residence, Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge (University of Alberta)
2022–present: Counsel at Witten LLP, listed on the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory: Aboriginal Law
2022–
present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
Coster brings depth and breadth of experience to her current position, having joined the industry as a mortgage processor before leaping into broking. She later honed her credit reporting education and credit repair skills for several years while working directly for various brokers.
“Starting Credit Fix Solutions was a deliberate move, as I saw there was a niche in ‘no win, no fee’ credit repair that the industry didn’t currently offer,” she says.
As a CEO, Coster learned through business coaching that there are no challenges in business, only opportunities to learn and grow. She wholeheartedly adopted that perspective, enabling her to overcome the obstacles inherent in team management and implement new and improved systems. She employs several strategies for challenging situations, such as following routines, forward planning, sleeping well and exercising.
“If I make sure I look after myself, have a plan of action, and I’m organised, then I can overcome any challenge (opportunity to learn) if and when it presents itself,” Coster says.
A firm believer in the power of leadership, Coster strives to set an example that the next generation of women and men can look up to. She prides herself on her reliability and trustworthiness and is the first person to show up and the last to leave the workplace.
“I’m genuinely keen to keep bettering myself,” she says. “Even now, at the top of my game, I’m still always learning.”
Guided by her favourite quote, “It’s better to be green and growing than ripe and rotting”, Coster constantly stokes her curiosity and keeps an open mind about life and business. Her kindness, positive attitude, business acumen and dedication to her profession make her a trusted and valuable partner to her peers and the mortgage industry.