Grandmothers often play the role of guide and nurturer in their families. Val Napoleon is a grandmother to four children, but her role as a guide goes far beyond her own family.  Napoleon is a professor at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law and the Law Foundation Chair of Indigenous Justice and Governance, whose vision of Canadian and Indigenous laws operating alongside one another is reshaping the legal landscape.

It was only after the birth of her first grandchild that Napoleon decided it was time to get her law degree. In her twenties, she was accepted to law school but decided not to go. Instead, she worked in education and social services, had children and raised a family. As Napoleon got older, she noticed how women tend to become marginalized as they age, effectively disappearing in the public realm. There was still much she wanted to do in the world and arming herself with a law degree was a way to keep from being ignored.

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“A law degree is like a driver’s license. It’s a useful way of getting about in the world,” says Napoleon, who has gone on to become a leading force in reshaping Canadian legal frameworks. Napoleon is Cree from Saulteau First Nation (BC Treaty 8) and an adopted member of the Gitanyow (northern Gitxsan). While both communities are in northern British Columbia, Napoleon’s impact has been national. After graduating with a PhD from the University of Victoria Law program, Napoleon found herself more interested in research and theory than the practice........

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