Jo-Anne L.A. Kahan

Our lawyer in Fort St. John, in northern B.C., is Jo-Anne Kahan, who offers her legal advice in the areas of Indigenous Law, Employment Law, Business Law, Human Rights Law and Family Law.   

After obtaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Simon Fraser University in 1995, Jo-Anne worked with the B.C. government and the private sector, holding positions with the Attorney General’s office, the B.C. Securities Commission, the Department of Finance in tax policy and tax rulings, and various other ministries. In 2004, she received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Victoria and was called to the bar in August 2007. 

From 1995 to 2003, Jo-Anne also owned a consulting firm and provided a range of government, business, and non-profit clients with advice in strategic planning, marketing, policy planning, and business development. During this time, she also held senior management roles in a variety of companies.  

For ten years, right up to when she joined Stevenson Luchies & Legh in 2016, she ran her own law firm. As one of a select few lawyers in British Columbia, she acted as Amicus Curiae throughout the province in the Supreme Court and Provincial Court for Interjurisdictional Support Orders and Divorce Act provisional orders.

Throughout her extensive career, Jo-Anne has supported Indigenous communities and their members as an Executive Director with an interior First Nation and as a successful negotiator of tripartite agreements with the B.C. government and the federal government. 

Jo-Anne provides legal advice to Indigenous communities throughout B.C. in: 

• employment law
• administrative law
• regulatory law
• child welfare law, and 
• family law

She has also assisted and supported clients with the Indian Residential School process. Recently, she held a role with the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission implementing UNDRIP and the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by improving Indigenous consultation on oil and gas applications. 

In her free time, she relaxes with her children and grandchildren or enjoys pottery, painting, boating, and fishing, while studying towards her fine art degree.

AREAS OF LAW