Patricia M. Barkaskas

Patricia M. Barkaskas is an Associate Professor and Academic Director of the Indigenous Community Legal Clinic (ICLC) at the University of British Columbia's Allard School of Law. Her work focuses on decolonizing legal education, clinical legal training, and Indigenous justice. She holds a B.A. from the University of Victoria, and an M.A. and J.D. from UBC. Previously, she worked on Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement research and practiced in criminal, family, and child protection law.

Professor Barkaskas leads the ICLC, which provides free legal services to Indigenous communities in BC through student training. She also directs the Indigenous Cultural Competency Certificate program, addressing colonial biases in legal education. Her research integrates Indigenous histories and pedagogies into experiential learning frameworks.

Her affiliations include the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies and Indigenous Legal Studies. Her practice experience includes writing Gladue reports across BC courts, emphasizing Indigenous legal perspectives.

Professor Barkaskas advocates for systemic legal reform, critiquing colonial structures through her academic and clinical work. Her contributions bridge academic research, community service, and transformative legal education.