Sarah is a child protection defense lawyer and an active member of the Legal Aid Alberta Child Welfare Roster. She accepts limited files through Legal Aid or on private retainer for families who are experiencing intervention or apprehension by Child and Family Services, or who are seeking private guardianship of a child in care.
Called in 2022, Sarah has already assisted numerous families with navigating the court process and the complexities of both the Child, youth and Family Enhancement Act and the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families.
Outside of her child protection defense practice, Sarah works full time as Legal Counsel with the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge, which is a dedicated research unit based out of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law with a mandate to support Indigenous law revitalization and Governance. Sarah is an advocate for equity issues and has written or co-written articles on the topics of access to justice, progress on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the rights of youth aging out of government care, health data and OCAP principles, and child support in Indigenous families.
She currently sits on the boards for the Central Alberta Bar Society, Habitat for Humanity Red Deer Region, and a yet unnamed startup public interest legal organization.
Since graduating with a JD from the University of Alberta in 2021, Sarah has volunteered on a case committee for the Women’s Legal Education Action Fund (LEAF), worked as a teaching assistant for the Launchpad into Law program for Indigenous Law students entering their first year of legal studies at various law schools, and co-developed a children’s resource for the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge to help Indigenous children in care understand their rights.
During law school, Sarah served as an elected representative on both the Indigenous Law Students Association and the Student Articling Committee and was co-lead of the award-winning ReconciliAction YEG blog during the 2020/2021 year. She was also appointed as a student representative on a sub-committee that developed a proposal for the curriculum committee at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law to implement TRC Call to Action 28 (which calls on laws schools to mandate education about Indigenous law, Aboriginal-Crown Relations, and skills-based Anti-Racism training).
Prior to law school, Sarah earned her Bachelor of Commerce degree from Athabasca University while working in a decade-long career in industrial sales, manufacturing, and supply chain management. She brings teachings from the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge and her business training into her practice and approaches the law in a way that is mindful of the multiple sets of laws that exist on this land.
Sarah is of Metis and settler heritage and understands that many people have laws and protocols to follow in addition to Canadian laws and protocols. She is dedicated to maintaining a practice that is mindful of this and to advocating to incorporate such protocols in the legal process. If you require or would benefit from such protocols (for example, smudging) please let Sarah know at the time of booking.
Book Consultation
Publications:
- Sarah N Kriekle, Nowhere to Turn: Alberta’s dismal history of support for youth in transition to adulthood - A.C. and J.F. v. Alberta, 2023 28 Appeal: Review of Current Law and Law Reform 1, - Read Publication
- Sarah Kriekle, “Gatekeeping Admissions: Access to Justice and Inclusive Admissions Processes” (2022) 31 Dal J Leg Stud 85 - Read Publication
- Koren Lightning-Earle et al., “Law Society of Alberta to Hold a Special Meeting to Debate its Power to Mandate Indigenous Cultural Competency Training” (February 3, 2023), online: ABlawg, - Read Publication
- Sarah Kriekle and Anita Cardinal, “A Failure to Act”, (1 June 2021), online: CBA National Magazine - Read Publication
Presentations and Invited Lectures:
- Presenter, “Indigenous Issues in Wills & Estates,” CBA Alberta North, January 17, 2023. - Read More
- Panelist, “Judicial Appointments and Careers Panel”, Indigenous Bar Association Conference Student Day: Walking Together, October 21, 2021.
- Panelist, “Law Tuition”, Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen, April 14, 2021.
Serving the following locations:
- Red Deer
