Biography
Heather MacNeill, QC is the Legal Advisor for Maw-Kleyu’kik Knijannaq (MKK) Initiative at the Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn – Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative. She is a member of Millbrook First Nation, a mother, grandmother and wife. She is a practicing lawyer of 25 years and for over 21 of those years, she was a staff lawyer at Dalhousie Legal Aid Service, practicing primarily in the areas of child protection, family and youth criminal law, representing many Mi’kmaq, Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients. Prior to her legal career, Heather worked for a decade as a registered nurse in Halifax, several of those years in Intensive Care. Heather retired from Dalhousie Legal Aid Service and took the position of Legal Advisor for the MKK Initiative in September 2018. She is very honoured to be doing this ground-breaking work on behalf of all Mi’kmaq children, youth, families and communities in Nova Scotia.
Heather has been a member of many boards, committees, organizations, groups and taskforces, where she brings a Mi’kmaw lens to the discussions and issues.
Heather has also been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards throughout her nursing and legal career.