Dr. Morales is interested in supervising LLM and PhD students in the areas of torts, international human rights, Indigenous law, aboriginal law, and child and family services.
Sarah Morales
Associate Dean Indigenous & Director, JD/JID Program, and Associate Professor
Accepting graduate students
- Contact:
- lawadi@uvic.ca 250-721-8184
- Credentials:
- JD (UVic), LLM (University of Arizona), PhD (UVic), PostDoc (Illinois)
- Area(s) of expertise:
- Torts, transsystemic torts, Coast Salish law and languages, legal research and writing and field schools
Biography
Dr. Sarah Morales (Su-taxwiye) is Coast Salish and a member of the Cowichan Tribes. She is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law, Associate Dean Indigenous, and Director of the JD/JID Program.
Sarah's research focuses on Indigenous legal traditions—particularly those of the Coast Salish peoples—as well as Aboriginal law and human rights. Her scholarship is grounded in the laws and snuw’uyulh (teachings) of the Hul’qumi’num Mustimuhw.
She has been actively involved in nation-building efforts, the recognition of inherent rights and jurisdiction, and the advancement of international human rights law relating to Indigenous peoples. Her work with her own community and other Coast Salish nations has included child and welfare legislative reform, the development of community safety and well-being policies, Indigenous governance planning, and supporting negotiations around complex issues involving privately held fee-simple lands by centering Hul’qumi’num law and land tenure systems.
Selected publications
Journal articles
- Ekers, S. Morales and E. Van Wagner, “From ‘Private’ Managed Forest Lands to Sts’lunuts’amat Forest Relations: Indigenous jurisdiction, ecological integrity, and fee simple title on Vancouver Island” in Justice, Ecology, Law and Place (2024).
- Nichols and S. Morales, “Finding Reconciliation in Dark Territory: Coastal Gaslink, Coldwater, and the Possible Futures of DRIPA” in UBC Law Review, (2021).
- Morales, “Locating Oneself in One’s Research: Learning and Engaging with Law in the Coast Salish World” in Canadian Journal of Women and the Law, (2018).
- Morales, “stl’ul nup: Legal Landscapes of the Hul’qumi’num Mustimuhw” in Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice, (2016).
Book chapters
- Morales, “Su-taxwiye: Keeping my Name Clean” in J. Borrows & K. McNeil, eds., Voicing Identity: Cultural Appropriation and Indigenous Issues (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2022).
- Graben, A. Cameron and Morales, “Gender Impact Analysis of Impact Benefit Agreements: Representation Clauses and the UNDRIP” in Ibironke T. Odumosu-Ayanu & D. Newman, eds., Indigenous-Industry Agreements, Natural Resources and the Law (New York: Routledge, 2021).
- Morales & B. Thom, “The Principle of Sharing and the Shadow of Canadian Property Law” in A. Cameron, S. Graben & V. Napoleon, eds., Creating Indigenous Property: Power, Rights, and Relationships (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2020).
Other publications
- Katarina Sawchuck, Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark and Sarah Morales, “SIIA-CIRCLE 2024 Gathering Report.” Report for the South Island Indigenous Authority, 2024.
- Morales, “Blanketing”: Justice for First Nations Peoples in Canada. Report for the Department of Justice, Government of Canada, 2023.
- Morales, “Indigenous Legal Responses to Hate Incidents: A Coast Salish Case Study.” Report for the British Columbia Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, 2022.
Special projects and other work
Tsawwassen Traditional Laws Revitalization Project: Project Lead (2025-)
- This law revitalization project seeks to amend Tsawwassen First Nation laws to more concretely align with their Coast Salish laws, principles and practices. Through a series of community workshops and subsequent legal drafting, it seeks to ensure a strong cultural match between the laws and society of the Tsawwassen people.
Leey’qsun Law and Governance: Project Lead (2025-)
- This law revitalization project focuses on centering community knowledge and building internal community capacity around law and governance. This work lays the groundwork for future Leey’qsun snuw’uy’uth revitalization and nation building. A focused workshop series included work focused on identity, citizenship and belonging.
Cowichan Tribes Child and Family Wellness Project: Project Lead (2017-2025)
- Dr. Morales co-led the drafting and implementation of landmark laws enacted in 2024, including Laws of the Cowichan People for Families and Children; Sul-hween Harmony Restoring Advisory Regulation; and a Coordination Agreement with B.C. and Canada recognizing Cowichan Tribes’ inherent right to self-government and jurisdiction over child and family welfare.
Grants
The Law Foundation of British Columbia (2025). “Nuts'a'maat shqwaluwun: A public inquiry model for inter-societal redress.” Co-applicant. $249,920 over 4 years.
- This project supports development of a new transsystemic public inquiry model. The model will be grounded in both Island Hul'qumi'num and Canadian law to create avenues for redress and restitution for privately held lands on Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group territories.
- Morales supports the project which maps how Indigenous laws and knowledge governance systems interact with national and international intellectual property regimes. The project employs Indigenous Participatory Action Research (IPAR), centering the voices of Indigenous Peoples throughout the research process.
- This project addresses the relationship between fee simple and Aboriginal title. It investigates the legacies of the Esquimalt & Nanaimo (E&N) Land Grants. Through the project “The Great Land Grab” Dr. Morales supports shaping discourses and improving public understanding on private property and Indigenous title. Learn more
Media
- Architectural Record. Quoted in “Indigenous Law Shapes a Different Kind of Academic Building at the University of Victoria in British Columbia” by Katharine Logan. 2026.
- The Conversation Canada. Sarah Morales and Estair Van Wagner, “The B.C. Supreme Court’s recognition of Cowichan title is an invitation to enact transformative change.” 2025.
- Globe and Mail. Quoted in “Indigenous legal concepts inspire school’s design” by Nancy Lanthier. 2025.
- UVic Law News and Stories. “UVic Law's inaugural Associate Dean Indigenous." 2025.
- The Tyee. Michael Ekers, Estair Van Wagner and Sarah Morales. “We Need to Talk about Private Forest Lands.” 2023.
Recognition and awards
- 2024 Contribution to the Law Award, Victoria Bar Association
- 2019 First Year Class Teaching Award, LSS Awards