Kateri Koster, Articling Student (Lawyer)
Kateri Koster is proudly Secwépemc from the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation, located in the interior of B.C., in the communities of Canoe Creek and Dog Creek. She grew up in the Cariboo before moving to Kamloops where she has spent most of her life in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory. She completed her undergrad at Thompson Rivers University (TRU), with an English major and History minor, graduating in 2013. While in university, Kateri completed two semesters studying abroad at the Southern Cross University in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. Kateri was accepted into the TRU Faculty of Law in 2016. In the summer of 2016, she attended the Program of Legal Studies for Native People at the University of Saskatchewan, where she completed the first year Property Law course prior to attending TRU Law that fall. While at TRU Law, Kateri was heavily involved in the Indigenous Law Students Association (ILSA) where she was President in 2017-18. ILSA was a significant part of her time at law school and provided her community and space to support and connect with Indigenous peers. She sat on the Executive for the TRU Chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada in 2018-19 as the Social Media Coordinator.
Kateri participated in the Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot in 2019, which is a consensus-based, non-adversarial moot that incorporates Indigenous legal traditions alongside federal, provincial and international law, and concepts of dispute resolution. Kateri graduated from TRU Law in 2019 and credits her time spent in the program as building the foundation for her professional career and where she had the privilege to meet some of her best friends and mentors. Following law school, she took four years off from school and did not complete her articles or call to the bar in that time. Instead, she worked for local First Nations governments in the realm of governance, natural resources, and stewardship. In November 2024, Kateri rejoined the practice of law beginning her articles at Gagnon Law in Kamloops, B.C. Gagnon Law is comprised of all Indigenous lawyers and Kateri is proud to be a member of the team where her practice areas vary from family law, criminal law, and some solicitor work. She looks forward to being called to the bar as an official lawyer in November 2025. Outside of work, she loves being out on her home territory, travelling, and spending time with family and her dog, Birdie.
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