Jeffrey Rath shows his support for Mitch Sylvestre as he submits signatures for a separation referendum to Elections Alberta in Edmonton, on May 4, 2026. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson
An Alberta judge has extended an order temporarily freezing the assets of separatist lawyer Jeffrey Rath and his law firm as part of an ongoing legal dispute over millions of dollars in trust money from a First Nation treaty settlement.
As part of the extended and expanded order, Rath and his law firm
to give the lawyers for Tallcree First Nation sworn evidence identifying their financial assets and their location by July 27. They must also provide sworn evidence and accounting records for all fees and charges paid out of Tallcree First Nation’s trust account by Aug. 4.
Rath must also undergo further examination under oath about his assets on or before Aug. 11.
Tallcree First Nation alleges Rath improperly charged millions of dollars to a trust established to hold settlement money for its members, including funds earmarked for minors, and that the trust may have paid much of its own court-ordered repayment. Rath disputes the allegations.
The judge’s order will remain in effect until 60 days after a final ruling, or until the Tallcree First Nation either discontinues the matter or has it dismissed. Alternatively, the order will end if Rath gives $15 million to the receiver to be held in trust pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.
The order freezing Rath’s assets was initially issued by Alberta Court of King’s Bench Justice Michael Marion on July 10, according to documents first obtained by Global News. The order had remained in effect until July 15, when the hearing took place.
Rath has been in a court battle with the First Nation, which stems from a fee dispute that escalated into a battle over trust money intended to benefit Tallcree members. In 2021, Alberta courts reduced a 20 percent fee that Rath & Company charged for Tallcree’s $57.6 million Treaty 8 settlement, and ordered an $8.5 million repayment into the First Nation Trust.
Tallcree Chief Rupert Meneen said in a court affidavit that the trust distributed settlement funds to eligible beneficiaries while holding the portions of settlement funds belonging to members who were minors until they reached adulthood. Meneen said that Rath’s firm served as sole trustee of the fund.
It is alleged that Rath withheld financial statements from the trust, and the filings showed that he had charged more than $6 million in 2024, which was the same year the trust was required to make the court-ordered repayment of about $8.5 million. Tallcree’s lawyers had argued that the trust may have paid for much of its own repayment.
Rath is the co-founder of and legal counsel for the Alberta Prosperity Project, a pro-separatist group in Alberta pushing for the province to leave Canada. He has previously represented First Nations in high-profile treaty settlements.
Rath said in a July 16 statement
the chief had negotiated a reduced 20 percent rate on a contingent fee agreement, but then proceeded to “litigate for years on the basis that the contract they agreed to by Band Council Resolution was ‘unreasonable.’”
According to Rath, the original fee arrangement was approved by 94 percent of Tallcree First Nation members who voted on it. He also said the payment of the fee to the chief and council was rejected by both Justice Lee and the Court of Appeal following successful action funded by the trust, but the chief was now claiming “the costs of defeating their claim on the funds is a ‘misappropriation’ of trust funds.”
Rath added that he had created “billions of dollars in wealth and economic opportunities” for the communities he served. “This matter remains in active litigation every allegation of impropriety is disputed,” he said.
