Firm Profile

Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP

Canada Guide 2024

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Canada

Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP

Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP

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About

Provided by Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP
Canada

Firm Details:

Number of Lawyers:17

Offices: Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, and Yellowknife.

Managing Partners: Marc McAree and John Georgakopoulos.

Firm Overview:

Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP. Our law firm has been Canada’s leading law firm for nearly 50 years in the areas of environmental law, Indigenous legal issues, and energy law. Our lawyers tackle the most complex legal issues in our three specialized fields of law, and provide practical, actionable legal solutions and support to our firm’s clients. With our highly specialized lawyers, our law firm is the largest private sector environmental law practice in Canada. Seven of our lawyers are Environmental Law Specialists, certified by the Law Society of Ontario, and one lawyer is a LSO Certified Specialist in Indigenous Legal Issues. Our firm has offices across Canada in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, and Yellowknife. Our lawyers are licensed to practice law in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. Our lawyers work with a wide range of clients including corporations, governments, and First Nations in many different sectors. Our lawyers counsel clients about legal requirements in Canadian federal legislation, provincial legislation, municipal by-laws, and international obligations.

Main Areas of Practice:

Environmental Law:

Environmental law regulates a broad range of environmental impacts to air, land, and water. Existing and new laws seek to respond to legal developments relating to: air emissions, brownfields and contaminated land, discharges to water and water takings, waste generation, disposal and reuse/recycling, endangered species, project development and permitting, chemical use and disposal, hazardous materials and designated substances, dangerous goods transportation, product stewardship, engine emissions, biodiversity, climate change, ESG, sustainability and the circular economy, and many other local, national, and international environmental law issues. Our lawyers litigate and also counsel clients about how best to navigate the panoply of environmental laws. Our lawyers respond to environmental legal issues impacting clients’ operations, and advise about compliance and audits, transactions and due diligence, insurance placement, coverage disputes, and recovery. Our lawyers also appeal environmental regulatory orders, defend environmental regulatory prosecutions, and prosecute or defend environmental lawsuits.

Indigenous Legal Issues:

Indigenous Legal Issues (also referred to as Aboriginal Law) consultation, negotiation, and accommodation are critical elements of successful natural resource and infrastructure projects, and can foster stronger relationships between Indigenous peoples and project proponents. Our Indigenous Legal Issues lawyers assist clients to bridge complex, culturally sensitive matters to achieve effective, practical, and long-term solutions. Our lawyers advise Indigenous communities, industries, municipalities, conservation authorities, and other governments about applicable legal frameworks and requirements to satisfy Indigenous consultation and accommodation. Our firm assists Indigenous communities with building internal capacity for governance, strategic direction, project development, and how best to address corporate and commercial structuring, governance, regulatory compliance, and policy-setting matters.

Energy Law:

Energy laws, regulations and policies set out the legal framework for the development of a wide range of energy projects across Canada. These include renewables involving hydroelectric power, wind power, and solar power. Energy Boards set requirements for electrical transmission and distribution networks, conservation and demand management programs, and incentives for sustainable energy programs. Our energy lawyers play an important role in guiding the energy sector through complex regulatory requirements including environmental assessments, approval hearings, and negotiation of procurement agreements and project agreements with Indigenous peoples across Canada.

Northern:

Our northern law lawyers focus on the unique demands and legal frameworks found in Canada’s three Northern Territories. Our northern law team provides expert legal advice about environmental law, administrative law, Indigenous legal issues (Aboriginal law), resources management, and land claims. Our team takes a collaborative approach to working with Northerners, governments, industries, boards and tribunals, Indigenous communities, Inuit Organizations, Inuvialuit, and First Nations. Our lawyers work in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. Our lawyers counsel resource developers, First Nations, and Inuit about land, water, and resource management, including impact benefit agreements. Our lawyers also appear before environmental and regulatory tribunals on matters relating to mining and other development projects.

Litigation:

Disputes about environmental issues require specialized environmental litigators who are well-versed in the intersection of science, engineering, and law. Our lawyers are expert problem-solvers who help clients resolve, whether by facilitating settlements or by litigating issues before administrative tribunals and the Courts. Our team of litigation lawyers act for clients in civil litigation involving: brownfields and contaminated land, nuisances, toxic torts, judicial reviews, Court applications, and our lawyers both prosecute and defend civil lawsuits. Our litigation lawyers also appeal regulatory orders and approvals to administrative tribunals that hear such appeals, and upon further review to the Courts. Our litigation lawyers defend clients against government enforcement alleging environmental violations of statutes and regulations in the Courts. Our litigation lawyers also counsel Indigenous communities. There can be times when they must proceed to Court to advance their interests having exhausted all other means of alternative dispute resolution including negotiation and mediation. Finally, our team of litigation lawyers spend considerable time before government departments and ministries advocating for project approvals, federal and provincial energy boards representing client interests, and Courts in litigation.

Ranked Offices

Provided by Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP

Canada - Head office
Canada
  • Ottawa
    World Exchange Tower, 45 O'Connor Street, Suite 700, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1P 1A4
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Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP rankings

Canada Guide 2024
Filter by
Band
Nationwide - Canada
Environment
1 Department
4 Ranked Lawyers
Department
Environment
3
Environment
3
Band 3
Lawyers
Marc McAree
2
Marc McAree
Head of Environment
2
Band 2
Charles Birchall
4
Charles Birchall
4
Band 4
John Georgakopoulos
4
John Georgakopoulos
Head of Environment
4
Band 4
Julie Abouchar
4
Julie Abouchar
4
Band 4
Northern Canada and Arctic
General Business Law
1 Department
1 Ranked Lawyer
Department
General Business Law
4
General Business Law
4
Band 4
Lawyers
John Donihee
S
John Donihee
S
Senior Statespeople