Bio
Amanda is an associate lawyer practicing in the areas of environmental law and litigation, as well as Indigenous and energy law. Amanda draws on her background in environmental studies and her past experience with the Government of Canada to understand complex environmental legal problems. Amanda is passionate about assisting clients to develop effective and creative solutions to multifaceted issues. Amanda is called to the bar in Ontario.
Environmental Law
Amanda supports a wide variety of clients with environmental compliance matters. Amanda assists clients in understanding and achieving compliance with their federal, provincial, and municipal environmental regulatory requirements and responsibilities. Amanda also assists clients with managing environmental liability arising from transactions involving contaminated land.
Environmental Litigation
Amanda advocates for clients in environmental civil proceedings, defence of regulatory prosecutions, and appeals of regulatory orders and approvals.
Indigenous and Northern Law
Amanda provides advice to First Nations communities, resource proponents, governments, and environmental boards on environmental law issues and natural resource development. Amanda advises clients on Indigenous consultation obligations, and assists both Indigenous communities and resource proponents in the negotiation of agreements such as Exploration Agreements and Impact Benefit Agreements.
Previous Environmental and Indigenous Experience
Prior to joining Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers, Amanda worked for the Government of Canada.
At the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, Amanda led Crown consultations with Indigenous communities on major resource development projects in Ontario. Prior to that, at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Amanda provided policy support for Canada’s negotiation of modern treaties and self-government agreements with Indigenous communities across Canada.
Amanda graduated from the joint JD/MES program at Osgoode Hall Law School/York University. In law school, Amanda took part in the Environmental Justice and Sustainability Clinic and interned with a BC-based public interest environmental law organization. In this role, Amanda provided legal support for the organization’s efforts to enhance new federal legislation relating to impact assessment. As a research assistant to an environmental law professor, Amanda conducted legal research on litigation across Canada involving the Crown, resource development companies, and Indigenous communities to understand the ways in which the assertion of Indigenous jurisdiction has been understood by the courts.
During law school, Amanda spent a summer with the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, and provided legal support on environmental prosecutions and on hearings before administrative tribunals. Amanda also spent a summer with a BC-based public interest environmental litigation organization, and assisted with ongoing litigation for First Nations clients relating to a major hydroelectric development in BC.
Amanda has provided research and editorial assistance for multiple environmental legal publications, including book chapters, loose-leaf publications, and academic journal articles.
Clients
- Industrial companies
- Indigenous communities and businesses
- Mining and exploration companies
- Land developers and property owners
- Engineering and consulting firms
- Insurers and financial institutions
- Construction sector
- Environmental boards and tribunals
- Municipalities
- Individuals
Representative Work
Environmental Law
- Transactional Environmental Due Diligence and Risk Assessment—Assisted with environmental due diligence advice to a property owner for the sale of contaminated property and risk assessment of off-site migration of contaminants.
- Review of Environmental Regulatory Requirements—Assisted an international client to understand environmental obligations for the import of hazardous waste into Canada.
Environmental Litigation
- Civil Claim for Environmental Damages—Assisted a property owner seeking damages arising from migrating contamination from a neighbouring property.
- Civil Litigation for Nuisance—Assisted property owners seeking damages for nuisance arising from the installation and use of an outdoor wood fired boiler on a neighbouring property.
Indigenous and Northern Law
- Negotiation of Impact Benefit Agreement—Advocated for a First Nation community in the negotiation of an impact benefit agreement for a mining project.