CLE Online

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:15)

Maxine Hayman Matilpi — West Coast Environmental Law, Vancouver

Keynote—Last Line of Defense: Lawyers Stepping Up to Advocate for Climate Justice (9:15 – 9:35)

Andrea Rodgers — Senior Litigation Attorney, Our Children's Trust, Seattle, WA

BREAK (9:35 – 9:45)

Climate Science (9:45 – 10:20)

An overview of the science of climate change and how BC is being affected, and will be affected, by rising global temperatures. 

Kari Tyler — Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, University of Victoria, Victoria

BREAK (10:20 – 10:30)

Evidentiary Issues Around Climate Change (10:30 – 11:00)

How can we draw the causal and evidentiary links between climate change, the actions of particular parties, and harm caused by climate change?

Dr. Benjamin Franta — PhD Candidate, History of Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Andrew B. Gage — West Coast Environmental Law, Vancouver

BREAK (11:00 – 11:10)

Incorporating Climate Change Into Your Practice—Part I (11:10 – 12:10)

With clients interested in, and impacted by, climate change more and more, how might lawyers best serve their clients? (Panel 1 of 2)

Ravipal S. Bains — McMillan LLP, Vancouver
Becky Clissmann — Steering Group Member, The Chancery Lane Project, London, England
Elisabeth (Lisa) DeMarco — Senior Partner and CEO, Resilient LLP, Toronto
Terri-Lynn gidahl-gudsllaay lalaxaaygans Williams-Davidson, KC — White Raven Law Corporation|XUUYA GAADA KILYAHDA, Surrey

LUNCH BREAK (12:10 – 1:00) 

Roles of Different Levels of Government in Climate Change (1:00 – 1:40)

Senior levels of government are tackling climate change with various levels of success. What have the courts said about the powers of different levels of government and how are those governments using their powers?

Anna Johnston — West Coast Environmental Law Association, Vancouver
Christie McLeod — Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver
Professor Stepan Wood — Centre for Law and the Environment, Peter A. Allard School of Law, UBC, Vancouver

BREAK (1:40 – 1:50)

Incorporating Climate Change Into Your Practice—Part II (1:50 – 2:30) 

With clients interested in, and impacted by, climate change more and more, how might lawyers best serve their clients? (Panel 2 of 2)

Oliver Berkeley — Consulting Partner, BSc (Hons), Keystone Consulting and Appraisals, Nelson
Meredith James — Woodward & Co. Lawyers LLP, Victoria
Donald Lidstone, KC — Lidstone & Company, Vancouver
Rob Norton — Appraisal Partner, AACI, P. App., Keystone Consulting and Appraisals, Nelson

BREAK (2:30 – 2:40)

Public Interest Climate Litigation (2:40 – 3:30)

Some lawyers and environmental activists see the law as offering a solution to the challenges of climate change. This panel will review some of the cases brought against governments, corporations, and others in Canada and elsewhere to force action on climate change. 

Alan Andrews — Ecojustice Canada, Vancouver
Richard J. Overstall — Richard J. Overstall Law Office, Penticton
Catherine J. Boies Parker, KC — Arvay Finlay LLP, Victoria 

BREAK (3:30 – 3:40)

Self-reflection and Sharing (small break-out groups) (3:40 – 3:55) 

We invite you to share your thoughts on climate change.

You can type your comments in the chat or, if you prefer to take the microphone, please raise your hand in chat and CLEBC will send you an "unmute" button.

Please try to keep your comments brief so we can give more people an opportunity to be heard.

Closing Keynote—The Courts, The Legal Profession, and Climate Change (3:55 – 4:25)

A judge's perspective on the role of lawyers and the judiciary in addressing climate change.

The Honourable Justice Brian Preston, FRSN SC, Chief Judge — Land and Environmental Court of NSW, Sydney, Australia

Closing Remarks (4:25 – 4:30)

Andrew B. Gage — West Coast Environmental Law, Vancouver