Environmental Litigation Conference 2026


Course Date: June 18, 2026

Full Course Materials
Total: 5h 4min
Total Ethics: 1h
Course Agenda ▼
Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:05)
 
Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Jessica Magonet — Ecojustice, Vancouver
David Wu — Arvay Finlay LLP, Victoria
 
Emerging Issues in Indigenous Environmental Litigation (9:05 – 9:50)
 
  • from declaration to duty: implementing UNDRIP and the effect of Gitxaala v. British Columbia (Chief Gold Commissioner), 2025 BCCA 430
  • Teal Cedar Products Ltd. v. British Columbia, 2025 BCSC 595: shared and joint decision-making in forestry and reconciliation
Lisa C. Fong, KC — Ng Ariss Fong, Vancouver 
Anthony Ho — Ad Astra Law Corporation, Victoria
Amanda Nurse — Ng Ariss Fong, Vancouver
 
Challenging and Defending Resource Projects (9:50 – 10:35)
 
  • judicial review practice from the perspective of proponents, public interest groups, First Nations, and government
  • the importance of the "record"
  • issues of standing and party status
  • effects on judicial review practice of Bill 9 – Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026, and Bill 16 – Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2026
Trevor Bant — Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria 
Michelle Casey — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver
Julia W. Riddle — Arvay Finlay LLP, Vancouver
 
BREAK (10:35 – 10:50)
 
Access to Justice Issues in Environmental Litigation (10:50 – 11:35)
 
  • client relationships
  • trauma-informed practice
  • environmental justice
  • working with First Nations
Declan Redman — Arvay Finlay LLP, Vancouver
Shawn Smith — West Coast Environmental Law, Vancouver 
Karenna L. Williams — Huberman Law Group, Vancouver
 
International Law in Environmental Litigation (11:35 – 12:20)
 
  • sources of international law
  • treaties versus customary international law
  • international environmental law versus international human rights law
  • application to domestic courts
Kelly Matheson — Our Children's Trust, Eugene, Oregon
James Yap — Jackman & Associates, Toronto
 
LUNCH (12:20 – 12:45) with Keynote Speaker (12:45 – 1:15) 
 
Justice Matthew Kirchner — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
 
Injunctions (1:15 – 2:00)
 
  • "irreparable harm" in environmental litigation
  • media exclusion zones
  • Indigenous law in injunctions and contempt proceedings
Patrick C. Canning — Barrister & Solicitor, Gabriola Island
Eugene Kung — West Coast Environmental Law, Vancouver
Frances Mahon — Pender Litigation, Vancouver 
 
BREAK (2:00 – 2:15)
 
Climate Litigation (2:15 – 3:00)
 
  • greenwashing litigation in Canada and abroad
  • climate rights litigation in Canada and abroad
  • role of the legislative branch in climate litigation
Andhra Azevedo — Arvay Finlay LLP, Vancouver
Spencer Bass — Stockwoods LLP, Toronto 
 
Closing Remarks (3:00 – 3:05)
 
Jessica Magonet — Ecojustice, Vancouver
David Wu — Arvay Finlay LLP, Victoria