Adam Chamberlain  

Adam Chamberlain is National Leader of the Team North and Climate Change Groups and Toronto Regional Leader of the Aboriginal Law and Forestry Law Groups. Certified as a Specialist in Environmental Law by the Law Society of Upper Canada, Adam has practised environmental and energy law for most of his career, focused on infrastructure development. Adam's practice encompasses diverse matters related to the environmental and other regulatory requirements involved with project development. Adam is also extensively involved in relationships between Aboriginal communities and project proponents related to all manner of developments.

Specifically, Adam has extensive experience with:

• Environmental Assessment (EA) of projects including energy, mining and wastewater facilities.
• Providing strategic legal advice regarding Aboriginal involvement in infrastructure development as proponents of communities being consulted and accommodated, and regarding the provincial and federal environmental regulatory framework.
• Assisting with compliance with provincial and federal environmental legislation and regulations generally.
• Acting as counsel regarding litigation related to EA and other environmental approvals, including judicial review of government decisions and related appeals.
• Advising on environmental aspects of corporate transactions, brownfield redevelopment and risks related to climate change, management of carbon and other emissions, and the related regulatory and business risks.

Environmental

• Acts as EA counsel on large infrastructure projects in the energy, water, mining, wastewater and waste sectors. Advice ranges from the preparation of the Terms of Reference for EAs to the conduct of hearings and argument of arising appeals. Particularly notable involvement in energy, mining, waste and wastewater EAs.
• Has provided counsel to numerous significant infrastructure projects with a combination of extensive knowledge of environmental law and policy, and sound legal and risk management analysis; brings a unique multidisciplinary approach to problem solving and management.
• Provides specialized regulatory counsel to parties involved in corporate, as well as real estate transactions.

Energy

• Advises clients ranging from private power developers to the Ontario Power Authority.
• Assisted in leading negotiations in large infrastructure projects (this has involved a variety of energy, waste and energy from waste projects). Proven success in assisting with complex project management issues in projects involving numerous parties with significantly divergent interests.
• Within electricity sector, has also assisted an Aboriginal transmission utility that resulted in the electrification of several off-grid communities in northern Ontario, as well as other Aboriginal energy initiatives.
• Has broad and varied experience acting for government; served as counsel to the Ontario Ministry of Finance Advisory Committee on the Management and Disposition of Ontario's Hydro Contracts with Non-Utility Generators, and co-counsel to the Select Committee of the Ontario Legislature on Ontario Hydro Nuclear Affairs.

Aboriginal

• Advises regarding the duty to consult with Aboriginal Peoples to proponents of infrastructure of various types and assists in the development and execution of consultation plans. Assists project proponents of EAs with the complex legal relationship between the EA regulatory process and the need to consult with Aboriginal Peoples.
• Works as counsel to Aboriginal proponents of infrastructure of various sorts, as well as joint ventures between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organizations.

Mining

• Provides regulatory, environmental, and impact and benefit advice to proponents, governments and Aboriginal organizations involved in mining projects and transactions.

• Panellist, “Trouble on the Great Lakes,” The Agenda with Steve Paikin, TVO, March 2013.

• Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition (and since 2008) of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Environmental Law).
• Recognized in the 2012 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Environmental Law).