Cambridge Forum on Environmental Law _{1st Generation}

Jana McLean is the principal of Iris Legal, a boutique firm focused on the areas of environmental, natural resources, and Indigenous law. Jana is nationally recognized for her environmental and Indigenous law practice, appearing in Best Lawyers in Canada and Chambers. Jana regularly advises in all areas of environmental law, including contaminated sites, water and fisheries law, environmental assessments, environmental compliance, enforcement and prosecutions, and species at risk. She has acted as counsel in significant cases concerning air quality, fisheries law, contaminated sites, and pipeline developments. In her Indigenous law practice, Jana regularly assists clients in the areas of Aboriginal rights and title, Indian band governance, Indian reserve issues, Heritage Conservation Act matters, and natural resource decisions. She acted as lead counsel for a group of Stó:lo communities who successfully challenged the federal government’s failure to consult on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. ​ Earlier in her career, Jana clerked at the BC Court of Appeal and worked on human rights and environmental issues in South Africa. Jana also has a Masters in Law (granted First Class) from the University of Cambridge, UK.

After 21 years at a national law firm, Janice is now the sole proprietor of her own firm, providing legal and strategic advice on environmental and regulatory law and policy to industrial, commercial and individual clients.   For the past 22 years, Janice’s practice has encompassed a wide range of environmental and natural resources law, providing advice on wildlife management (endangered species, fisheries and migratory birds), water planning and licencing, project development, permitting, environmental assessment, inspections and investigations, commercial transactions, and contaminated sites. She has represented clients in administrative matters, civil litigation and regulatory prosecutions.   Janice Walton is nationally recognised in environmental law and in particular, is one of Canada’s leading practitioners in endangered species law. She has written extensively on the federal and provincial regulations impacting the protection of endangered species and their habitat, and regularly presents at regional, national and international conferences on the subject. She has advised industry groups and corporations in the natural resource and agricultural fields, commercial developers, and public, corporate and individual landowners on the impacts of these laws on their operations.