The most widely read magazine for Canadian lawyers
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/1287338
www.canadianlawyermag.com 27 CHANGEMAKERS JESSICA CLOGG Vancouver Executive Director and Senior Counsel, West Coast Environmental Law Jessica Clogg, alongside West Coast Environmental Law, has played an instrumental role in environmental law reform efforts and in the passage of new environmental laws in the face of crucial challenges such as climate change, sustainable resource extraction and marine protection. These reforms included the new British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act, which is the first provincial legislation in Canada that recognizes the inherent jurisdiction of Indigenous nations in making their own decisions regarding resource projects within their territories. Clogg also helped in the development of RELAW, a program that strives to revitalize Indigenous laws over land, air and water. The pilot phase of the program involved more than 50 First Nations who participated in projects wherein they applied their own laws to land and resource management, environmental assessment, water stewardship and fisheries governance, among other issues. Overall, these initiatives have improved legal protection for the environment and environmental decision-making processes. She holds an Ashoka fellowship, which recognizes her commitment to bridging between Canadian and Indigenous legal traditions. CHANGEMAKERS TONY LOPARCO Toronto President, Ontario Crown Attorneys' Association Tony Loparco, jointly nominated with John Struthers, is being distinguished for his collaborative leadership in COVID-19 pandemic response efforts. Loparco and Struthers took decisive action to protect the health and safety of front-line lawyers, administrative staff and the public. Together or separately, Loparco and Struthers facilitated the withdrawal of front-line assistant Crowns from court appearances at a time when official response to the declaration of emergency was perceived as inadequate. They also backed public health directives to flatten the curve by talking to the media and calling attention to COVID- 19-related issues in the justice system. These efforts were instrumental in the provincial government's decision to partially shutter courts and to impose remote working arrangements for staff. Loparco and Struthers also set up emergency meetings with the goal of helping lawyers more smoothly navigate the evolving situation amid COVID-19. During these meetings, they kept the members of their organizations updated and offered advice and support. CHANGEMAKERS LORNE N. MACLEAN Vancouver Founder, MacLean Law Lorne MacLean has acted in numerous cases that have impacted the family law regime in B.C. In Wang v. Jiang et al, 2020 BCSC 145, he obtained a six-month jail sentence against the respondent husband for contempt and perjury in order to protect his client, as well as family property worth $1.2 million, lump sum spousal support of $800,000, child support of $12,666 per month and special costs amounting to $410,000. In Devathasan v. Devathasan, 2019 BCSC 661, MacLean secured a worldwide Mareva injunction on family property in Canada, the U.S., Singapore and Southeast Asia worth almost $50 million; interim spousal support of more than $83,000 a month; child support of more than $21,000 a month; and a lifetime protection order. In Li v. Rao, 2019 BCCA 56, he contended that, when a marriage is declared void ab initio, the parties remain entitled to a division of family property and spousal support under the Family Law Act.