Kip Phillips

Bio

Kip is an associate lawyer practicing environmental law, litigation, Indigenous law, and with focus on species conservation, biodiversity risk, and animal-related environmental issues. She draws on her background in environmental journalism to advocate clearly for clients. Kip is called to the bar in Ontario.

Environmental Law

Kip supports a wide variety of clients with environmental compliance matters, and assists them to understand their environmental regulatory requirements and responsibilities.

Environmental Litigation

Kip supports clients in environmental civil and administrative proceedings, and in the defence of regulatory prosecutions.  Kip has experience appealing Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks’ Orders to the Ontario Land Tribunal, and prosecuting and defending contaminated land lawsuits before Ontario’s Courts.

Energy and Natural Resources Law

Kip supports clients seeking regulatory approval for energy projects. 

Indigenous and Northern Law

Kip assists with the provision of legal advice to First Nations communities including advice for resource proponents, governments, and environmental boards.

Prior Environmental Experience

• In law school, Kip graduated with a specialization in Environmental Law and Social Justice Law.
• Kip previously completed a Directed Research study for the Pacific Legal Education and Outreach Society on The Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act and potential  for judicial review post-Vavilov.
•  Kip previously completed a student research project for Nature Canada on environmental concerns involving Part 6 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
• Kip previously volunteered as an assistant to MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith as Chair of the Animal Caucus, and drafted briefs for caucus meetings, and coordinated meetings with MPs and parliamentary staff.
• Before Law School, Kip worked as an environmental journalist writing about sustainability, green housing, and transit infrastructure issues.

Clients

• Industrial companies
• Land developers, property owners, landlords and tenants
• Engineering and consulting firms
• Insurers and financial institutions
• Construction sector
• Indigenous communities and businesses
• Environmental boards and tribunals
• Municipalities
• Individuals

Representative Work

Environmental Law

• Environmental Presentations—Prepared materials for and assisted in developing environmental presentations on odour complaints, the environmental assessment process, and a special look at endangered species in Ontario. 
• Environmental Articles—Assisted with articles on biodiversity, ESG, and electric vehicles.
• Environmental Screening of Regulatory Requirements—Assisted a company to understand the scope of its regulatory requirements in Ontario.

Environmental Litigation

• Defence of Prosecution—Assisted landowners facing charges from a Conservation Authority.
• Civil Claim for Environmental Damages—Assisted a corporation seeking damages arising from migrating contamination from a neighboring property. 
• Judicial Review Application—Assisted a group of companies with its judicial review application to the Federal Court.

Energy and Natural Resources Law

• Advice on Regulatory Requirements for renewable natural gas—Assisted a company to understood compliance with regulatory requirements concerning renewable natural gas.
• Advice on Future Opportunities for the Hydrogen economy—Researched future opportunities for the hydrogen economy as a renewable resource.
• Review Electricity Contracts—Assisted a corporation to understood contractual obligations under its electricity contract.

Indigenous and Northern Law

• Represent Northern Board in Regulatory Proceedings—Assisted a Northern Resource Board with regulatory obligations involving energy permitting.
• Represent First Nation with Indigenous Business Agreement—Assisted a First Nation in obtaining an Indigenous Business Agreement for a cannabis business.