Liane Langstaff
Liane Langstaff is an environmental lawyer in Gowling WLG's Toronto office. She represents clients and provides comprehensive legal advice on a range of environmental matters, with a focus on environmental litigation, environmental assessments, land-use planning and climate change.
Liane frequently acts on cutting-edge environmental issues. She represented the Canadian Public Health Association in its intervention in the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act constitutional cases before the Courts of Appeal of Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan and the Supreme Court of Canada. As a climate governance expert with the Canada Climate Law Initiative, she presents to corporate boards and corporate audiences on the duties of directors and officers to address the risks and opportunities of climate change.
As a result of her former role as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Liane leverages an intimate knowledge of the courts to represent her clients in complex litigation proceedings. She has appeared before the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario Court of Justice and Divisional Court, as well as administrative tribunals, including the Environmental Review Tribunal and federal panels convened under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. She has assisted her clients in mediations, settlement conferences and international investor-state arbitrations.
Liane has a bachelor of science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Guelph, an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. She has received several prominent awards, including the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship, Hennick Medal for Academic Excellence and University of Guelph College of Management & Economics Distinguished Scholar Medal. Building on her interdisciplinary education, Liane uses her scientific background, legal skills and business acumen to advise her clients.
Liane also understands her clients' practical concerns, bringing to bear experience in the environmental, energy and municipal sectors with prior roles at Ontario Power Generation, municipalities, a sustainability consultancy and environmental NGOs.
Liane has appeared as a guest lecturer at law schools and a school of planning and was a co-instructor of the 2019 J.D. Environmental Law course at Osgoode Hall Law School. She writes extensively about developments in environmental law and co-authored A Guide to Canada's Impact Assessment Act, 2020 Edition. Liane volunteers her time with Pro Bono Law Ontario and previously sat as a board member for an environmental not-for-profit organization.
When not solving complex legal problems, Liane loves running in conservation areas, camping in provincial parks and exploring new trails from the Yukon to Peru.