Denisa Mertiri
Biography
Denisa Mertiri practices in the areas of environmental, aboriginal and energy law. Denisa delivers strategic, effective and practical legal advice as well as litigation guidance to confront environmental challenges and ever-shifting regulatory frameworks. Denisa has practiced environmental law and commercial as well as environmental litigation at some of Canada’s leading law firms and represented clients in many of Canada’s biggest commercial and regulatory cases and prosecutions. She has also acted as both defence and Crown counsel on a number of criminal and quasi-criminal cases with a track record of negotiating successful resolutions.
Matthew C.M. Lakatos-Hayward
Biography
Matthew is an associate in the Administrative Law Group at Goodmans. He is developing his practice in the area of land use planning and municipal law, with a particular emphasis on environmental law and alternative dispute resolution. Matthew acts for real estate developers, corporations, and landowners in connection with business, municipal, environmental, and planning disputes, including contaminated land lawsuits, impact assessment and regulatory prosecutions. He also advises clients on planning and environmental matters, including compliance, remediation, and natural heritage. Matthew has appeared before the Federal Court of Canada and has experience in multi-party arbitrations and mediations. Matthew obtained his J.D. from the University of Ottawa where he was named to the Dean’s List and graduated cum laude. While at law school, Matthew competed in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, where his team received international recognition and was the highest ranking Canadian team. He was also the President of the Environmental Law Student’s Association and organized a national conference on environmental law.
Graham Reeder
Biography
Graham Reeder is an associate in Gowling WLG’s Toronto office. Graham completed his JD at Osgoode Hall Law School. During his time at Osgoode, he won awards for academic achievement and leadership. He also completed the Environmental Justice and Sustainability Clinic at Osgoode with a placement at an international NGO. Prior to law school, Graham worked with local communities to adapt to climate change in Bangladesh, Malaysia, and the Maldives after graduating from the College of the Atlantic with a Bachelor in Human Ecology. Graham completed his Master of Environmental Studies at York University in the accredited planning program, where he published his research on urban climate resilience in Southeast Asia. Prior to joining Gowling WLG as an associate, Graham worked with the firm as an articling and summer law student.
Nathan Adams
Biography
With a diverse background in wildlife conservation and sustainable development spanning Canada, the United States, Malta, and Indonesia, I bring a unique perspective as an Associate at Mann Lawyers, specializing in corporate and environmental law. My expertise is built on over a decade of experience managing a biodiversity research business, coupled with a strong foundation in legal and scientific knowledge. My legal experience includes preparing for tribunal hearings and defending against environmental civil lawsuits and regulatory prosecutions. This combination of scientific and legal experience allows me to effectively handle a wide range of corporate and environmental matters for my clients. Before joining Mann Lawyers, I managed an international biodiversity conservation office, directed research expeditions in Indonesian rainforests, and contributed to wildlife conservation as a published scientist. My commitment to sustainability also led me to serve as a Senior Project Officer at the United Nations Association in Canada, where I secured green economy jobs and placements for youths at UN agencies worldwide. I have a B.Sc., Earth Systems from the University of Malta, Magna Cum Laude and an M.Env.Sc. from the University of Toronto (Rotary International Global Grant Scholarship Recipient). In 2023, I received my J.D., Cum Laude, from the University of Ottawa and I was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2024. During my legal studies, I interned with Senator Pierre J. Dalphond, focusing on Indigenous legal issues, and led the Environmental Law Students’ Association at the University of Ottawa. During my postgraduate studies, I coauthored key legislative reports on environmental and climate issues during an internship at the Federal Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. I am fluent in English and Maltese, with conversational proficiency in Hebrew, Italian, and Indonesian. Outside my professional life, I am also a musician and an active member of the Rotary Club of Ottawa South. I mentor current students and future leaders through the University of Toronto Partners in Mentorship Program.
David S. McRobert
Biography
David S. McRobert is an environmental lawyer based in southern Ontario with offices in Peterborough and Toronto. Between October 1994 and June 2010, he was In-House Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor at the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario and was involved in the establishment of the office. David has a B.Sc. in Biology from Trent University (1980) and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies (MES) from York University (1984). He graduated with an LL.B. degree from Osgoode Hall Law School (1987) and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1990. Before joining the ECO, David was a senior policy advisor in the Waste Reduction Office in the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. From 1989 to 1991, he coordinated research and advocacy on waste management and global warming at Pollution Probe. He has also worked for the Workplace Health and Safety Agency in Toronto, the Ontario Round Table on Environment and Economy, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of the Attorney General. David has published numerous articles and reports on a range of environmental issues. In the past two decades, he has prepared a number of reports, articles, and conference papers on a range of environmental subjects, including public participation and government accountability for environmental decision-making. Between 1991 and 2009, he taught courses on environmental law and policy to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University and the University of Toronto and he continues to guest lecture on a wide range of topics.
