Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP (Willms & Shier) is Canada’s recognized leading environmental, Indigenous and energy law firm, delivering a full range of specialized legal services. For nearly 50 years, our clients have benefitted from our innovative, practical solutions and extensive knowledge of environmental law.
Willms & Shier has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, and Yellowknife and provides legal services in all Canadian civil law, common law jurisdictions. Our dedicated, specialized expertise allows us to provide efficient and cost-effective services that recognize the needs of each client.
With eight partners and six associates, we are the largest private sector practice in Canada dedicated to environmental law. Six of our lawyers are Environmental Law Specialists, certified by the Law Society of Ontario. Our lawyers are distinguished by their educational backgrounds or pre-law experience in science, engineering, geology and environmental studies that complement their understanding of the technical and legal issues that our clients face. Understanding the technical issues is vital to our ability to successfully resolve environmental law issues and conflicts.
Willms & Shier represents a range of clients including municipalities, conservation authorities, transit authorities, industry and individuals, clients of real estate and business lawyers, environmental professionals, insurance companies and claims adjusters, property owners, managers, and Indigenous communities. We work with our clients, in-house counsel, and environmental engineers and scientists to find practical solutions to complex matters.
Willms & Shier provides legal services in three main practice areas – environmental law, Indigenous legal issues and energy law:
- Environmental Law and Litigation: Environmental law is the core of Willms & Shier’s legal services. Our environmental law practice involves environmental due diligence and risk management, environmental auditing and compliance, land use compatibility concerns, climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, brownfields strategy and contaminated site remediation, wildlife and water law, environmental assessment and approvals, air emissions, odour, noise, waste, and day-to-day environmental compliance. Willms & Shier’s environmental litigation practice focuses on environmental civil litigation, environmental appeals, and environmental regulatory defence of prosecutions.
- Indigenous Law: Willms & Shier lawyers work at the intersection of Indigenous legal issues and resource and economic development. We have negotiated agreements that facilitate practical solutions involving Indigenous peoples, municipalities, conservation authorities, resource developers and the environment. Willms & Shier’s Indigenous legal services include Aboriginal consultation, resource sector agreements, capacity support for Indigenous groups and businesses, dispute resolution, litigation and training.
- Energy Law: Willms & Shier’s energy law practice involves renewable energy and transmission projects, regulatory approvals and appearances before energy boards.
Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP is named “Law Firm of the Year” for Environmental Law in The Best Lawyers in Canada, 2024 Edition.
Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers is listed in the Globe and Mail’s list of “Best Law Firms in Canada” for 2025.
About Marc McAree
Marc McAree, B.A. (Hons.), LL.B., M.E.S., is a Partner at Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP and certified as a Specialist in Environmental Law by the Law Society of Ontario.
Marc provides advice and solutions to a wide range of clients to overcome their environmental law and litigation issues. Marc has significant environmental law expertise in contaminated land/brownfields clean ups, transactions and litigation, and environmental compliance and approvals. Marc also helps clients reduce and manage environmental risks and liabilities.
Marc is recognized for his excellence representing clients in environmental civil litigation at all levels of Ontario Courts, defence of clients against environmental regulatory prosecutions, and appearances before the Ontario Land Tribunal and other administrative law decision-makers on appeals and other hearings. Marc has particular experience litigating soil and groundwater contaminant impacts, nuisance and odour issues.
Marc is recognized annually for:
- The 2025 Lexpert’s Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada – Most Frequently Recommended for Environmental Law
- The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – Most Frequently Recommended for Environmental Law
- The Best Lawyers in Canada for Environmental Law and Municipal Law, named “Lawyer of the Year” in 2019 – Environmental Law in Toronto
- Lexology as a “Global Elite Thought Leader” for Environment and Climate Change
- Chambers & Partners for Environmental Law – ranked in Band 2.
Marc is called to the Bar in Ontario and British Columbia.
About Amanda Spitzig
Amanda Spitzig, J.D., M.E.S., B.A. (Hons.), is an Associate lawyer at Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP. Amanda practices at the intersection of environmental law and litigation, Indigenous law, and natural resources law. Amanda provides strategic advice to a wide range of clients, including corporations, land developers and property owners, insurers, Indigenous communities, and individuals. Amanda assists clients in understanding and achieving compliance with their federal, provincial, and municipal environmental regulatory requirements and responsibilities. Amanda has experience advocating for clients in environmental civil proceedings, defence of regulatory prosecutions, and appeals of regulatory orders and approvals.
Before joining Willms & Shier, Amanda led Crown consultations on major resource development projects in Canada and provided support on Canada’s negotiation of self-government agreements and modern treaties with Indigenous communities. Amanda brings this experience to support First Nations communities, resource development companies, and environmental boards on environmental law issues and natural resource development.
Amanda is called to the Bar in Ontario, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories.
