Biography: Environment

David Estrin is a partner in Gowlings' Toronto office. He is recognised as Canada's senior environmental law practitioner and one of the country's most experienced environmental law specialists. For more than 30 years he has advised government agencies, corporations, financial institutions, Aboriginal people and ratepayers, as well as law firms in Canada and the US, in all facets of environmental law.

David is also a highly experienced aboriginal lawyer. He has advised and represented First Nations and Inuit people as well as private sector proponents and is head of Gowlings' Toronto aboriginal law practice group.

David is highly sought-after for his environmental counsel. He has appeared as counsel before virtually every level of court in Ontario, Alberta and at the federal level, at various times representing federal and provincial departments and agencies, Crown corporations, municipalities, the private sector, aboriginal people and environmental groups. He is also recognised as a leading environmental counsel before Ontario's Environmental Assessment Board, the Ontario Municipal Board, the Environmental Review Tribunal and Joint Boards. His cases before the courts and tribunals have established leading precedents in the environmental, aboriginal, land-use planning and resources law areas.

David's cases before the Federal Court Trial Division and Federal Court of Appeal have established leading precedents regarding the proper scope of environmental assessment for major infrastructure projects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

David's in-depth involvement in various aspects of environmental assessment (EA) includes developing policy and drafting EA legislation, advising the Ontario Minister of the Environment regarding EA reform, advising consultants and clients regarding necessary components of an acceptable EA study, litigating fundamental legal issues as to what constitutes a proper and acceptable EA document and litigating EA procedural issues before EA boards, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Federal Court of Canada.

In 2006, the Canadian Bar Association honoured David's achievements in the development of Canadian environmental law practice by establishing the David Estrin Prize for the best scholarly essay in environmental, energy or resources law by a Canadian law student. For 2011-2012, he is senior vice-chair of the International Bar Association environment, health and safety committee.

David has been listed as a leading lawyer in several legal industry publications, including The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, Chambers Global, Who's Who Legal: Canada, PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook, Lexpert/ALM Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, Best Lawyers in Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Who's Who Legal and Euromoney Publications' Guide to the World's Leading Environmental Lawyers.

David is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Law Society of Alberta, and the Canadian Bar Association.