According to some, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP is a ‘trusted partner for clients facing complex, high-stakes environmental matters’. Leveraging its broad platform across Western Canada, the team’s growing prominence is reflected in its increasing activity in mandates involving Toronto and Quebec. Department co-head Joshua Jantzi operates from Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver and specializes in environmental law disputes and administrative proceedings. Practice co-head and senior counsel Wally Braul likewise divides his time between Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver and is a go-to environmental law litigator. Other key contacts include Max Collett (Vancouver), Robert Seidel KC (Edmonton) and Jennifer Cleall KC (Edmonton).
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Joshua Janzi and the DLA Piper team are a trusted partner for clients facing complex, high-stakes environmental matters. What sets this practice apart is its relentless focus on results—navigating regulatory hurdles, mitigating risk, and closing matters with speed and precision.’
‘The team handles the most demanding contaminated site files, regulatory enforcement actions, and ESG-related disputes with a level of strategic and technical depth that few can match. Clients aren’t hiring DLA Piper for optics—they hire the team because it delivers, especially when the stakes are high.’
‘Joshua Janzi and Robert Seidel KC stand out for their combination of legal precision and commercial fluency. They stand out for their ability to move quickly without sacrificing detail, their understanding of how decisions play out operationally and their ability to manage complex matters under pressure.’
- ‘Joshua Janzi is a weapon on complex environmental files—smart, strategic, and unflappable. He cuts through noise, understands regulator dynamics, and drives toward practical solutions with speed. Robert Seidel KC is equally sharp in commercial disputes and contract-heavy negotiations.’
- ‘The team stands out for its depth of knowledge pertaining to environmental law and ability to get results. Lawyers are experienced and comfortable in dealing with large corporations.’
Key clients
- Braaap Holdings Corp
- BASF Corporation, BASF Canada and BASF SE
- Kirby Offshore Marine
- Silver47 Exploration Corp
- Imperial Oil
- 7-Eleven Canada
- Government of Alberta
- Carbon Neutral Royalty
Work highlights
Advised Braaap Holdings Corp on appeals to the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board concerning an administrative monetary penalty assessment.
Advised Kirby Offshore Marine on contentious matters relating to a significant oil spill on the west coast of British Columbia.
Defended BASF in multiple proposed class actions filed against defendants alleged to have manufactured, imported, marketed or sold products containing PFAS or precursor PFAS chemicals in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Wally Braul; Joshua Jantzi
Other key lawyers
Max Collett; Robert Seidel KC; Amy Pressman; Dan Misutka; Jennifer Cleall KC