Visiting Lawyers, Summer Law Students, Pro Bono Law Students, and Legal Interns

Each year, West Coast Environmental Law welcomes a number of Summer Law Students, pro bono law students who volunteer during the school year, as well as legal interns and visiting lawyers who may already have completed law school and are practicing in Canada or in other countries. We couldn’t do our work without them!

Summer 2010:

Justin Basinger: Justin Basinger is from Comox, on Vancouver Island. He graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BA in Political Science and Dialogue. He is currently a law student at the University of Toronto. Justin is interested in the tangible, positive impacts environmental law has on everyday life, and its intersection with Aboriginal law. Justin joined West Coast on a June Callwood Fellowship in Aboriginal Law provided through the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.

Kristen Brewer: Kristen has just completed her first year of law studies at the University of British Columbia. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to spend the summer interning at WCEL, learning more about Canadian environmental and Aboriginal law. Kristen is particularly interested in environmental issues relating to energy production and use in BC.

Emma Hume: Emma grew up playing in the cold rivers and lush mountains around BC and learning about the immense value of these ecosystems. These lessons continue to inspire her learning both in her studies at UBC, where she received a B.A. (Hons) in Human Geography, and now at the University of Victoria where she studies law. Emma joined West Coast through the support of the Torys Public Internship Award at Queen's University Faculty of Law, where she spent her first year in law.

Servane Phillips: Servane Phillips hails from Toronto and is currently a law student at UBC. She is delighted to be learning more about the ecology of the Pacific Northwest by spending the summer interning at WCEL and teaching environmental stewardship in Puget Sound onboard the Schooner Adventuress. Servane hopes to frame her legal career around her lifelong love of fish and ships.

Dyna Tuytel: Dyna Tuytel grew up in Vancouver, spending her summers hiking in the BC wilderness. She headed to the University of Toronto to study law after realizing how many exciting things she could do with a law degree - especially environmental law. She has admired West Coast’s work for some time and is excited to be part of the team for the summer.

Fall 2009-Winter 2010:
Gaya Gnanalingam, Visiting Lawyer
Gaya joined West Coast for six months, energetically working on our climate change programme.  Having completed studies in law and zoology at the University of Otago, Gaya left the mountains and forests of New Zealand to explore the mountains and forests of Canada. After surveying prairie dogs in Saskatchewan she moved west to Vancouver where she spent six months energetically working on our climate change programme. In addition to travelling, Gaya also enjoys running, playing field hockey, tramping (or hiking if you prefer) and cooking.

Winter 2010:
Melissa Lee, Law Student Intern
Melissa is due to complete her Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws degree in Human Geography and Resource and Environmental Management at the end of 2010. Throughout her degree at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, Melissa pursued her interest in the natural environment and related social, scientific and legal issues. This included researching indigenous tourism in the Northern Territory and following a stream of environmental law subjects. Whilst at WCEL Melissa engaged with issues relating to forestry and land use planning and climate change. She thoroughly enjoyed being involved with West Coast and would love to return to Canada in the near future.

Joanna Zhou, Law Student Intern
Joanna grew up in the leafy suburbs of Sydney, Australia. During her high school years, she developed an interest in various aspects of social justice. These interests lead her to pursue a double degree combining a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Psychology) with a Bachelor Laws at Macquarie University. As part of her law degree, she also studied at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle.

Her experience at WCEL has solidified her interest in environmental law, and she now aims to practice as an environmental lawyer. During her time with WCEL, she conducted research predominately in the area of climate change law, examining carbon sequestration through forestry and carbon pricing mechanisms and markets. She also enjoyed observing the Canadian legal system in action, attending litigation funded by WCEL.
 

Summer 2009:
Dani Bryant, Summer Law Student Intern
Simone Tielesh, Summer Law Student Intern
Emma Hume, Intern

Communications Interns:

This intern position is funded through the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan and administered through the YMCA’s Post-Secondary Graduate Youth Eco-Internship Program.  West Coast very much appreciates this opportunity to work with Marc and thanks the PSYEI for this generously support.

West Coast is pleased to have a Communications Intern working with us through March 2011:

Marc Paquin: Marc is an SFU grad who is enthusiastic about beginning a career in communications. He majored in Political Science and History and had previously worked in government, a law firm and volunteered in a television newsroom. Marc is elated about joining West Coast Environmental Law and is thankful for the great learning opportunity. He enjoys traveling, playing sports and exploring the outdoors.

West Coast had two Communications Interns working with us through the summer of 2010.  They were:

Marie Burgoyne:  Marie grew up in Delta, living on her grandparents’ farm on the edge of Burns Bog. Her fifth-grade teacher was very active with the Bog’s conservation society, and would often skip Math lessons to go on spontaneous nature walks. It was then that Marie developed an interest in conservation and sustainability issues.

Marie’s other interests and hobbies include watching science fiction, listening to country music, and sailing at Jericho Beach.
 

Tiffany Tarampi: Tiffany is excited to work in an organization which she can marry her non-profit experience with her interest in environmental conservation. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, reading and fine food and wine.