Law Times

Law Times • November 23, 2009 FOCUS Lawyer provides diverse expertise Northern firm covers everything from engineering to the law BY DARYL-LYNN CARLSON For Law Times L awyers practising in southern Ontario's larger cities might not be aware of a possibly trendsetting move emanat- ing from a smaller centre in the province's north. But it's possible that Roxie Graystone is on to something in launching an environmental law firm pro- viding clients with much more than legal advice. A graduate of environ- mental engineering at the University of Guelph, Gray- stone worked in municipal construction and then with a consultancy firm for the metals industry before re- turning to Queen's Universi- ty to obtain his law degree. Following his call to the bar for example, the Sault Ste. Marie city council resolved to declare the community the Alternative Energy Capital of North America. In doing so, the city has seen the develop- ment of power projects in- volving wind turbines, hydro- electric stations, solar energy, cogeneration, waste-to-en- ergy, reverse polymerization, biomass, biodiesel, fibre crop, and methane collection. Combined, the projects Roxie Graystone's firm combines sev- eral aspects of environmental busi- ness, including engineering, policy analysis, and the law. in 2005, he moved to Ottawa, where he spent three years with Environment Canada help- ing to develop regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. During that time, he was seconded as one of 150 federal employees to participate in a project called Canada@150 that aims to outline policy solutions for the country as it approaches its 150th birthday in 2017. After that, Graystone got certification as an environ- mental law specialist and then made a decision to return to his home city of Sault Ste. Ma- rie to launch an environmental practice in a market few would deem lucrative for someone with his expertise. Soon after, with the help of a small-business startup grant, Graystone Environmental was born. "Boutiques really thrive in Toronto but not necessarily in Northern Ontario," admits Graystone. Since launching his practice earlier this year, Graystone has been able to bill himself as a lawyer, environmental engi- neer, and policy specialist. Over the years, he has estab- lished a significant network of professionals in the environ- mental field ranging from met- als experts to engineers who share his expertise and experi- ence. Using his network as a referral source for clients, he's able to attest to their credibil- ity based on his past experience working with them. While Sault Ste. Marie is in- deed Graystone's home city, it is also perhaps fortuitous that the area has become one of the country's leading developers of green energy. Graystone's business has also gotten help from environmental policies in the region. In 2008, are designed to generate more than 560 megawatts of elec- tricity, enough to power at least 200,000 homes across the province. In fact, its solar proj- ect, developed by Pod Gener- ating Group, is so far one of the largest in Canada. It has received four standard offer contracts for electricity from the Ontario Power Authority that will connect to the local utility company, PUC Inc. Graystone's training and ex- perience in both the engineer- ing profession and developing policy at Environment Canada give him an added advantage when serving clients. "I'm the guy who can go and talk to the engineer because I know how the engineer talks," he says. "As a lawyer, I can under- stand the legal implications of an issue but, as an engineer, I can also understand the techni- cal elements of that issue. This multidisciplinary background gives me the tools I need to ensure that the experts and engineers I recruit are credible and appropriate for the client's needs." While he notes there are en- vironmental consultants who don't have the experience or expertise necessary to provide sound advice, he believes his background gives him an edge. ntitled-4 1 "I want to bring all of the elements of the issues together so that if a client has an oil spill, I can help them with the legal aspects, with developing a policy to help prevent it, and put them in touch with other experts they need to get the job done. That way, clients can leave the environmental side of things to one professional." Although he is so far on his own, his practice isn't yet a year old. Eventually, he wants to grow his firm by hiring engineers and related profes- sionals so he can establish a true boutique-style of service that specializes in all aspects of green-energy and environmen- tal alternatives. "You don't really see a lot of that anywhere in North Ameri- ca yet," he says. "But I think it's a trend that is coming." Brad Simard is an accoun- tant and business consultant who works frequently on projects with Graystone. He acknowledges that, particu- larly in Sault Ste. Marie, "the environment is an area that is emerging on the radar." Eventually, he says he'll join Graystone when client volume necessitates. That will allow him and other experts to share staff and resources. "If you can get a bunch of experts to help on one project as opposed to having all of the services provided piecemeal, I think that's the best approach," he says. LT PAGE 13 11/18/09 8:49:09 AM www.lawtimesnews.com

• Cover
• Sponsorship Woes
• Biting Letters
• Focus On Environmental Law