Paula Lombardi

Paula Lombardi is a partner at Siskinds LLP and has a diverse regulatory practice providing advice and representation in the areas of environmental, municipal/planning, and administrative law to both public and private sector clients.

Paula is committed and dedicated to obtaining the best results for her public and private sector clients, whether large or small. Relying on her extensive experience, Paula provides strategic support to her clients from negotiating and preparing complex agreements, risk management to litigation and Tribunal appearances. Paula has represented both private and public sector clients in intricate municipal law, land use planning, development and administrative law matters. Paula regularly drafts and negotiates a wide range of agreements for her clients including site plans, sharing of services, cost-sharing, joint-use, subdivision, vacant land condominium, among others. She has been involved in complex agreements relating to the sharing of services, access, memorandums of understanding, donation agreements and project agreements. Paula also provides advice on Board Governance, conflicts of interest, and preparing, responding to, and evaluating compliance with RFPs, tenders, and RFQs.

Paula has a great deal of experience in providing strategic and practical advice on environmental liabilities and deal structures, contamination issues, handling of hazardous wastes, development applications, litigation matters, environmental compliance, environmental aspects of agreements of purchase and sale and indemnifications, transactional due diligence and compliance, regulatory compliance and assists clients in navigating the permit and approvals process.

Paula successfully defends clients charged with environmental and regulatory offences under federal and provincial legislation, appeals before the Environmental Review Tribunal, and defends and prosecutes environmental litigation claims before all levels of the Ontario Courts. Paula also regularly gives advice and represents clients in connection with planning and development applications, expropriation proceedings, development charges, settlement boundary disputes and appeals to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. Paula has represented clients at all levels of the Ontario Courts on actions, applications, judicial reviews and appeals.

Paula gained a great deal of experience in large infrastructure projects working in-house for an international crossing, and was responsible for all Canadian legal and business matters relating to the import and export of goods, transportation of hazardous materials, remediation of Canadian (and CERCLA) sites, procurement of goods and services, construction of large infrastructure projects, regulatory compliance, NAFTA matters, and preparation of environmental assessments in both the United States’ and Canada.

Thanks for all of your help on this and negotiating the best possible deal. You are a true professional with a personal touch. – S.D.

• Articling Committee, Siskinds LLP
• Western Law Advisory Council, Member, Fall2020 – present
• Member of Executive, Environmental Law Section Canadian Bar Association (Ontario), 2018 – present
• Middlesex Law Association, Member
• Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations, Member
• Professional Women’s Symposium Association 2005 – 2010
• Women’s Law Association of Ontario 2004 – 2013
• Member of Law Society of Ontario in good standing 2002 – present
• Unity Project Board of Directors 2006 - 2009 and 2011 - present

From 2019 to 2024, Paula has been named to the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Paula Lombardi has been selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers™ in Canada in 2022 to 2024.

Academic/Teaching

• Instructor, Environmental Law, Western University Law School, 2017 - Present
• Instructor, Sustainability and Compliance, Fanshawe College, 2013

• Board of Directors, Unity Project, 2006-2009 and 2011 to present
• President, SARI Therapeutic Riding, Board of Directors, 2011 – 2014
  SARI provides specialized horse back riding programs for people with special needs. The majority of the participants in SARI are children and youth. The riders receive the physical, mental and emotional benefits of therapy while building relationships with the volunteers and horse who partner with them.
• Vice-Chair, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal, 2009 – 2019
  Appointed as member of tribunal that hears and decides appeals concerning matters in the agriculture and food industry. The tribunal consist of: Board of Negotiation (under the Environmental Protection Act); Crop Insurance Appeal Board; Farm Organizations Accreditation Tribunal; Farm Products Appeal Tribunal; Ontario Drainage Tribunal
• Professional Women’s Symposium Association, 2005 – 2010
• Women’s Law Association of Ontario, 2004 – present
• Member of Law Society of Upper Canada in good standing, 2002 – present

• A right to a healthy environment
• Bill C-230–A time for change
• Climate-Change Litigation: Failure to disclose risks
• Virtual hearing to save the climate
• Tŝilhqot’in Nation wins 30-year battle
• A review – inspection vs. investigation?
• Approvals from federal authorities may not protect against charges under provincial environmental laws
• Wide ranging repercussions of climate change
• Impact of COVID-19 on Environmental Law
• Environmental reporting suspended in Alberta due to COVID-19
• Beware of standard clauses – the lesson from Walton v. Warren
• Protecting wild salmon in Canadian Courts, moving toward stricter protections?
• What about greenhouse gas emissions – Are we going far enough?
• What exactly is Canada doing about the protection of our environment?
• Climate justice and equality of women and girls
• Citizen suits against the government for GHG emissions
• 12 years later – have things changed?
• Investigations and inspections
• $100,000 fine for smoke discharge
• Cap-and-Trade