Elisabeth (Lisa) DeMarco
Partner
Lisa DeMarco is recognized as a Canadian expert, and has over 15 years of experience in the law relating to emissions trading, the Kyoto Protocol and the evolving area of environmental finance. She represents several leading energy clients in a wide variety of natural gas and electricity matters before regulatory agencies and the Ontario Energy Board.
She also assists leading Canadian and international mining and energy companies on domestic and overseas power project development, renewable power projects, alternative fuel projects, corporate social responsibility, environmental disclosure and business strategy.
Ms. DeMarco is one of the leading carbon transaction lawyers in the international market, having worked for investment banks and energy companies on deals and projects in India, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, Ireland, Africa, Mexico, China and Russia. She plays an ongoing and active role in the development of energy and GHG emissions policy and law throughout Canada and in various countries around the world.
She was appointed to the Premier’s Climate Change Advisory Panel, which provides advice on climate change strategies and policies, as well as scientific and economic research to the premier of Ontario.
Ms. DeMarco successfully completed the admission exams for the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales in 2011.
Ms. DeMarco is also involved in legal education and training.
Year of call
Solicitor, England and Wales 2012
Ontario 1997
Law school
LL.B., Osgoode Hall Law School, 1995
MSEL, Vermont Law School, 1995
Education
M.Sc., Environmental Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1992
B.Sc.(Hons.), Human and Environmental Biology, Western University, 1990
Selected client work
Ms. DeMarco has acted in the following matters in recent years:
- The COP15 negotiations of the parties to the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she was one of only 25 business/NGO representatives (among the 25,000 in attendance) who were permitted into the plenary session for the final negotiations
- Natural gas rate proceedings before the Ontario Energy Board, representing energy wholesalers and marketers and electricity generators
- Emissions transactions and the Kyoto Protocol, representing large power producers
- Gas and renewable power project development and proposals pursuant to government RFPs
- Carbon finance and Kyoto emissions transactions, representing an international lender
- Precedent-setting emission offset-backed loan/conditional grant financing
- The international trade implications of Canadian implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, advising a multinational energy company
- Emission trading policy formation, legislative drafting, contractual and international emissions trading on behalf of governments and international government bodies
- Cross-border contractual considerations in an international emissions trading regime
- Ongoing representation of the Clean Energy Markets Group (CEMG) and the Efficient and Effective Emission Markets Consortium of Canada (E3mC2) on an array of emission trading issues
Publications
- “Canadian Challenges in Implementing the Kyoto Protocol: A Cause for Harmonization,” Alberta Law Review, Petroleum Law Edition, Vol. 42, No. 1, July 2004.
- “Final Federal Regulatory Framework For Industrial Greenhouse Gas Emissions” (co-author), firm legal bulletin, March 2008.
Speaking engagements
- “Can Renewables Provide Affordable Electricity?” (panellist), 11th Annual Ontario Power Summit, Toronto, May 2012.
- “Assessing and Managing Social and Environmental Risk in Project Finance,” A Road Map for Corporate Social Responsibility in the Extractive Sector, Norton Rose Canada corporate social responsibility seminar, Toronto, April 2012.
- “Careers in International Law” (panellist), Canadian International Law Students Conference, Toronto, January 2012.
- “CDM - From Concept to Operation - Setting Benchmark Levels in Standardized Baseline” (panellist), IETA Side Event, COP17/CMP7, Durban Climate Change Conference, Durban, South Africa, November-December 2011.
- “Update on renewables procurement from the OPA: Are we looking at FIT 2.0 or something else?” (moderator), APPRO 2011, Toronto, November 15-16, 2011.
- “ISO 26000 2011 Guidance on Social Responsibility: Setting a New Global Standard?” Risk Mitigation and Corporate Social Responsibility in Africa and Emerging Markets, 6th Risk Mitigation and CSR Seminar, Canada-Southern Africa Chamber of Business, Toronto, November 8, 2011.
- “Beyond Carbon: Innovative Ways to Finance REDD+” (presenter) and “REDD - Innovative ways to finance REDD+ initiatives at sub national and community levels” (panellist), Africa Carbon Forum, Marrakech, Morocco, July 4-6, 2011.
- “Leadership for Women in Law,” Career Women Interaction conference series, Toronto, April 2011.
- “Technology Developments that will Support Managing Pipeline Integrity” (panellist), National Operations Conference, Canadian Gas Association, Toronto, March 27-29, 2011.
- Session D5/Climate International (co-presenter), EUEC 2011: 14th Annual Energy & Environment Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, January-February 2011.
Media highlights
- Featured in “Canada’s Coal Plant Regulations to Cut CO2 Emissions 5.3 Million Tonnes,” Reuters News, September 2011.
- Quoted in “Tory majority in Canada may not kill climate debate: observers,” Carbon Market North America, May 2011.
Rankings and recognitions
- The International Who’s Who of Environment Lawyers, 2012
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2012 - recommended in Energy (Oil & Gas)
- Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2008-2012: Global-wide - Climate Change - “a top climate change practitioner worldwide” and “an expert in carbon transactions”; Canada - Environment - “a leading environmental lawyer in Canada”
- Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law - Leading Practitioner
- Lexpert, Top 40 Under 40
- Who’s Who, Lexpert and LawDay - leading climate change lawyer
Memberships and activities
- Law Society of Upper Canada
- Editorial board, Carbon and Climate Law Review
- Adjunct Professor, climate change law, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2011.