CBA’s Annual Review of Administrative Law

Lisa`s love for great pie is equally matched by her respect for the law. She believes that good law is necessary to maintain a fair and just society and that we are all responsible for maintaining good law. She applies this belief to pie also.

Her practice is a blend of administrative, aboriginal and environmental litigation, and advising governmental bodies.

In professional regulatory law, Lisa advises both regulatory bodies and professionals. This breadth of her experience gives her a depth of knowledge that allows her to serve clients with a comprehensive view of their legal issues.

She advises professional regulatory bodies on all areas of their responsibilities including quality assurance, registration, inquiry, discipline, reviews and appeals. In acting for professionals, Lisa has defended them against allegations of misconduct, incompetence, and lack of good character in registration matters.

Lisa has the privilege of assisting Indigenous governments in asserting the aboriginal rights and title of their peoples. She has a special interest in energy projects and assisting her Indigenous clients in exercising their governance powers to determine whether such projects should proceed.

Her practice also extends to general commercial litigation including a variety of contract disputes (e.g. leases, employment contracts, purchase and sale agreements, and shareholders’ agreements), and tort disputes (e.g. negligence, economic interference, and interference with property).

Significant matters include:

• Gitxaala Nation v. British Columbia (Chief Gold Commissioner), 2025 BCCA 430 [establishing that a common law presumption of conformity with UNDRIP applies to Canada’s domestic law, and that inconsistencies between laws of BC and UNDRIP are justiciable under BC’s DRIPA s. 3], allowing an appeal on an aspect of 2023 BCSC 1680 [a judicial review about the legality of mineral tenures grants without prior Indigenous consultation, and establishing that the Crown must consult with Indigenous peoples before granting mineral tenures on their territories] — the SCC has granted leave to appeal;
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia v. The Health Professions Review Board, 2022 BCCA 10 [Dawson] (HPRB’s application for leave to appeal to the SCC dismissed);
• College of Midwives of British Columbia v. MaryMoon, 2020 BCCA 224;
• Reference re: the Environmental Management Act, S.C.C. Court File No. 38682, January 16, 2020 [concerning proposed amendments to B.C.’s Environmental Management Act – representing Heiltsuk First Nation as an Intervenor];
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia v. Health Professions Review Board, 2019 BCSC 539 [Feldman];
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia v. Health Professions Review Board, 2018 BCSC 2021 [Dawson];
• Maroofi v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, 2017 BCSC 1558 and Maroofi v. Health Professions Review Board, 2020 BCSC 1243;
• Gitxaala Nation and others v. Her Majesty the Queen, 2016 FCA 187 [duty to consult on Northern Gateway Enbridge pipeline];
• Ktunaxa Nation v British Columbia (SCC file 36664; appeal of 2015 BCCA 352) [aboriginal spirituality – intervenor factum];
• Scott v. College of Massage Therapists, 2016 BCCA 180 [interim suspension];
• College of Massage Therapists of BC v. Martin (CMTBC Discipline Committee 2015) [sexual misconduct and penalty decisions];
• Cohen Commission on the Inquiry into the Decline of Fraser River Sockeye Salmon (2010-2011);
• Public Commission on Legal Aid (2010);
• Newman v. Halstead, 2006 BCSC 65 [defamation of professionals]; and
• Stuart v. British Columbia College of Teachers, 2005 BCSC 645 [competence].

Lisa works with First Nations on law reform, which in recent years has included Canada’s Indigenous consultations on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Fisheries Act, the Navigation Protection Act, the National Energy Board Act, the Pilotage Act, and the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, and British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act.

Lisa regularly gives presentations in her areas of practice and writes for the firm’s two blogs. She is a member of the Boards of Directors of the West Coast Environmental Law Research Foundation, and the British Columbia Law Institute. See the firm’s events page here.

When not working, Lisa can be seen at Vancouver’s hippest pie spots. She does not bake her own pies because she’s a terrible baker, but actively befriends people who can bake great pies.

Lisa practices through Lisa C. Fong (2024) Law Corporation.