Rachael has a broad practice, which includes a focus on environmental, regulatory, Aboriginal, and business law matters. Rachael’s representative experience includes participation in various mandates, including:

• Negotiation of impact benefit agreements, the navigation of capacity funding during the environmental permitting process, and providing general background research on Aboriginal matters which impact mining and energy projects
• Preparation of permitting and Aboriginal rights-related legal opinions in respect of various energy and industrial projects 
• Review of permitting, environmental and Aboriginal rights-related matters in connection with transactions in the mining and energy industries
• Researching  and providing advice in respect of environmental law contraventions (including in relation to the discharge of waste into the environment), which has included the preparation of “opportunity to be heard” submissions in respect of a mining-related environmental law contravention 
• Creating and updating compliance registers and overviews of relevant environmental statutes for clients in the mining and forestry industries

Rachael is also currently one of the editors of the Canadian ERA Perspectives blog, which can be found at the following link: Canadian ERA Perspectives | McCarthy Tétrault. 

Rachael received her law degree from the University of Victoria. During her time in law school, Rachael received various awards for academic achievement and professionalism, including the Ronald F. MacIsaac Prize (for the best paper on social justice or environmental law), Oyen, Wiggs, Green & Mutala Prize in Intellectual Property, the Stacey Reginald Ball Prize for Employment Law, the G. Allan Higenbottam Prize (for the top mark in the law, legislation and policy class), the Martlet Chapter IODE Scholarship in Law (for the highest standing female student in the second year class), and the Crease, Harman and Company Scholarship (for the top student of the second year class). During her time at law school, Rachael worked as a research assistant for Professor Gerry Ferguson in the areas of criminal law and global corruption, and for Professional Kathryn Chan in the area of constitutional law. She also participated in an exchange to the National University of Singapore, where her studies focused on legal pluralism and climate change law. In the summer after her graduation, Rachael co-authored a chapter of the fourth edition of Professor Ferguson’s book, Global Corruption: Law, Theory and Practice.

Rachael holds a Bachelors Degree in Art History and Visual Studies with Honours from the University of Victoria, as well as a three-year diploma in Musical Theatre from Capilano University.