Bennett Jones
Sharon Singh specializes in providing regulatory, governance, environmental law and Indigenous relations advice to resource, construction and infrastructure development projects. Sharon's niche is helping clients:
- secure primary and secondary project development and operational approvals;
- negotiate commercial agreements;
- develop strategic and socially responsible approaches to government, Indigenous and community consultation and engagement;
- develop and implement procurement, contractor management, risk identification and management practices;
- build business resilience and manage crisis and incident response;
- implement transparency and anti-corruption systems and processes;
- develop and advocate for policies (ranging from climate change policies to developing regional economic development and local policies for projects);
- create and execute tactical and strategic plans to advance project proposals (e.g., removing restrictions on investment); and to
- connect and network with target stakeholders to help advance the objective.
Before joining Bennett Jones, Sharon was with Rio Tinto, based in Australia and Canada, holding senior positions across many fields including commercial, legal, regulatory, government, and community relations. Sharon has a built a reputation for her ability to progress issues through creating trusting relationships between industry groups, associations, governments, Indigenous and local communities, and the not-for-profit sector.
In the community, Sharon is a founding member and the Vice-Chair Policy of the Business Council of British Columbia's Next Leaders Council. She is a member of the Business Council of British Columbia's Aboriginal, Environmental, and Community committees and the Association for Mineral Exploration's Aboriginal Relations, and Land Access and Use committees. She also is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and is on the executive of the Aboriginal Law section of the British Columbia chapter. Sharon is a regular presenter to senior industry, corporate, and public policy audiences on emerging areas of policy and law. Sharon also serves on the board of D.A.R.E. BC, a not-for-profit organization that empowers British Columbia children with the critical thinking and life skills necessary to choose a drug-free life.
In March 2016, Sharon was awarded a Wendy McDonald Award, in the category of Women of Promise by the Leadership Circle of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. She was recognized as a leading lawyer in The Legal 500: Canada in the Aboriginal law—next generation lawyers category.