Radha Curpen is Vice Chair, National Leader of ESG Strategy and Solutions, and Co-Head of the firm's Environmental Law practice. Radha was the managing partner of the Vancouver office from July 2016 to March 2024. She is a proven business builder and grew Bennett Jones office in Vancouver during that time from 10 lawyers to more than 125 lawyers and staff.
Radha is renowned as a preeminent legal expert on environment, regulatory, climate change, Indigenous relations and governance. She frequently acts on high-profile matters in these areas for some of the firm’s most significant clients, including in the energy, infrastructure, natural resources, agribusiness, industrial, consumer goods and mining sectors. Her clients include corporations, boards of directors, special committees, Indigenous communities, and governmental and regulatory agencies globally. Fluent in both French and English, Radha practises across Canada and advises on cross-border issues, including those relating to the United States.
Radha leverages her unmatched experience in corporate strategy, commercial transactions, prosecutions, project development, operational matters and reputation management to help her clients identify and mitigate risks associated with environmental, social, regulatory and public policy. She advises on environmental and impact assessments; transportation of dangerous goods; energy transition; renewable projects; partnerships with Indigenous communities; negotiating on participations with Indigenous communities; contaminated sites; and crisis prevention and management. She is an experienced corporate director and is a member of the Business Council of British Columbia’s board of governors and on Innergex Renewable Energy’s board of directors. She is also a former chair of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
A skilled and sought-after counsel in environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters, Radha counsels on ESG strategy and solutions. She provides strategic advice on business decision making and governance, embeds ESG into organizations, and creates strategy for responding to shareholder activism on ESG. She defends environmental and regulatory prosecutions and advises on shareholder activism on ESG-related issues, ESG risks and opportunities, and ESG reporting against standards, frameworks and certifications. She is a member of the ESG Advisory Council to the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, and a former member of British Columbia’s ESG Advisory Council to the Minister of Finance. Radha is also a member of the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities' ESG Industry Working Group, supporting the development of an ESG guide for pension fund investment and pension plan administrators. Her climate change practice includes advice on climate change programs; renewable project development; emissions; carbon offsets, control measures, credits and trading under regulatory regimes; ESG disclosure; and sustainable business strategy, policy and protocol.
Radha also advises on human rights issues, including modern slavery; supply chain risk; and operational risk in connection with business disruptions, inspections and regulations.
Radha is recognized as a leading lawyer in several publications, including Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, The Legal 500 Canada, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Best Lawyers in Canada, Best Lawyers in America, Finance Monthly, Who's Who Legal and Lexpert Report on Business Special Edition for Energy, Infrastructure and Litigation.
In addition to her recognitions, Radha contributes to her community through a variety of special engagements and appoints, including: