N. Jane Pepino C.M., K.C., LL.D., LL.M.
- Bio
- Awards & Recognition
- Professional Involvement
- Representative Matters
- Education
Jane’s experience of more than 50 years allows her to guide her clients through the unpredictability of municipal law and land use planning. There is little she hasn’t seen before, and her strategic and flexible approach puts her clients on the best possible footing to face factors that are beyond their control. Known for her creative approach to difficult situations, Jane derives great satisfaction from providing practical, principled solutions to complex municipal and land use planning issues. In her volunteer work, she has been widely recognized for her contributions to healthcare governance, politics and the broader community.
Jane is the founder of the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. Her practice includes providing advice on all aspects of the statutory scheme for planning, zoning and land development throughout Ontario, as well as on a broad range of municipal and provincial licensing and other regulatory matters. She advises governments, landowners and lenders on maximizing the value and utility of land in light of rapidly changing economic and political agendas. Jane’s clients include provincial, regional and local governments or agencies, large development corporations, small landowners, and citizen and special interest groups.
She regularly appears before various decision-making bodies controlling land development, including local planning committees and councils, conservation authorities, the Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal) and the courts.
Jane has been with the firm since 1982 and was a member of the firm's Executive Committee from 1989 to 2000.
Awards & Recognition
- Recognized in Chambers Canada as a top practitioner in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Ontario)
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the fields of Municipal Law and Real Estate Law and named Best Lawyers' 2017 Toronto Real Estate Law "Lawyer of the Year"
- Named to the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers for earning the highest level of professional skill and integrity in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
- Appears in all editions of the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in the area of Property Development
- Appears in all editions of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, a guide to the leading law firms and practitioners in Canada, as a leading lawyer in the area of Property Development
- Named in Lexpert's Guide to the Top 100 Industry Specialists in Canada for expertise in Property Development
- Included as one of LawDay's top 60 leading lawyers in Canada in the area of Property Development, 2009
- NAIOP Greater Toronto Community Service Award, 2020
- Canadian Urban Institute's David Crombie Award, 2011
- Lexpert Zenith Award, celebrating leading women lawyers, 2009
- OBA Municipal Law Section Award of Excellence, 2008
- Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Gold Key Award, Achievement category, 2008
- Honorary Doctor of Laws, Law Society of Upper Canada, 2005
- Jewish Women International of Toronto, Woman of the Year Award, 2004
- Named one of the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Canada by Lexpert magazine, 2003
- Member, Order of Canada, 2000
- Appointed King's Counsel, 1985
Professional Involvement
Memberships
- Canadian Urban Institute, Director (1992-1998)
- International Women's Forum of Canada
- Lambda Alpha International Simcoe (Toronto) Chapter
- Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD)
Community Involvement
- Women's College Hospital, Board of Directors (1995-2000; 2010-present); Honorary Life Member; Chair (1997-2000), (2011-2013)
- Appointed to the University of Toronto's Governing Council as a Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council (2011-2020); Executive Committee (2012-2020); Business Board and Design Review Committee (2014-2020; Vice-Chair (2016-2020)
- Order-in-Council Appointment to the Board of Directors of Infrastructure Ontario, Chair of Governance and Compensation Committee (2018-2021)
- Member, Chairs’ Advisory Council, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (2010-2018)
- Board Member, LIFT Philanthropy Partners (2009-2016); Chair (2012-2016)
- Toronto Lands Corporation, Board of Directors (2008-2013)
- Victoria University Property Committee (2008-2014)
- Board Member, Habitat for Humanity (2006-2010)
- Province of Ontario Women's Health Council, Founding Chair (1998-2007)
- Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Board of Directors (1998-2004)
- The Bishop Strachan School, Director and Chair (Finance Committee) (1995-2003)
- Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, Board of Directors (1994-1997)
- Mayor's Committee on Employment Equity (1985-1991)
- Metro Action Committee on Public Violence Against Women and Children, Founder and Past President (1985-1995)
- Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women (1984-1990)
- Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, Past Member (1982-1989) and Vice Chair (1987-1989)
- Canadian Council of Christians and Jews (1982-1986)
- Ontario Human Rights Commission, Past Member (1980-1982)
Teaching Engagements
- Occasional lecturer, Law Society of Ontario Continuing Legal Education, Ontario Bar Association, the Advocates' Society, Osgoode Hall Law School, Insight, and other private lecture providers, on all aspects of planning and municipal law, including Official Plan Amendments, zoning by-laws, site plan approvals and agreements, plans of subdivision and implementing subdivision agreements, and various additional implementing agreements
Representative Matters
Involved in some of the largest and most complex matters in the province, including those which are politically sensitive, heavily scrutinized by the media, or involve testing or creating new interpretations of law and policy.
Transactions include securing Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal) approval for revised official plan and zoning designations for Toronto's downtown railway lands; approvals for 2000 units on former industrial lands in East Toronto; approvals for shopping centres and individual retailers; cases involving industrial land supply, residential conversions, demolition of residential properties; drive-through by-laws; greenbelt and environmental legislation and regulation, heritage buildings and heritage district bylaws.
Education
- Certificate in Negotiation, Harvard University, 2005
- Certificate in Mediation, University of Windsor, 2004
- LLM, University of Texas, Austin, 1971
- LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1970
- Victoria College, University of Toronto, 1967