Lawson Lundell LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 2

Lawson Lundell LLP has a very strong mining client base, comprised of junior companies and major players with investments and projects located in Canada and overseas. The firm’s longstanding reputation in the market sees it frequently acting in various public and private M&A transactions, permitting and development matters. Co-chair Khaled Abdel-Barr assists with the acquisition and disposition of mining assets, demonstrating significant proficiency in joint ventures, royalty and streaming agreements. Fellow co-head Karen MacMillan is also noted for her broad transactional practice. The Vancouver-based team also includes Stuart Breen, who has more than two decades worth of experience in the mining industry. Financings, take-overs and M&A involving public mining companies are among his fields of special interest.

Canada > Indigenous law Tier 2

Acting for Aboriginal organisations, governments and corporate clients, the Indigenous law group at Lawson Lundell LLP is singled out for its ability to handle litigation and large-scale natural resource development projects across mining, oil and gas, and infrastructure. With a strong presence in Western Canada, the practice is jointly led by John Olynyk in Calgary and Vancouver-based Brad Armstrong and Keith Bergner. Bergner attracts instructions from governments, Crown corporations and private-sector clients in relation to consultation programs, impact benefit agreements with First Nations and regulatory permits. Armstrong is recommended for civil litigation and Indigenous consultations throughout Western and North Canada, while Olynyk focuses on project development and related Indigenous issues. Also in the Vancouver office, Lana Shipley is a noteworthy practitioner for corporate and commercial matters involving aboriginal law.

Canada > Pensions Tier 2

Canada > Dispute resolution Tier 3

Business law firm Lawson Lundell LLP has a presence across western and northern Canada, with a well-established, broad dispute resolution team in Vancouver, and a growing group in Calgary, which has been particularly active in the energy and telecoms sectors recently. Kinji Bourchier heads the Vancouver team and his varied practice covers complex commercial and civil litigation, with a focus on contractual disputes, environmental remediation claims, product liability claims, shareholder and transactional disputes, and business tort cases. Craig Ferris QC is a key lawyer in the British Columbia market; in 2020 he represented clients in both international and domestic arbitrations and in the British Columbia Supreme Court. In a Calgary office that is gaining traction in the market, Michael Donaldson has over 20 years’ experience with claims in Alberta’s electricity, petrochemical, and oil and gas industries, while practice head Shannon Wray is a commercial litigation expert with a focus on regulatory matters. Shannon Hayes is a notable junior partner; she is primarily engaged in energy and power industry disputes.

Energy and natural resources > Power Tier 3

Lawson Lundell LLP fields a group of litigators, commercial lawyers and regulatory experts, who are equipped to advise a host of clients in relation to the financing and structuring of power projects, permitting and approvals before regulatory agencies. The team, which is split between Vancouver and Calgary, is singled out for its experience in regulatory proceedings, litigation and all aspects of public law, environmental and indigenous issues. Representing energy clients before regulatory tribunals is a notable area of practice for Jeff Christian in Vancouver. Lana Shipley in the same office focuses on corporate transactions, while Craig Ferris is noted for his track record in commercial litigation. Based in Calgary, Lewis Manning regularly acts as counsel before administrative tribunals. Other names to note in Calgary include Jeff Scobie and Michael Donaldson. Vancouver-based Clara Ferguson has notable experience in public utility regulation and administrative law.

Canada > Environment Tier 3

Lawson Lundell LLP provides integrated services in regulatory, environmental and indigenous law, fielding a deep bench of experts who are well equipped to assist with project development and environmental permitting matters in North and Western Canada. Besides its project management expertise, the team is also routinely instructed by clients from the oil and gas, mining, infrastructure and real estate sectors to advise on environmental risk assessment and allocation in M&A transactions and financings, and regulatory proceedings. The practice is under the joint leadership of John Olynyk and Brad Armstrong; the latter has a wealth of experience in civil litigation and regulatory approvals. Both practitioners are based in Vancouver. Sitting in the same office, Laura Duke  represents clients in administrative hearings, environmental assessments and contaminated lands cases.

Canada > Labour and employment Tier 3

Lawson Lundell LLP has one of the leading employment and labour practices in British Columbia. Its team is adept at handling a full range of contentious and non-contentious matters at both a provincial and federal level; areas of expertise include collective bargaining and labour relations, employment equity, occupational health and safety, wrongful dismissals and discrimination complaints. Department head Robert Sider QC advises on day-to-day labour and employment issues, as well as the employment aspects of commercial transactions. Nicole Skuggedal is experienced in representing clients at all court levels in Canada, as well as advising on M&A-related employment issues. Deborah Cushing has a broad practice that includes labour relations and human rights issues, while Ryan Berger focuses on employment litigation.

Canada > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Based in Vancouver, Lawson Lundell LLP offers high-quality corporate support to its Western Canadian clients. The team is known for its sector expertise in the extractive industries, including forestry, mining and energy, as well as financial services, technology and real estate. It often serves as BC counsel for larger Canadian firms. Valerie Mann, David Allard and Greg Hollingsworth jointly lead the team; Mann is regarded for her emerging technology sector knowledge, while Allard offers a broad corporate practice, which also covers securities.

Energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 4

Canada > Real estate and construction Tier 5

With a strong presence in British Columbia, Lawson Lundell LLP provides legal support to a diverse client roster in the array of transactional and development real estate matters. Practice head Peter Tolensky, who is based in Vancouver, is primarily active advising pension funds, energy companies and private entities in the structuring of real estate projects and leasing transactions. Shaun Partridge leads on real estate acquisitions, financing and development work coming out of Calgary.

Canada > Tax Tier 5

Strong in the western Canadian market, Lawson Lundell LLP is well-known for advising Canadian institutional investors on domestic and cross-border tax issues. Its team is experienced in assisting public sector pension plans with the tax aspects of their investments in private equity fund investments. It is also knowledgeable about tax issues associated with corporate restructurings, business acquisitions and divestments, as well as securities offerings. In addition, it has expertise in income tax, property tax and sales tax, among other areas. Leonard Glass and Reinhold Krahn, who are both based in Vancouver, jointly lead the practice. Calgary-based partner Nancy Diep is another key individual.