Lawson Lundell LLP > Calgary, Canada > Firm Profile

Lawson Lundell LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 2

Lawson Lundell LLP remains synonymous with mining work, and the firm is well-versed across the full range of early-stage exploration and development issues through to corporate and finance transactions. The group routinely represents major regional and national players from its offices in Western and Northern Canada, also counting UK, US and Australia-based companies among its key clients. Khaled Abdel-Barr co-heads the Vancouver-based team and his expertise spans project-related matters, commercial agreements, and mine acquisitions and disposals. Practice co-head Karen MacMillan is also highly recommended for her focus on commercial law issues. Stuart Breen specializes in corporate finance transactions.

Canada > Indigenous law Tier 2

The practice at Lawson Lundell LLP stands out for its ability to oversee significant natural resource development projects in the infrastructure, mining and oil and gas sectors. The team often advises Aboriginal governments and organizations, as well as corporate clients. Both Keith Bergner and John Olynyk head the practice, from the Vancouver and Calgary offices respectively. Bergner often advises those in the private and public sector, as well as government entities on regulatory and Indigenous law matters. Olynyk’s expertise includes both environmental and Indigenous law. Lana Shipley is a notable corporate and commercial specialist who handles Aboriginal law related matters.

Canada > Pensions Tier 2

Lawson Lundell LLP has a dedicated pension and employee benefits practice. Its Western Canadian presence attracts both corporate and union clients across the manufacturing, resources and financial services sectors. The team is geared to advise and assist clients through regulatory issues that arise in establishing, governing, litigating, investing, merging and terminating pension and employee benefit plans. The Vancouver-based practice is led by Murray Campbell who has reputable experience handling the reorganization and modernization of pension and benefit plans. In addition to advising clients on non-contentious issues, he is also known for overseeing related litigation matters.

Canada > Dispute resolution: British Columbia Tier 2

At Lawson Lundell LLP, the Calgary office is headed by Shannon Hayes, a litigator regularly involved in regulatory and administrative law matters within the energy, electricity and oil and gas sectors; her team is also highly acclaimed for its shareholder dispute, insolvency, indigenous law, employment, property, tax and commercial litigation knowhow, often handling proceedings of national and international significance. The firm is also a prominent player within the British Columbia market where Laura Bevan’s department runs a caseload spread across contentious constitutional and public law, climate change, construction, defamation, insurance, product liability and natural resources affairs. Craig Ferris KC is a star at the Vancouver office, often receiving instructions from household names within the mining, financial services, retail, communications and manufacturing fields.

Energy and natural resources > Power Tier 3

With a focus on Western and Northern Canada, Vancouver-based Lawson Lundell LLP brings extensive experience in representing developers, governments and crown corporations on power-related matters. The group is best known for its regulatory expertise, with Vancouver-based regulatory litigation chair Jeff Christian sought after for his depth of experience in this sphere, as evident by his role as relationship partner for BC Hydro. Other key regulatory contacts include senior counsel Lewis Manning in Calgary and up-and-coming Vancouver-based partner, Clara Ferguson. On the transactional front, Lana Shipley is a key contact.

Canada > Environment Tier 3

With ample project approval and regulatory defence expertise, the team at Lawson Lundell LLP has overseen matters in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut. The team often integrates its regulatory, environmental and Indigenous law practices to advise clients seamlessly. Expertise also lies within the negotiation of environmental management and monitoring agreements, whereby they assist government agencies and Indigenous and Inuit organizations. Brad Armstrong and John Olynyk co-lead the practice. Armstrong operates from the Vancouver office, while Olynyk oversees the team from Calgary.

Canada > Labour and employment Tier 3

Vancouver-headquartered Lawson Lundell LLP houses one of BC’s leading labour and employment practices. Handling a mix of advisory, contentious and corporate-support work, the group is particularly recognized for its close relationships with clients in the manufacturing, mining, retail, transport, forestry and energy sectors. Department head Robert Sider KC advises on the labour and employment aspects of commercial transactions, as well as day-to-day matters, both contentious and non-contentious. The team also includes increasingly prominent sector specialist Nicole Skuggedal, privacy and employment lawyer Ryan Berger and Deborah Cushing, who brings to bear strong public- and private-sector in-house experience.

Canada > Dispute resolution: Alberta Tier 3

At Lawson Lundell LLP, the Calgary office is headed by Shannon Hayes, a litigator regularly involved in regulatory and administrative law matters within the energy, electricity and oil and gas sectors; her team is also highly acclaimed for its shareholder dispute, insolvency, indigenous law, employment, property, tax and commercial litigation knowhow, often handling proceedings of national and international significance. The firm is also a prominent player within the British Columbia market where Laura Bevan’s department runs a caseload spread across contentious constitutional and public law, climate change, construction, defamation, insurance, product liability and natural resources affairs. Craig Ferris KC is a star at the Vancouver office, often receiving instructions from household names within the mining, financial services, retail, communications and manufacturing fields.

Canada > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Founded over 130 years ago, Lawson Lundell LLP boasts specialist knowledge in a plethora of different sectors such as mining, energy, forest, technology, financial services, manufacturing, transportation and real estate. The team excels on the full spectrum of relevant matters, from M&A, corporate finance and securities through to governance, private equity and fund formation matters and is co-led by a Vancouver-based quartet, consisting of Valerie Mann, Jagdeep Shergill, Greg Hollingsworth and David Allard.

Energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 4

With platforms in British Columbia, Alberta and Northern Canada, Lawson Lundell LLP‘s oil and gas practice advises major and junior producers on exploration, transportation, transactional and regulatory matters. Calgary-based Paul Negenman focuses exclusively on oil and gas work, with experience in both transactions and disputes. John Olynyk, also in Calgary, has a more general energy and natural resources practice, which is weighted towards environmental regulatory matters and Indigenous law.

Canada > Real estate Tier 4

Operating from Vancouver, Lawson Lundell LLP’s real estate team is acclaimed for its transactional, leasing, development, redevelopment, real estate litigation, property tax, financing and ownership structuring capabilities. Practice head Peter Tolensky is a key port of call for office, retail and industrial leasing and is likewise relied upon by utility, mining, and pipeline companies.

Canada > Tax Tier 4

Lawson Lundell LLP enjoys a strong reputation for its experience in representing Canada-based institutional investors, including pension plans, on tax matters. The group also frequently advises on the tax structuring of M&A, corporate restructurings, securities offerings and finance transactions, and is additionally equipped to advise on contentious tax issues. Leonard Glass and Reinhold Krahn jointly lead the team from Vancouver. Calgary-based Nancy Diep is noted for her resource tax expertise.