Lawson Lundell LLP

Lawson Lundell LLP

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Khaled Abdel-Barr

Khaled Abdel-Barr

Khaled practises mining law and is the Co-Lead of the firm's Global Mining Group. He provides legal support for mineral exploration activities and mine development and operations. He advises on acquisitions and dispositions of mines and mining projects both domestically and around the world, mine financing, and on a broad range of mining matters, including the negotiation of earn-in, joint venture, strategic alliance, royalty and streaming agreements, and mineral title review. Khaled also practises corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. Khaled advises clients on a broad range of transactions, both domestic and cross-border, and in many different industries, including share and asset acquisitions and divestitures, debt and equity financings and corporate structuring and reorganizations. Khaled also advises clients in the energy sector, having significant experience dealing with contractual issues in connection with the purchase and sale of energy and other energy related transactions.
David Allard

David Allard

David practices primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate and commercial and corporate finance and securities law. David has extensive experience focused on advising private and public company clients on transactional and corporate commercial matters, corporate reorganizations and restructurings, as well as corporate governance issues. He works with clients at all stages of development, from senior public companies to startups and entrepreneurs, and represents clients across a variety of industries, particularly forestry, services and technology.
Ryan Berger

Ryan Berger

Ryan Berger is a leading privacy and employment lawyer, with a primary focus on providing strategic advice to businesses and employers. Ryan leads the firm’s Privacy Group and routinely advises public and private sector organizations on data protection, business confidentiality and privacy compliance, risk management strategies, breach response, access to information, and litigation. Ryan manages breach response teams for clients, including forensic investigation, crisis communications and notification. On the transactional side, Ryan works closely with the firm’s business group on technology development, innovation and deals involving data, as well as cloud and Software as a Service (SaaS) agreements. Ryan also has substantial employment law practice, having practiced commercial and employment litigation for over 20 years. He advises employers in a wide range of employment and dismissal cases, as well as harassment and human rights complaints. Ryan is experienced in the development and enforcement of restrictive covenants. Ryan has unique experience in the health care space. He has advised and represented health authorities in privileging, discipline and related employment matters. He also combines his understanding of the health care space with keen interest in privacy law to advise electronic medical records providers, clinics and technology companies in the evolving digital health care world. Ryan has extensive experience in commercial litigation, having appeared before all levels of court in British Columbia and the courts of other provinces, as well as various tribunals and boards.
Keith Bergner

Keith Bergner

Keith advises private sector, public sector and government clients on Indigenous law and regulatory matters. He has appeared as counsel before numerous regulatory tribunals and all levels of Superior and Appellate Courts (both Federal and Provincial), including the Supreme Court of Canada. He has acted for clients in a number of natural resource industries including hydro-electric generation and transmission, oil and gas, mining, aquaculture, forestry, transportation and independent power projects. His practice extends throughout Western Canada and the North (Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon). In the area of Indigenous law, Keith advises governments, Crown corporations and private sector clients on the extent of the duty to consult and, if necessary, accommodate, in respect of potential adverse effects to Indigenous rights or title by major industrial projects. He advises on the development of consultation programs and has negotiated several dozen impact-benefit agreements with First Nations. Keith acts as hearing counsel for proponents seeking regulatory permits and approvals. He also represents project proponents and governments in appeals and judicial reviews challenging project approvals. In the area of regulatory/energy law, Keith acts as counsel for proponents and users of energy, mining and other natural resource projects. He appears regularly before administrative tribunals, including the National Energy Board and the British Columbia Utilities Commission. He also appears as counsel on appeals or applications seeking judicial review of decisions by administrative boards and tribunals. Recently, Keith has been involved in three separate matters before the Supreme Court of Canada—all of which involved the interplay of Indigenous law and administrative law.
Laura Bevan

Laura Bevan

Laura is an experienced commercial litigator specializing in complex litigation and dispute resolution. Laura handles a wide range of high-profile disputes, including public and private law matters. Laura has appeared before all levels of court in British Columbia and as counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada. Laura has also appeared before the British Columbia Securities Commission tribunal in administrative matters. Laura's practice is marked by her clear communication, meticulous preparation, and strategic thinking. She is known for her ability to navigate the complexities of litigation while achieving efficient and favorable outcomes for her clients. Her deep understanding of dispute resolution methods, combined with her extensive courtroom experience, allows her to guide clients through challenging legal matters, whether through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration, or trial. From 2022 to 2024, Laura led the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice group, during which she played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s approach to complex litigation, managing large-scale cases, and mentoring a team of lawyers. Her leadership was instrumental in expanding the firm’s presence in the litigation space and enhancing client service across a variety of industries.
Stuart Breen

Stuart Breen

Stuart is the head of the Corporate Finance and Securities Group at Lawson Lundell. For over twenty years, his practice has focused on corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on corporate finance and securities and mergers and acquisitions. Stuart acts for domestic and international companies in a wide variety of transactions including equity and debt financings, business combinations, acquisitions and stock exchange listings. He also regularly advises clients on corporate and securities regulatory compliance issues and corporate governance matters. Stuart has extensive experience acting for clients involved in the mineral exploration, development and mining industry, including advising clients on and completing commercial transactions such as joint ventures, option/earn-ins, royalties, strategic investments, and asset acquisitions, in respect of projects in dozens of jurisdictions worldwide. He also regularly provides advice on the unique continuous disclosure requirements of companies in the mining industry.
Murray Campbell

Murray Campbell

Murray’s practice is focused exclusively on pension and benefits law. He advises clients on the governance, restructuring, and modernization of pension and benefit plans and their supporting legal frameworks. With over 30 years’ experience, he has advised numerous clients with respect to the reorganization and modernization of their pension and benefit plans, as well as their governing documents. Murray played a central role in the introduction of joint trusteeship to pension plans in the British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba public sectors, and currently acts for more than 20 boards of trustees (or similar governing bodies) of public sector pension and benefit plans. Murray’s clients include boards of trustees and other sponsors of public and private sector pension and benefit plans across British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta. While his practice is solicitor-based, he regularly provides strategic direction and technical support in pension and benefit litigation.
Jeff Christian

Jeff Christian

Jeff is a litigation partner practicing exclusively in the energy, utility and natural resource sectors. He represents clients before regulatory tribunals such as the BC Oil and Gas Commission, Canada Energy Regulator, and Alberta Utilities Commission. He also advises clients on cross-border energy and natural resource development; regulatory and legislative reform issues; and related litigation and dispute resolution. He has a background in engineering and earth sciences and is head of the Regulatory Litigation Group at Lawson Lundell. Currently, Jeff is a member of the Canadian delegation negotiating a modernized Columbia River Treaty with the United States, representing BC Hydro.
Deborah Cushing

Deborah Cushing

Deborah practices labour and employment law, advising clients on a range of matters including wrongful dismissal, employment standards, business immigration, labour relations, and human rights issues. Deborah attended law school following a career in human resources. She worked in labour relations in the public sector followed by experience as an employee relations manager in the financial industry. Deborah works with clients in a wide range of sectors including mining, retail, hospitality, health care, government and non-profit.
Shailaz Dhalla

Shailaz Dhalla

Shailaz practices regulatory and administrative law with a focus on energy, environmental, public utility and Indigenous law matters. She has knowledge and experience navigating complex regulatory processes for various industries and energy development activities including, oil sands mines, pipelines, oil and gas waste disposal, wind-power and solar projects, carbon sequestration projects, transmission lines, power plants and other facilities. Shailaz represents industry clients at public hearings before various regulatory tribunals including the Alberta Energy Regulator, the Alberta Utilities Commission, the Land and Property Rights Tribunal and the Canadian Energy Regulator. She also represents clients before various government agencies across Canada and has appeared before the Alberta Court of Appeal, the Alberta Provincial Court and the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. Her clients include the largest independent natural gas and heavy crude oil producer in Canada and several companies in the natural resource and utility sectors in Canada. Shailaz’s practice also includes providing general and project specific legal advice on issues pertaining to regulatory licensing requirements and environmental assessments, contaminated sites due diligence and remediation, surface rights acquisition and compensation, carbon tax implications and emissions management, Indigenous consultation, and the negotiation and drafting of impact benefit agreement with Indigenous groups. Shailaz has specific expertise defending industry clients against regulatory objections and has assisted on numerous matters enabling clients to obtain regulatory approvals without a hearing. She also represents clients in relation to spills and regulatory compliance matters and works closely with environmental consultants, engineers and industry experts to prepare applications, regulatory submissions and expert reports. Shailaz also has experience in consumer protection legislation and privacy matters, including the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by the government and the private sector.
Clara Ferguson

Clara Ferguson

Clara is a leading energy regulatory lawyer who specializes in the power sector. She is currently serving as head of the firm's Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group in B.C., managing the litigation departments in those offices. Clara advises clients on a broad range of matters before regulatory boards and the courts, including market rules and compliance, long-term resource planning, electricity export permits, international power line approvals, rate design, and capital project permitting and approvals. She acts as counsel for a number of western Canadian regulated clients including the largest electric utility in British Columbia. Clara has extensive experience assisting clients in proceedings before the utilities commissions of B.C. and Alberta. She also acts for clients with respect to matters before the BC Energy Regulator and Canada Energy Regulator. Clara has appeared at all levels of the Alberta Court, including numerous matters before the Alberta and B.C. Court of Appeal. Clara is widely recognized for her expertise in energy by a number of legal ranking organizations including Chambers Nationwide and Chambers Global for Energy: Power.
Craig Ferris

Craig Ferris

Craig is one of British Columbia’s most accomplished litigation lawyers and acts for clients in commercial and business disputes. His particular areas of focus include shareholder remedies, trust, pension and fiduciary disputes, securities and transactional litigation, product liability, mining disputes and real estate litigation. Craig has appeared in all levels of court in British Columbia as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He also has extensive experience, both as counsel and as a neutral, in international and domestic arbitrations as well as in administrative settings, including before the British Columbia Securities Commission. Craig has particular knowledge of class actions and acted as lead counsel in several successful defences of major class proceedings in a wide variety of industries.
Craig Ferris KC

Craig Ferris KC

Craig is one of British Columbia’s most accomplished litigation lawyers and acts for clients in commercial and business disputes. His particular areas of focus include shareholder remedies, trust, pension and fiduciary disputes, securities and transactional litigation, product liability, mining disputes and real estate litigation. Craig has appeared in all levels of court in British Columbia as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He also has extensive experience, both as counsel and as a neutral, in international and domestic arbitrations as well as in administrative settings, including before the British Columbia Securities Commission. Craig has particular knowledge of class actions and acted as lead counsel in several successful defences of major class proceedings in a wide variety of industries.
Leonard Glass

Leonard Glass

Len is a partner in our Vancouver office and is the co-practice group leader of our Tax Law group. Len’s practice focuses on creating tax effective structures for client’s operating Canadian businesses and their succession planning. Len provides similar advice to Canadian businesses that are expanding outside of Canada and non-resident clients who are expanding into Canada. Len also provides tax advice to Canadian pension plans in connection with their acquisitions and divestments both inside and outside of Canada.
Shannon Hayes KC

Shannon Hayes KC

Shannon Hayes practices commercial litigation and arbitration in the firm’s Calgary office. She has been practicing for more than 20 years in dispute resolution and has a broad range of experience on commercial and business dispute matters, working with companies in a wide range of industries, including energy, power, real estate, and technology. Shannon has appeared as counsel before all levels of court in Alberta and acted in many private arbitrations. Clients regularly request Shannon to act on complex contractual and business tort disputes as she is known for creative and think outside-the-box solutions to achieve her client’s goals in the most practical way. Shannon is also keen to take on neutral arbitration work and is on the roster of panelists for the Vancouver International Arbitration Centre for domestic expedited arbitrations. Shannon is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a member of the Western Canada Commercial Arbitration Society, the ICC Canada Arbitration Committee and the International Bar Association, and is recognised by Chambers, Best Lawyers in Canada, Benchmark Litigation, Legal 500, Lexology, and as a Thomson Reuters “Stand-out Lawyer.”
Greg Hollingsworth

Greg Hollingsworth

Greg is both a lawyer and a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) who practices in the areas of business law, mergers and acquisitions, and taxation. Greg’s combined legal, taxation and accounting background enables him to advise clients on both the commercial and taxation aspects of transactions. Clients and their financial advisers particularly value his unique ability to converse with them at a high level on financial and accounting matters. A significant part of Greg’s practice is focused on the formation of private equity funds and M&A transactions involving private equity funds. Greg is the head of Lawson Lundell’s Private Equity Group and is recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2023) as ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in the area of Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity law. He acts for a number of private equity clients including CAI Capital Partners, Highland West Capital, Lighthouse Equity Partners, Fulcrum Capital Partners Inc. (formerly, HSBC Capital (Canada) Inc.), Parallel49 Equity (formerly Tricor Pacific Capital Inc.), Stern Partners, Beedie Capital Partners, Yellow Point Equity Partners, Breakwater Management LP, Arviat Equity Partners, and Headland Capital Partners, Greg has acted for both CVCA ‘Deal of the Year’ award recipients (2007, 2014 and 2022) and ACG Vancouver ‘Deal of the Year’ award recipients (2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019). Greg qualified as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) in 1988 while working with Ernst & Young in Toronto. He joined Lawson Lundell in 1992 and worked in both the Business Law and Tax Groups of the firm until 1999. Between 1999 and 2004, Greg worked in Dublin, Ireland with William Fry, Solicitors, one of Ireland’s top corporate-commercial law firms, where he practiced both corporate-commercial and taxation law in the Technology and Taxation Groups of the firm. His practice in Ireland focused primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and inbound and outbound investment. Greg re-joined Lawson Lundell in 2005 upon his return to Canada.
Megan Kaneen

Megan Kaneen

Megan advises boards of trustees and plan sponsors on a variety of legal matters involving pension plans, employee life and health trusts and other benefit plans. Her clients include both single employer plans and trusteed multi-employer plans across a wide range of industries. Megan prepares and amends plan texts and trust agreements, advises on the application of provincial and federal pension legislation and regulator policy, and drafts supporting plan documentation such as participation agreements, third party reimbursement agreements and governance policies. She advises on issues that arise in day-to-day plan administration, assists her clients with specialized projects such as plan conversions, plan terminations and matters related to ownership of plan surplus, and assists the resolution of benefit disputes outside of court. She regularly works with the BC Financial Services Authority and other regulatory agencies through her practice. Megan also negotiates a variety of plan contracts for her clients, including investment management and subscription agreements, custodial or solvency reserve account trust agreements, letter of credit trust agreements, securities lending agreements, annuity contracts, disability insurance policies and other pension and benefit plan service provider agreements. Megan has significant experience reviewing and advising on pension and benefit plan investment agreements.
Reinhold Krahn

Reinhold Krahn

Reinhold advises clients on both international and domestic income taxation matters, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, corporate reorganizations, and cross-border transactions. He regularly provides taxation and structuring advice to large institutions and pension funds as well as large public and private clients on multi-billion dollar transactions. Reinhold has extensive experience in structuring complex financial transactions relating to investments across Canada, the United States, South America, Europe and Asia in a variety of fields, including resources, real estate and large industry. Reinhold also has extensive experience in structuring tax efficient investment structures for foreign investors acquiring and making investments and acquisitions in Canada. Reinhold is a partner in our Vancouver office and is the co-practice group leader of our Tax Law group. Prior to practicing law, Reinhold received his B.Sc. (Hon) in Physics from UBC and worked as a physicist in high-temperature superconductivity for a number of years.
Karen MacMillan

Karen MacMillan

Karen is Lawson Lundell's Managing Partner as well as Co-Lead of the firm’s Global Mining Group. She practices corporate/commercial, mining, and energy law with an emphasis on commercial arrangements in the mining and energy sectors. She has significant experience with asset-level acquisitions and dispositions, earn-in, option and joint venture agreements, royalty agreements, procurement, construction and engineering agreements, and other complex ownership arrangements. In the energy sector, Karen regularly advises clients on the ownership and development of major power generation projects, power purchase and sale agreements, renewable energy transactions, and other commercial contracting matters. Karen also counsels domestic and international clients across industries on general business law issues. Her experience includes share and asset acquisitions and divestitures, licensing arrangements, corporate and contractual joint ventures, and debt and equity financings. She has worked with clients across a variety of sectors, including mining, energy, forestry, pulp and paper, financial services, consumer products manufacturing and distribution, recreation and resorts, transportation, and education. Karen was Lawson Lundell’s first Chief Inclusiveness Officer, leading the firm’s diversity and inclusiveness initiatives through the design, implementation, and measurement of firm-wide improvement programs.
Valerie Mann

Valerie Mann

Valerie is the Chair of the firm’s Technology Group and the Social Impact and Sustainable Business Group. Val’s practice is transactional (M&A, private equity/venture capital and corporate finance) and advisory including corporate governance including advising boards and special committees. Val is the former Managing Partner of the Firm. Val has been lead counsel on a number of large and mid-market transactions focused on private equity and venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions and private placements, as well as corporate reorganizations, structuring and strategic matters as well as shareholder agreements. She has extensive experience working with emerging and high growth technology companies and founders in their structuring, financings and acquisitions and exits. A significant portion of Val’s practice is advising private equity and venture fund sponsors in fund formations and structuring, as well as acting for funds in their investment transactions in a variety of industry areas including technology, real estate and food and beverage. Val has published extensively on M&A, venture capital, financing in the technology sector, and leadership and regularly lectures and speaks at conferences. In addition to the practice of law, Val is dedicated to giving back to the community and has served on, and chaired, numerous boards and special committees in the non-profit sector.
Lewis Manning

Lewis Manning

Lewis’ practice focuses on regulatory and administrative law matters involving both the electricity and oil and gas sectors including all aspects of rate applications, toll design, facilities applications, cost of capital and related matters before the Alberta Utilities Commission, the Alberta Energy Regulator (and the Canada Energy Regulator), the BCUC, OEB, Manitoba PUB, and the Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry. He has appeared at all levels of the Alberta courts in relation to various energy related matters at trial and appeal, the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Lewis also represents clients in arbitrations as well as sitting as an arbitrator in relation to oil and gas and electric industry related disputes.
Paul Negenman

Paul Negenman

Paul is an oil and gas transaction and land lawyer with over 30 years of experience advising clients on the drafting and negotiating of agreements for the acquisition and divestiture (A&D) of oil and gas assets, and the drafting and negotiating of joint venture, partnership and joint operating agreements pertaining to the energy industry. Paul also assists clients in due diligence and title opinion preparation in A&D transactions; custom and complex freehold land and leasing matters; the legal consequences of asset retirement obligations; and regulatory compliance issues in well, facility and pipeline license transfer applications with regulatory bodies. He provides advice relating to day-to-day disputes and issues with joint venture participants, royalty owners and fee simple owners of oil and gas properties. In A&D, he helps clients understand and navigate the closing process and the preparation of closing documentation to ensure a successful transaction. Paul is well versed in all of the CALEP (CAPL), and most of the PJVA, industry forms and procedures. Paul's most recent interest is brine hosted mineral leasing, otherwise known as lithium leasing, in both the Crown and freehold context. Paul's practice is focused exclusively on oil and gas matters. This concentration allows him to provide his clients with focused, detailed and thoughtful assistance and advice.
John Olynyk

John Olynyk

John is a member of the firm’s Indigenous, Environmental, and Project Development practice groups. His practice includes advising private sector and government clients throughout Canada on Indigenous, environmental, regulatory and natural resources matters. John advises oil sands developers, conventional oil and gas companies, railways, mining companies, utilities and other resource developers on environmental regulatory matters and on Indigenous law matters, including Indigenous consultation issues and negotiation of cooperation protocols and impact benefit agreements related to natural resource project development.
Jagdeep Shergill

Jagdeep Shergill

Jag is a seasoned corporate and commercial lawyer, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, fund formations and investments. He regularly acts for operating companies, not-for-profits, fund sponsors and investors on a variety of matters, including domestic and cross-border acquisitions and dispositions, in-bound investments, fund formations, restructurings and reorganizations, corporate governance, and various other commercial matters. A significant part of Jag’s practice is devoted to working with institutional clients (such as pension plans, insurance funds, health and benefit trusts, and endowments), high net worth individuals and fund sponsors with respect to their investment activity and structuring matters. Jag’s work in this regard includes advising clients in connection with investments in the areas of real estate, infrastructure, energy and private credit, whether by way of traditional fund investment (closed-end and open-ended), fund-of-one structures, joint ventures, co-investments or investment/asset management agreements. With respect to Jag’s commercial law practice, he often assists clients with franchise law matters, including advising franchisees in the negotiation of franchise/license arrangements with prominent hotel, food and beverage, and retail operators.
Lana Shipley

Lana Shipley

Lana practices corporate and commercial law with a particular emphasis on energy, Indigenous and environmental law. She works with public and private companies in a wide range of industries, including mining, energy, natural resources, technology and manufacturing. Within her corporate and commercial energy law practice, Lana negotiates and structures complex commercial arrangements for hydroelectric utilities and energy companies, including tariff arrangements, power purchase and sale agreements, and renewable energy credits. She also conducts a variety of transactions, including asset and share acquisitions and dispositions, reorganizations and various other corporate proceedings, and advises public companies on regulatory matters, continuous disclosure and corporate governance practices. Lana’s Indigenous and environmental law practice involves assisting clients with the negotiation of impact benefit and other agreements with Indigenous groups in relation to proposed developments in the energy and mining industries and other sectors, as well as permitting and regulatory matters that arise throughout the development of both large and small projects. She also provides assistance in obtaining, amending and transferring environmental and other authorizations issued by federal and provincial regulatory authorities. Clients describe Lana as extremely well informed about negotiations for Indigenous benefits agreements.
Robert Sider

Robert Sider

Rob Sider, KC, is the head of the Labour, Employment and Human Rights Group at Lawson Lundell. His practice focuses on management-side labour and employment law. He advises on labour and employment aspects of commercial transactions and day-to-day labour and employment issues. His work includes labour and employment litigation, arbitrations, human rights, employment standards (including director and officer liability issues), collective bargaining and workers compensation. Rob has appeared in front of labour relations boards, employment standards tribunals, human rights tribunals as well as before the British Columbia Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal.
Nicole Skuggedal

Nicole Skuggedal

Nicole practices in all areas of labour and employment law, advising clients on wrongful dismissal, labour relations, human rights and privacy issues. Nicole has represented clients in matters involving labour arbitrations, labour relations boards, employment standards tribunals, human rights tribunals, privacy commissioners, and has appeared before the British Columbia Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada. Nicole frequently negotiates collective agreements and provides strategic and tactical advice to clients on drafting employment contracts and the labour and employment aspects of commercial transactions. Nicole is a Past President of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers, which is the leading management side labour and employment lawyers’ organization in Canada.