- Managing Partners: Brian Fulton
- Number of partners: 61
- Number of associates: 54
Firm Overview:
Lawson Lundell’s roots lie in the resource development that fuelled the opening of Western Canada in the post-war era. Its #1 ranking in Canadian Lawyer Magazine’s 2010 survey of regional law firms in British Columbia, Alberta and northern Canada attests to its substantial footprint in resource and other business sectors in the region, but the firm’s reach extends well beyond the areas in which it has offices. Many of the firm’s largest clients have head offices outside Canada. While managing growth, the firm has developed high-quality speciality areas that enable it to provide a full range of services to international businesses. The firm and its lawyers are consistently recognised in leading directories, with half the partners and counsel recognised by Best Lawyers in Canada.
Main Areas of Practice:
Details concerning key practice areas are set out below. Other significant areas are banking, commercial real estate, forestry and insolvency and restructuring.
Mining:
Lawsons is actively involved in all stages of project development, from property acquisition, through permitting, financing and construction to operations, and in all kinds of mining related transactions. Experience covers precious and base metals, diamonds, industrial minerals, coal, uranium and strategic minerals. Clients are based in Australia, Europe, Asia and North America and include several of the world’s largest mining companies, as well as development and early production stage companies, many of which have come to Canada to list on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The firm provides the full range of legal support for several current and recently developed projects in Canada, notably major gold, iron ore, chromite, coal, diamond and zinc projects in Canada’s northern Territories, Ontario and BC. The firm is closely involved with several projects abroad, particularly in Latin America and Africa. Recent transactions include assisting a Chinese company in a zinc/lead joint venture in the Yukon Territory, a major Canadian company in an earn-in arrangement to a nickel project in Indonesia, an Australian company with the acquisition of significant uranium assets in eastern Canada and a Canadian company with the redevelopment of a mine in Nicaragua, as well as numerous M&A and capital raising mandates.
Energy/Oil & Gas:
Lawsons has the leading energy practice in British Columbia, with a reach extending throughout western and northern Canada and into the western United States. The firm has a major role in the electric sector in BC and Alberta and in transactions between Canada and the United States. It assists clients acquiring interests in, structuring and obtaining approvals for major projects throughout the region, with current focus on shale gas development in northeastern BC and oil sands development in Alberta. It has participated in a number of clean energy (wind and run-of-river) projects, has a thorough knowledge of initiatives targeted at greenhouse gas emissions, and is experienced in trading renewable energy credits. Recent regulatory mandates include representing the proponent or a major intervenor in separate hearings before the National Energy Board concerning the proposed $16.2 billion Mackenzie Gas Project, development of LNG facilities on the northern BC coast and a fundamental redesign of TransCanada Pipeline’s tolls, and continuing as lead regulatory counsel for the dominant electrical utility in BC.
Environmental/Aboriginal:
The firm has a group of highly proficient lawyers who handle the environmental approval and aboriginal consultation aspects of project development in Canada’s west and north,which have become an inseparable part of project approvals. Current projects include all permitting aspects of many of the projects referred to under “Mining”, two in situ oil sands proposals in Alberta, and additional electricity transmission lines in BC. Increasingly court proceedings follow on regulatory processes, leading to three successful trips to the Supreme Court of Canada in the last year. One concerned the requirement for, and another the adequacy of, aboriginal consultation. Another upheld the environmental approval for a new mine despite rulings that the approval process was flawed.
Corporate/M&A:
The firm is a recognised leader in corporate commercial law, corporate finance and M&A. In addition to the transactions referred to under “Mining”, recent mandates included: assisting Western Coal in its $3.3 billion acquisition by Walter Energy; assisting a major forestry company with sale to an Indonesian company of the assets of its joint venture with a Japanese company; numerous spin-outs of mining assets into newly-formed companies by way of IPO’s; and assisting in the acquisition by a group of pension funds of a public company holding substantial private timberlands. Current mandates include representing Anvil Mining in its acquisition by MinMetals, a Chinese company, and assisting Fulcrum Capital Partners in acquiring the Canadian private equity and mezzanine lending businesses of an international financial institution.
Litigation:
Lawsons’ Litigation Group is focused on commercial litigation and a number of specialty areas including pensions and benefits, regulatory, environmental, aboriginal, insolvency and labour and employment litigation, all supported by the largest dedicated research department in Vancouver. Over the past two years, lawyers appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada on five occasions and have handled several precedent-setting cases, involving issues as diverse as multi-jurisdictional litigation concerning alleged contamination of waterways and related insurance claims, the liability of search engines for copyright infringement, the required scope of environmental review, apportionment of liability for handling contaminated waste, curtailment of potretirement health benefits, and the extent of Aboriginal consultation.
Tax:
Lawsons has an innovative team of lawyers who develop highly sophisticated tax plans for a range of transactions. They develop structures, often in multiple jurisdictions, for use in private equity and other fund investments (including infrastructure), securities offerings and numerous other transactions. They advise a group of significant pension plans in their substantial investments in jurisdictions around the world, and coordinate international advice on such investments. They all have experience practising as commercial lawyers, and two maintain professional accounting designations. This range of experience provides a commercial approach to tax practice, balancing tax objectives with commercial practicalities.
Labour & Employment:
The group advises employers in all aspects of labour and employment law, including labour relations, collective bargaining, wrongful dismissal, human rights, employment standards, employment equity, privacy and business immigration. Recent highlights include advising an international air carrier on the integration of work forces following a major acquisition, development of labour strategy for a major infrastructure project constructed and operated through a P3 model, and successfully defending curtailment of post-retirement health benefits.
Pension & Employee Benefits:
Lawsons has the leading Pension and Benefits Practice in Western Canada. Solicitors practice exclusively in the pension and benefits area, representing plan sponsors of all types with particular emphasis on trusteed multiemployer plans and corporate DB and DC plans. Litigators have a wealth of pension and benefits experience, including defending class actions. The firm has significant related expertise in the tax, trust, fiduciary, investment and insurance areas. Based in Vancouver, the group has major clients throughout Western and Northern Canada and in Ontario,many in the resources and public sectors.
Areas of PracticeBanking & Debt Financing
Corporate/M&A
Energy/Oil & Gas
Environmental/Aboriginal
Commercial
Forestry
Insolvency & Restructuring
Labour & Employment
Litigation
Mining
Pensions
Real Estate
Tax