 Bennett Jones Education University of Victoria, BComm, 2003, with distinction University of Alberta, LLB, 2006, with distinction Bar Admissions Alberta, 2007 Northwest Territories, 2016 Manitoba, 2020 Ontario, 2026 Chris Petrucci practices corporate and commercial litigation across Canada, in a variety of industries with a special emphasis on construction project disputes, energy (including renewable energy and power generation), product liability, information technology services, mining and minerals, and real estate. He co-heads the firm's national Project Disputes Practice Group. Overview Chris is a leading advocate before the courts and in arbitration hearings. He is recognized by Lexpert as one of Canada’s leading litigators, one of Canada’s leading infrastructure lawyers and as a repeatedly recommended litigator in Alberta. Chris is ranked in Chambers (construction) and is also a fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers in recognition of his expertise in construction law disputes. Chris has extensive experience before all levels of court in Alberta, including as trial counsel and represents clients in courts across the country. He also has a substantial arbitration practice across Canada and internationally. Chris represents clients in significant, complex domestic and international arbitrations under multiple procedural regimes, such as UNCITRAL, the International Court of Commerce (ICC), the International Bar Association (IBA) and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). He also represents clients in adjudications under recently enacted prompt payment legislation. With respect to construction disputes in particular, Chris has litigated and arbitrated claims involving bids, cost overruns, cost estimates, delay and disruption, productivity loss, warranties, defects, change orders, design and plant failures across various types of construction projects, including pipelines, oilsands facilities, oil and gas processing plants, power plants, renewable energy facilities, mineral processing facilities, manufacturing plants, fibre optic networks, agricultural facilities, commercial and residential buildings and various infrastructure projects such as highways and sea ports. Such disputes arose under various contracting models such as design-build, EPC, EPCM, P3, FIDIC, CCDC, hybrid and bespoke agreements. Select examples of Chris' recent representation as lead counsel include the following:
Chris is an executive member of the Canadian Bar Association Construction Law Section - Alberta South and regularly speaks and writes on a variety of energy and construction litigation topics. He is often requested to comment on updates on related legal developments, contractual interpretation of industry agreements, legal privilege, preparation of delay and cost overrun claims, procurement and tendering law, audit disputes, builders' liens, cross-examination of witnesses and alternative dispute resolution. Construction • International construction contractor in a pipeline construction dispute against a state-owned entity involving claims for extras and delay claims in the context of an international arbitration governed by the Arbitration Rules of the London Court of International Arbitration. • Mining contractor, in the successful resolution of a multi-million dollar dispute over contested progress payments concerning the design and construction of a gold processing facility. • International contractor regarding a pipeline dispute with its sub-contractor for multiple breach of contract claims in excess of $50 million in the context of an international arbitration governed by the Arbitration Rules of the International Chamber of Commerce. • Surety under a performance bond in a dispute against the general contractor involving the design and installation of a significant fibre optic cable network in Northern Canada within a P3 framework before the courts that involved defending claims for deficiencies and delay. • Canadian construction contractor in a USD $100 million LCIA arbitration against a state-owned air and sea ports authority in connection with the construction of a cruise ship pier in St. Kitts and Nevis. • A consortium of international real estate development companies based in Canada in the successful dismissal of a contractor's claim due to litigation delay in connection with the construction of a mixed-use skyscraper (2026 ABCA 210). • An international food processing company based in Europe in a domestic ICC arbitration against its EPCM contractor for construction claims of over $180million that involved issues of delay, productivity loss, cost estimates and cost overruns. • An international construction contractor based in Canada in a successful trial involving pursuit of damages and defending claims of delay and cost overruns with respect to the construction of a pipe processing plant. (2025 ABKB 542). • An international energy company based in Canada in ongoing litigation against engineers and suppliers in respect of the design and construction of a minerals processing plant. • An international energy company in an international commercial ICC arbitration involving complex contractual disputes in the technology services industry with claims exceeding $180million. • A national real estate developer in an adjudication under prompt payment legislation in defence of claims exceeding $10mm, involving issues of delay and change orders. • An international energy company in an international UNCITRAL arbitration in the pursuit of claims exceeding $300 million, and the defense of counterclaims exceeding $100 million for delay and loss of productivity and cost overruns against its engineering, procurement and construction contractor associated with the design and construction of a billion dollar heavy oil extraction facility. • An international telecommunications contractor based in Canada in a domestic arbitration regarding the installation and connection of a large fibre optic network in Northern Canada. • Ongoing litigation for a condominium corporation involving a significant remediation project in Manitoba. • Global engineering firm, in a successful application for summary judgment in relation to a multi-million dollar complex international construction dispute (Attila Dogan Construction v. AMEC Americas Limited, 2015 ABQB 120). • Various owners, contractors, and subcontractors, with builder's lien disputes, including taking steps to discharge a lien, or file a lien, in respect of various types of construction projects, such as oil sands development and urban construction projects. Energy • International energy company in an audit dispute with its joint venture partner that involved issues of allocation of costs and limitation period principles under the relevant CAPL auditing provisions. • Joint owner of a cogeneration power facility in a domestic arbitration concerning an audit dispute with its counterparty concerning the allocation of costs and revenues under the governing agreements that involved issues concerning excess capacity under the AESO regime. • International energy midstream company in pursuit of claims against its service provider for damages resulting from the rupture of a pipeline. • Bio-fuel power generation facility, in a multi-million-dollar dispute over the overhaul of its turbine generator, which included issues concerning summary judgment and limitation periods applicable to third party claims (2015 ABCA 252). • International energy midstream company in a dispute with its turbine generation supplier regarding the catastrophic failure of a turbine. • Large oil and gas companies, in an international arbitration governed by the UNCITRAL Rules concerning a dispute over certain cost allocations in respect of an offshore oil development that required a week of arbitration hearings. • International oil company, in a litigation dispute over royalties arising from oil and gas leases. Real Estate • Residential property developer in defence of claims brought by purchaser alleging breach of the purchase agreement and misrepresentation, including the successful dismissal of the plaintiff's summary judgment application (2020 ABKB 150) • International commercial landlord, in a court action against a former tenant to pursue claims in relation to the early termination of a commercial lease. • Retail clothing company, in connection with its sale of a downtown commercial building and claims of misrepresentation advanced by the purchaser. • Commercial developer, in the defence of claims related to the development and sale of condominium units. • Real estate brokerage firm, in the successful defence of an injunction application where the applicant had made allegations of breach of trust conditions in relation to a condominium development. • Large department store tenant, in obtaining an interlocutory injunction against a landlord related to a shopping mall development (2009 ABQB 712). • Various landlords, with recovery of rent, including seizure of tenant's assets. Product Liability • Supplier of lighting components for agricultural use in defence of claims brought by the plaintiff owner relating to a fire. • An international hydrocarbon liquids company in pursuing claims against its supplier for deficient materials used in connection with the supply and installation of goods while conducting overhaul work on a processing facility. • An international hydrocarbon liquids company in defence of claims brought an owner for the alleged supply of deficient goods. • End user of industrial equipment, with a claim for defective manufacturing and defective repair work. • Large industrial engine manufacturer, in defence against claims of alleged defects.
Other • Selling shareholders, with the successful release of $40 million of holdback funds that were frozen pursuant to the governing share purchase agreement. • Internet marketing company, as lead counsel at trial in the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, in obtaining judgment against the defendant counterparty in relation to a failed business venture involving a breach of a letter of intent. • Restaurant services company, successfully obtained a mareva injunction and attachment order in relation to the supply and distribution of food items which resulted in freezing the defendant's assets. Recognitions & Awards Chambers Canada • Construction Benchmark Litigation: Canada • Recognized as a Future Star Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory • Construction Law; Litigation - Corporate Commercial Lexpert Special Edition—Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers • Recognized as a leading Infrastructure lawyer Lexpert Special Edition—Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers • Recognized as a leading Litigation lawyer Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health • Recognized as one of Canada's leading lawyers in Technology and Health Who's Who Legal: Construction • Recognized, Future Leaders - Partners Canadian College of Construction Lawyers • Inducted as a Fellow, 2023 |