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Lawrence (Laurie) E. Smith KC

Partner

Partner | Email

T: 403.298.3315

Email

Calgary

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Smith Lawrence
 
  • Recent Experience
  • Recent Recognition
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T: 403.298.3315


Email

Calgary

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  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Recent Experience
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services
  • Recent Experience
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services

Laurie Smith is the former Vice Chairman of Bennett Jones and founding head of the regulatory department.

He is former counsel to the National Energy Board (NEB) and a former policy advisor to a Minister of the Government of Canada.

Chambers Canada

"Lawrence Smith [KC] is widely regarded as 'one of the finest utility experts in the country.'"

Laurie is lead regulatory counsel to Alberta's largest gas distributor. He has appeared before NEB and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) joint panels and provincial authorities in connection with numerous power, NGL gas storage, pipeline, offshore energy and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and utility rate proceedings. He has also appeared as counsel before the federal and provincial appeal courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. He has presented expert testimony in commercial and NAFTA arbitral proceedings; before the California Energy Commission; and appeared as a witness before the Canadian House of Commons and Senate.

Chambers Canada

"The 'first-rate' Lawrence Smith [KC] offers the experience of a long and fruitful career in energy regulatory law. He is prized for his deep knowledge of the National Energy Board (NEB) and provincial regulators and has represented clients at all levels of court."

Laurie served as a director or trustee of a number of private and public companies and funds, was formerly a member of the Advisory Board to the Montreal Neurological Institute and currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Royal Military College of Canada.

Laurie was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2000.

Education

St. Patrick’s College, Carleton University, BA University of Ottawa, LLB Oxford University (UK), MA 

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 1981 Alberta, 1984 

Recent Experience

Appeal counsel to ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd., in the Supreme Court of Canada's 2006 landmark decision defending utility property rights against regulatory confiscation. ATCO Gas & Pipelines Ltd. v. Alberta (Energy & Utilities Board), 2006 SCC 4
Appeal counsel to ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd., in its successful appeal from an Alberta Energy and Utilities Board Order purporting to require it to hold the proceeds of sale of an asset in a deferral account.  The successful appeal confirms that the Board has no jurisdiction over utility assets not required to provide utility service and that the utility is entitled to the sale proceeds without any conditions. ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. v. Alberta (Energy and Utilities Board) 2009 ABCA 171
Appeal counsel to ATCO Gas and Pipeline Ltd., in its successful appeals of three related Board Decisions regarding the ability of the regulator to assert jurisdiction over its Carbon gas storage facilities and related production properties, which assets no longer serve any purpose for utility service.  The court ruled that revenue generation is not a valid utility service.
ATCO Gas, in its $550-million sale of Viking assets to Burlington.
Bear Head LNG, in regulatory/environmental approvals for construction of the plant.
Sable Offshore Energy Project, in the Joint Environmental Review Panel hearings and regulatory approvals for the development of an offshore gas project valued at $3 billion.
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline Partnership, in $452-million and US$281-million bank financing and $260-million and US$240-million bond financing of the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline.
Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, in appearing before a Joint Environmental Review Panel for an international pipeline to Boston and in respect of general regulatory matters and in all subsequent facilities expansion and rate related issues; acted on four subsequent expansion and major gas transmission lateral projects.
Duke Energy, in the partnership agreement, operating agreements, transportation services agreements and EPC contract, and the project financing (bond/bank) in relation to the Canadian portion of the 1,059-km Maritimes & Northeast System.
Emera Brunswick Pipeline Company Ltd., as lead regulatory counsel for a $350-million gas transmission pipeline project connecting the Canaport LNG project to domestic and export markets.

Recent Recognition

Chambers Canada
Ranked, Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory)
Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business
Ranked, Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory)
The Legal 500: Canada
Leading Lawyer, Energy - Oil and Gas

The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Consistently recommended, Energy (Oil & Gas)
Repeatedly recommended, Energy (Electricity)
Repeatedly recommended, Infrastructure Law
Best Lawyers in Canada
2021 Calgary Lawyer of the Year - Environmental Law
Recognized for Energy Regulatory Law; Environmental Law; Natural Resources Law
Expert Guides
Recognized as one of the top Energy law practitioners in the world
Finance Monthly
Energy - Lawyer of the Year - Canada
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
Received a BV Distinguished Peer Review Rating
Lexpert Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada
Recognized as one of the leading lawyers in the area of Energy – Oil and Gas
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of Energy - Electricity
Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition - Canada's Leading Corporate Lawyers
Recognized as a leading corporate lawyer in Canada
Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition - Canada's Leading Energy Lawyers
Recognized as a leading energy lawyer in Canada
Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition - Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers
Recognized as a leading infrastructure lawyer
Who's Who Legal: Canada
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of energy

Who's Who Legal: Energy
Recognized as a leading energy lawyer

Insights, News & Events

Announcements

Chambers Global Ranks Bennett Jones Lawyers in 2023 Edition

March 06, 2023
       

Announcements

Bennett Jones Shines In Legal 500 Canada Rankings

November 09, 2022
       

Announcements

Lexpert’s Leading Canadian Infrastructure Lawyers

June 22, 2022
       

Related Services

Environmental Law
Energy Regulatory
Transportation
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