Lawrence E. Smith Q.C.

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.

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.

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.