Background

Hugh Williamson is a partner in our Calgary office. Hugh was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1972, having graduated with a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of British Columbia in 1971. Hugh has been Managing Partner of the Calgary office and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1992.

Areas of Practice

• Hugh's practice has primarily focused on administrative, regulatory and environmental matters before various regulatory tribunals. Other areas of practice include commercial, corporate and privacy matters for clients in the oil, gas and petrochemical areas.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012 (Energy Regulatory Law; Natural Resources Law)
• Martindale-Hubbell BV Peer Review Rating
• Recognized in the 2009 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Energy - Electricity)

Professional Experience

• Appears before the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (AEUB), now the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC), and Energy Resources Conservation Board as counsel for several large and medium sized integrated oil and gas companies, petrochemical companies and gas and electric utilities in various proceedings including facilities applications for gas, NGL & oil pipelines, power lines and gas plants, applications for industrial development permits and gas processing scheme approvals, Board inquiries in relation to a number of generic industry issues and applications respecting drainage, common carrier and common processor issues.
• Appears for a provincial government before the Canada/Nova Scotia offshore Petroleum Board and National Energy Board in various proceeding respective offshore and onshore pipelines and gas related facilities.
• Appears before the National Energy Board as counsel for a provincial government, several large and medium sized integrated oil and gas companies, petrochemical companies and gas and electric utilities in various proceedings including gas and power export licence proceedings, facilities applications, land acquisition proceedings, tariff and toll proceedings, inquiries related to gas, oil, electric power and NGL matters and inquiries respecting the restructuring of the electric utility in the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
• Appears before the AEUB as counsel for several large and medium sized integrated oil and gas companies, petrochemical companies and gas and electric utilities as applicant and intervenor in various proceedings including inquiries, rate proceedings and applications for various approvals under The Public Utilities Board Act and Gas Utilities Act.
• Appears before the Public Utilities Board of the Northwest Territories as counsel for the major electrical generating and transmission utility in respect of rate and facility matters.
• Appears before the Surface Rights Board ( Alberta ) as counsel for oil and gas companies.
• Appears for a provincial government before the Canada/Nova Scotia offshore Petroleum Board and National Energy Board in various proceeding respective offshore gas facilities.
• Appears before the Alberta Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada as counsel for several large integrated oil and gas companies, petrochemical company and electric utility in connection with appeals arising from decisions of the Public Utilities Board and National Energy Board.
• Appears before the Development Appeal Board as counsel for electric utilities and oil and gas companies on Development Appeal Permit matters.
• Appears as counsel for parties in respect of Alberta and international commercial arbitrations. Appears as counsel for producers and end-users in gas pricing arbitrations under the Alberta Arbitration Act.
• Appears at Disciplinary Hearings as counsel.

Commercial

• Acted for a large number of large, medium and small oil and gas companies, petrochemical companies and regulated gas and electric utilities in connection with a broad range of corporate, commercial and corporate financing transactions including the sale and purchase of petroleum and natural gas rights and interests; the purchase and sale of gas, in Canada and the United States NGL's and manufactured petrochemical products within the province, in Canada and into the United States; the design and drafting of transportation tariffs and agreements; agreements related to the construction and operation of oil and gas pipelines, processing plants, co-generation facilities and oil, gas and petrochemical by-product manufacturing plants and the purchase, sale and acquisition of buildings, equipment and surface rights relating thereto. Also involved in a variety of general corporate, commercial and corporate finance transactions including debt and equity financing, takeovers and mergers.

Professional and Community Activities

• Actively involved with the United Way
• Member of the Board of Directors for Social Venture Partners.
• Has participated as speaker and chaired industry seminars concerned with gas transportation and gas pricing issues and with regulation in the energy sector.