DEPARTMENT PROFILE

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Energy: Power

4 ranked lawyers

Band 2

Nationwide - Canada

Canada 2022 View ranking table

chambers review

department information

Ranked Lawyers

Chambers Review

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What the team is known for

Borden Ladner Gervais is a talented national law firm with particular strength in energy across Ontario and BC. The power group assists a variety of major electricity industry clients, including generators, distributors, transmission developers, Crown corporations and government agencies. The lawyers offer considerable expertise in corporate and commercial matters relating to conventional and renewable project development, including biomass, water, solar and wind power. They also provide sought-after regulatory advice and representation before tribunals across the country.

Strengths

Sources regard the team as "highly skilled lawyers who practise with a tremendous amount of integrity."

Other interviewees comment: "The quality of the work and relationship building is very good."

Work highlights

A BLG team led by Bruce Fowler acted for Northland Power on its USD465 million financing of the Empresa de Energía de Boyacá distribution utility in Colombia.

Notable practitioners

John Vellone continues to build his electricity and infrastructure practice, providing counsel on project financing and procurement. Based in Toronto, he also provides regulatory advice to both public and private clients in the power sector.

Calgary-based Jonathan Liteplo focuses his practice on utilities regulation, advising on such matters as facilities approvals and performance-based regulation in the power space. He frequently representing clients before the Alberta Utilities Commission.
"Jonathan Liteplo is respectful, responsive and remarkably knowledgeable."

Mark Rodger acts for clients on a broad array of matters, including transmission rates, infrastructure renewal and regulatory compliance. He is noted for his experienced representation of clients, including utilities, generators and municipalities, out of the group's Toronto office.

Chair of the firm's electricity markets group Shane Freitag is noted for his adept handling of project development across the energy space. Based in Toronto, he offers additional experience representing clients in regulatory and transactional matters.
"He is good, thorough and responsive."

Department Information

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Overview

BLG’s Electricity Markets Group is a top-ranked, multidisciplinary team. We offer leading-edge advice and information to developers, utilities, lenders, purchasers, sellers, governments, government agencies and indigenous communities in respect of the electricity sector. The group has extensive experience in:

Power and Utilities
We advise clients on the development, financing, construction and operation of power projects representing all technologies. We have a wide range of experience in M&A, restructuring, procurement and complex contractual arrangements in the electricity sector.

Project Finance
We represent borrowers and lenders on project financing across Canada. Our professionals have in-depth expertise in structuring financing transactions and the intensive due diligence process which is the foundation of a successful project financing.

Regulatory
We have extensive experience representing clients involved in energy issues before regulatory agencies in all provinces as well as the Canada Energy Regulator.

Renewables
We have in-depth experience in the development, financing, construction and operation of renewables and alternative energy projects including solar, wind, waterpower, geothermal, biomass, biofuels and energy storage.