Lawson Lundell's Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Blog follows new and interesting issues emerging in the legal and business communities. Our goal is to provide a source of valuable information and insight on a wide variety of matters for our readers.
Practice Expertise
- Litigation
- Public Utility and Regulatory
Areas of Practice
- Litigation
- Public Utility and Regulatory
Profile
Will practices environmental and regulatory law with a particular emphasis on regulatory compliance and incidence response. He works with companies in a wide variety of industries, including mining, forestry, utilities, and age-restricted product sales.
With his regulatory litigation practice, Will assists clients navigate complex regulatory schemes and develop due diligence systems to ensure compliance. He also assists clients with defending against regulatory charges, including preparing and presenting due diligence defences and negotiating alternative dispute resolution solutions. Will has also assisted clients with incident response on an urgent basis, including dealing with environmental and workplace emergencies and responding to inspections and investigations by regulators.
Will has also assisted clients in obtaining necessary regulatory approvals for environmental and commercial projects, including environmental permits and liquor and lottery licences. This work has included assisting clients with environmental assessments, permitting application requirements, and contested public interest hearings.
Will has appeared at all levels of courts in British Columbia, as well as a variety of regulatory and administrative tribunals.
With his regulatory litigation practice, Will assists clients navigate complex regulatory schemes and develop due diligence systems to ensure compliance. He also assists clients with defending against regulatory charges, including preparing and presenting due diligence defences and negotiating alternative dispute resolution solutions. Will has also assisted clients with incident response on an urgent basis, including dealing with environmental and workplace emergencies and responding to inspections and investigations by regulators.
Will has also assisted clients in obtaining necessary regulatory approvals for environmental and commercial projects, including environmental permits and liquor and lottery licences. This work has included assisting clients with environmental assessments, permitting application requirements, and contested public interest hearings.
Will has appeared at all levels of courts in British Columbia, as well as a variety of regulatory and administrative tribunals.
Languages
English
Bar Admissions
British Columbia (2014)
Education
University of British Columbia (J.D., 2013)
University of Oxford (M.St., 2010)
University of Alberta (Honours B.A., 2008)
Areas of Practice
- Litigation
- Public Utility and Regulatory
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
* Assisted an international mining company with respect to two fatality investigations at its mining operations, including preparing witnesses for regulatory interviews, responding to regulatory orders, and conducting root cause analyses (2022-2025).
* Assisted an international construction company respond to an environmental spill at one of its locations, including preparing witnesses for regulatory interviews, considering the potential for a due diligence defence and ultimately negotiating a guilty plea in exchange for a reduced fine (2021).
* Assisted a utilities company in a root cause investigation in relation to a combustion incident in one of its facilities, including investigating the root cause, responding to orders from the BC Utilities Commission, and reviewing historical compliance efforts (2023).
* Assisted a BC corporation in responding to a combustion incident at a local refinery, including assisting with the root cause analysis and in responding to inquiries and orders from regulatory authorities (2024).
* Presenting to clients on emergency response programs and procedures to prepare for environmental and workplace emergencies.
* Drafting emergency response policies and procedures for clients, including immediate and ongoing reporting requirements, regulatory obligations, and jurisdictional analysis.
* Drafted legislation updates for the Council of Forest Industries, including significant review and analysis of the BC Government's efforts to overhaul the forest industry.
* Assisted several registered professional foresters with respect to disciplinary proceedings brought by Forest Professionals of British Columbia (2022-2025).
* Assisted clients in responding to complaints investigated by the Forest Practices Board (2023-2024).
* Successfully defended a client in response to allegations of unlawful harvesting and removal of timber, resulting in over $6m of avoided penalties (2023-2024).
Additional Information
Rankings & Recognition
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2027: Administrative and Public Law
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2024-2025: 'Ones to Watch' - Corporate & Commercial Litigation
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2025: 'Ones to Watch' - Administrative and Public Law
* Barbara Fraser Memorial Award, University of Alberta 2023
* Assisted an international mining company with respect to two fatality investigations at its mining operations, including preparing witnesses for regulatory interviews, responding to regulatory orders, and conducting root cause analyses (2022-2025).
* Assisted an international construction company respond to an environmental spill at one of its locations, including preparing witnesses for regulatory interviews, considering the potential for a due diligence defence and ultimately negotiating a guilty plea in exchange for a reduced fine (2021).
* Assisted a utilities company in a root cause investigation in relation to a combustion incident in one of its facilities, including investigating the root cause, responding to orders from the BC Utilities Commission, and reviewing historical compliance efforts (2023).
* Assisted a BC corporation in responding to a combustion incident at a local refinery, including assisting with the root cause analysis and in responding to inquiries and orders from regulatory authorities (2024).
* Presenting to clients on emergency response programs and procedures to prepare for environmental and workplace emergencies.
* Drafting emergency response policies and procedures for clients, including immediate and ongoing reporting requirements, regulatory obligations, and jurisdictional analysis.
* Drafted legislation updates for the Council of Forest Industries, including significant review and analysis of the BC Government's efforts to overhaul the forest industry.
* Assisted several registered professional foresters with respect to disciplinary proceedings brought by Forest Professionals of British Columbia (2022-2025).
* Assisted clients in responding to complaints investigated by the Forest Practices Board (2023-2024).
* Successfully defended a client in response to allegations of unlawful harvesting and removal of timber, resulting in over $6m of avoided penalties (2023-2024).
Additional Information
Rankings & Recognition
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2027: Administrative and Public Law
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2024-2025: 'Ones to Watch' - Corporate & Commercial Litigation
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2025: 'Ones to Watch' - Administrative and Public Law
* Barbara Fraser Memorial Award, University of Alberta 2023
Articles
Bankruptcy and Insolvency - New Reporting Requirements for Lands Used for Specified Industrial or Commercial Activities
By Will Shaw, Noor Mann |January 2021British Columbia Contaminated Sites - New Requirements Start Feb. 1, 2021
By Will Shaw |January 2021Redevelopment of Land in B.C. - New Contaminated Sites Reporting Requirements
By Will Shaw |January 2021
Blogs
Environmental, Indigenous and Natural Resources Blog
Lawson Lundell's Environmental, Indigenous and Natural Resources Blog focuses on environmental, indigenous and natural resources law, as well as related litigation. Included are summaries of significant cases from Canadian appellate courts, changes in the legal framework governing resource development including energy and climate change policy, and key decisions from the more influential regulatory bodies in Canada.
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