Shailaz Dhalla,

Shailaz practices regulatory and administrative law with a focus on energy, environmental, public utility and Indigenous law matters. She has knowledge and experience navigating regulatory processes for various industries and obtaining project approvals for oil sands mining projects and expansions, pipelines, oilfield waste disposal facilities, wells, mines, wind-power, solar and carbon sequestration projects, transmission lines, power plants and other facilities. 

Shailaz represents industry clients at hearings before various regulatory tribunals including the Alberta Energy Regulator, the Alberta Utilities Commission, the Surface Rights Board and the National Energy Board. She has also represented clients before various government agencies across Canada and has appeared before the Alberta Court of Appeal, the Alberta Provincial Court and the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench.  Her clients include the largest independent natural gas and heavy crude oil producer in Canada, an international oilfield waste management company and various companies in the natural resource and utility sectors in Canada.

Shailaz provides general and project specific legal advice on issues pertaining to regulatory licensing requirements and environmental assessments, contaminated sites due diligence and remediation, surface rights acquisition and compensation, carbon tax implications and emissions management, public consultation, and the negotiation and drafting of agreements with Indigenous groups. Shailaz has specific experience defending industry clients against regulatory objections and has enabled clients to obtain regulatory approvals without the need for a hearing. She also represents clients in relation to spills and regulatory compliance matters and works closely with environmental consultants, engineers and industry experts to prepare applications, regulatory submissions and expert reports. Shailaz also has experience in consumer protection legislation and privacy matters, including the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by the government and the private sector.

Shailaz is also a member of the firm’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee which is responsible for identifying and guiding the implementation of measures to further advance equity, diversity and inclusion at Lawson Lundell.

Prior to joining Lawson Lundell, Shailaz practiced with a leading national law firm and most recently as legal counsel with the Alberta Utilities Commission. 

• Canadian Bar Association, National Member
• Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch, Member
• Canadian Bar Association, Law Student Section, Past-Chair
• Canadian Bar Association, Articling Student Section, Past-Chair
• Alternative Dispute Resolution, Family/Commercial Mediation, Certified Mediator
• Law Society of Alberta, Member

• Pro Bono Mediation Services, Conciliation and Arbitration Board for the Prairies
• Mentor, Canadian Bar Association
• Board of Directors, Focus Humanitarian Assistance Canada

• The Legal 500 Canada: Next Generation Partner in Environment, 2024-2025
• Benchmark Canada: The Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys, 2021-2024: recognised as a Future Star
• Named as one of Calgary's Top 40 Under 40, Avenue Magazine (2009)
• Alberta Law Foundation Award
• Judith R. Norman Memorial Award

Shailaz’s experience includes:

• Successfully representing a waste disposal company with operations in Canada and the United States in the first-ever regulatory appeal hearing before the Alberta Energy Regulator under the Responsible Energy Development Act. 
• Routinely representing Canada’s largest oil and gas producer on regulatory, environmental and Indigenous law matters to obtain regulatory approvals on its oil sands, heavy oil and conventional oil and gas operations.
• Representing an oil sands operator on a major mine expansion project where the Alberta Energy Regulator dismissed seven Indigenous interventions and approved the application without a hearing.
• Representing international companies to establish and obtain regulatory approval for bitcoin mining operations in Alberta.
• Representing an international global upstream and midstream oilfield technology company in matters related to historic contamination and remediation.
• Representing clients on various judicial review applications related to the adequacy of Crown Consultation.
• Representing an Alberta-based oil and gas company in one of the largest administrative penalties levied by the Alberta Energy Regulator in relation to a pipeline spill.  Through an intensive six month oral and written advocacy process, the fine levied by the Alberta Energy Regulator was reduced by 70%.   
• Representing a leading Alberta commercial and residential developer in one of the Alberta Surface Rights Board’s largest compensation hearings.
• Representing a major utility company on rate regulation and related matters before the Alberta Utilities Commission. 
• Conducting significant need and transmission facility hearings as Counsel with the Alberta Utilities Commission, including the Southern Alberta Transmission Reinforcement Needs Application and the Heartland Transmission Project Application, Alberta’s first critical transmission infrastructure application. 
• Acting as counsel on the Minister of Energy’s Order in Council Inquiry on Hydro Electric Power Generation Development in Alberta, published in February, 2011. The terms of reference included a thorough review and analysis of provincial and federal regulatory approval processes including cumulative effects management, the duty to consult First Nations, public consultation and environmental assessments.
• Drafting regulations and regulatory directives.