Rick Williams is a Partner in the BLG Vancouver office and the National Leader of BLG's Environmental Law Group and the Regional Leader of the Regulatory and Oil and Gas Groups.
Rick regularly represents and advises clients on the commercial, regulatory and litigation aspects of project development, permitting and operations in the energy and natural resource sectors, including land, environmental and Indigenous issues. Rick also represents and advises clients on dispute resolution including regulatory proceedings, corporate/commercial litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on the areas of oil and gas, transportation, forestry and mining.
Rick recently acted as lead counsel for the Province of British Columbia in a 160 day trial defending against claims of breach of Treaty from the cumulative effects of industrial development. Rick regularly appears before administrative tribunals, including the Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal, British Columbia Utilities Commission, Surface Rights Board and Environmental Appeal Board. Rick also has significant experience advising clients on their applications and dealings with the British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission.
Rick is a frequent author and presenter, and is consistently recognized as leading counsel by Benchmark Litigation Canada, Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, Lexpert, and The Best Lawyers in Canada. Rick was recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada as the 2022 ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Vancouver for Environmental Law. He received his LLB from the University of Victoria (1999) and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 2000.
Updated April 2023
