Richard Bell Partner | Calgary

Recent litigation experience includes:

• Defence of a claim for unpaid invoices and additional costs incurred by the general contractor, along with the prosecution of counterclaims, with respect to the construction of an in-situ oilsands facility for a major oilsands producer, leading to a successful settlement of all claims

• Successful prosecution of performance bond and labour and material payment bond claims regarding the failure of owners or general contractors to satisfy invoices issued by material suppliers on various Alberta construction projects

• Defence of multiple claims regarding the demolition of ammonia and methanol manufacturing plants in Kitimat, B.C. and their shipment for reassembly in China, leading to a successful resolution of all claims

• Ongoing defence of cross-jurisdictional claims involving China, Singapore and Canada involving allegations of passing off and copying of industrial design

• Successfully defending a claim over ownership and alleged unitization of a natural gas well at trial and appeal for Dominion Exploration Canada Ltd.

• Ongoing representation of a major oil and gas producer in a commercial arbitration regarding the allocation of capacities at a jointly owned processing facility

• Ongoing defence and prosecution of multiple claims regarding alleged cost overruns and billing disputes with respect to the construction of an oilsands water treatment facility near Fort McMurray, Alberta

• Successfully defending numerous claims regarding crop loss and damage against the manufacturer of various herbicides, pesticides and fungicides

• Successfully defending claims against U.S. manufacturers of recreational vehicles regarding alleged defects in design

• Ongoing and prior defence of numerous negligence claims against a U.S. manufacturer and vendor of heavy equipment

• Successful prosecution of an injunction to restrain the defendants from utilizing the trade secrets and confidential information of a manufacturer of specialized electromagnetic, downhole measurement-while-drilling technology

• Served as expert witness on civil procedure and the law of Alberta for litigation proceedings in the Falkland Islands regarding the ownership of seismic data

• The Best Lawyers in Canada (2021–2024: Construction Law; 2013–2024: Product Liability Law; 2011–2024: Corporate and Commercial Litigation)

• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – 2020–2022 (Litigation – Corporate Commercial and Construction Law, Repeatedly Recommended)

• Lexology and International Law Office Client Choice Awards 2014 – International (Winner for Litigation – Canada)

• Lexology and International Law Office Client Choice Awards 2013 – USA & Canada (Winner for Litigation – Alberta)

• Co-author : Alberta Publishes Regulations to the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act
  Blakes Bulletin on Litigation & Dispute Resolution / Construction Dispute Resolution, March 4, 2022.

• Panel Moderator : Preserving Privilege During Disputes and Investigations
  Construction Dispute Resolution Seminar Series, Calgary, Alberta, June 8, 2023.
• Panel Moderator : Change Order Management and Descoping
  Construction Dispute Resolution Seminar Series, Calgary, Alberta, May 1, 2023.
• Speaker : Drafting to Address the Regulations and Amendments to the Builders’ Lien Act
  Builders' Lien Seminar Series, Calgary, Alberta, June 8, 2022.
• Speaker : Builders' Lien Basics
  Builders' Lien Seminar Series, Calgary, Alberta, June 6, 2022.

Admitted to the Alberta Bar – 1998
LLB, University of Toronto – 1997
MPhil, University of Oxford – 1993
BA (Hon.), University of Saskatchewan – 1991