Jim Smellie is a senior partner in Gowling WLG's Calgary office. His practice focuses on a range of energy regulatory, administrative law, and litigation matters. In the oil & gas sector, he has extensive experience as counsel before the National Energy Board/Canada Energy Regulator, Alberta Utilities Commission, and other provincial regulatory tribunals. He has represented oil and natural gas producers, transmission pipelines, distributors, governments, petrochemical interests, marketers, and shippers in respect of facilities applications, export/import authorizations, and toll and tariff issues. In electricity matters, his experience as regulatory counsel includes extensive work on behalf of Alberta’s Independent System Operator as well as other market participants — including open access matters, cost of capital and other tariff issues, greenfield and thermal plant expansions, export authorizations, and transmission system expansions/enhancements. His litigation experience includes numerous commercial arbitrations (both as arbitrator and counsel) as well as appearances in the Federal Courts, provincial superior and appellate courts, and the SCC. Jim has been recognized in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, Chambers Global, Chambers Canada, and The Best Lawyers in Canada.