Craig O. Alcock

Experience

Craig’s focus is on:

Commercial litigation

• Has argued matters before all levels of Court in Alberta, including the Provincial Court, the Court of Queen's Bench and the Court of Appeal
• Broad range of experience representing parties involved in complex commercial disputes, oil field product liability, well failures, indemnity and transfer fee claims, tort claims, real property issues, commercial lease disputes and breach of contract claims
• Intellectual property disputes in the Alberta and Federal Courts
• Private corporation shareholder/officer/director disputes
• Represents professional members and permit holders involved in complaint and disciplinary proceedings.

Energy litigation

• Broad experience with a variety of oil and gas disputes for oil and gas clients, including contractual, joint venture, accounting, royalty, operator, and oil and gas operating agreement and lease interpretation disputes

Construction litigation

• Acting for owners, general contractors and subcontractors in a variety of construction matters, including builders' lien claims, delay and deficiency claims, Safety Code violations, and prime consultant negligence cases.
• Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Defence
• Extensive experience advising those industries at risk of accidents in the workplace, including responding to and reporting the circumstances surrounding accidents and fatalities
• Extensive experience defending against prosecutions brought pursuant to the Occupational Health and Safety Act including incidents involving service and drilling rigs, battery sites, pump jacks, explosions, and falls from height
• Experienced with a variety of other quasi-criminal matters including charges under the Safety Code, Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act
• Experience with Workers' Compensation Act issues.

Community involvement

Craig's military service:

• Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 1997 - 2007
• Queen's Commission, 2003
• Tours of Duty to Bosnia and Afghanistan
• Awarded the Sacrifice Medal, South West Asia Service Medal, Former Yugoslavia Medal, Peacekeeping Service Medal and two Commander in Chief Unit Commendations

Recent cases

Lead counsel in the successful defence of an $18 million action and appeal involving alleged breaches of confidence, use of seismic data, contractual transfer fees, limitations and the objective intent of the parties when contracting. Geophysical Service Incorporated v Falkland Oil and Gas Limited and Rockhopper Exploration plc, 2020 ABCA 21

Lead counsel to Obsidian Energy Partnership in the successful claim for royalties payable by the defendant. Issues involved the proper interpretation of the royalty agreement and the objective intentions of the parties. Obsidian Energy Partnership v Grizzly Resources Ltd., 2019 ABQB 406

Co-counsel for the successful defendant on the summary dismissal of a claim to a number of disputed facilities. The matter turned on the proper interpretation of joint venture agreements and the CAPL Operating Procedure and the objective intentions of the parties to the contract. O'Chiese Energy Limited Partnership v Bellatrix Exploration Ltd., 2019 ABQB 53

Lead counsel to the successful defendant in responding to the plaintiff's appeal of a decision dismissing its $22 million claim. Leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was refused. Geophysical Service Incorporated v Murphy Oil Company Limited, 2018 ABCA 380

Co-counsel on the successful defence of a claim for fees in excess of what was agreed to in a fixed-fee contract. Riddell Kurczaba Architecture Engineering Interior Design Ltd. v Governors of the University of Calgary, 2018 ABQB 011

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and production company in a $25 million claim by a prospective purchaser. The issues include the proper interpretation of an asset purchase agreement, breach of confidence allegations, and the exclusion of consequential losses

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and production company in a multi-million dollar claim and counterclaim arising out of late 13th month adjustments, withholding of payment under various joint venture and operating agreements, and the effect of an assignment and novation

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and production company in an $8 million product liability claim in connection with failed fracking equipment

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and production company in a $16 million claim brought by a pipeline construction company to recover cost overruns on a fixed fee contract

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and production company in a $17 million product liability claim in connection with failed fracking equipment

Lead counsel to an international well engineering company in a claim involving allegations of negligence, the proper interpretation of a Master Services Agreement, and the exclusion of consequential losses

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and production company on a $10 million product liability case involving the failure during fracturing operations of a coupling attached to a joint of P110 casing

Lead counsel to a syndicate of working interest owners in sour and sweet gas facilities. The action involves allocations of produced substances and the impact of limitation periods
Lead counsel to a commercial landlord in a dispute involving the royalty payable on the tenant's gross income and misreporting thereof

Lead counsel to an Alberta exploration and company that is alleged to be required to pay abandonment and reclamation costs on properties that were assigned to other parties pursuant to purchase and sale agreements

Defence counsel on a number of occupational health and safety matters including exposure to chemical fumes, falls from height, pedestrians struck by heavy equipment; workers injured when standing under suspended loads, workers injured at pinch points, among others