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Craig O. Alcock

Partner

403.260.0120
coa@bdplaw.com
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Education:

University of Calgary, Juris Doctor, 2010

University of Manitoba, Bachelor of Arts, Criminology, 2003

Bar admission: 2011

Industries:

Agribusiness, food and beverage, Franchises, dealerships and distributorships, Construction, Government and Not For Profit, Oil and gas, Real estate

Practice areas:

Environmental Defence, Occupational health and safety, Construction litigation, Energy litigation, Infrastructure and project development, Litigation and dispute resolution, Corporate governance and disclosure

Experience

Businesses rarely call a lawyer because everything is going according to plan. They call when litigation, regulatory scrutiny, a workplace incident, or a commercial dispute threatens an important business objective.

Craig Alcock helps businesses, boards, executives, contractors, energy companies, and entrepreneurs navigate high-stakes disputes and investigations. He is known for providing practical, business-focused advice and for developing litigation strategies that align with his clients' commercial objectives. Whether the matter calls for aggressive advocacy, strategic negotiation, or immediate crisis response, Craig focuses on helping clients solve problems efficiently and effectively.

Craig has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal, and regularly represents clients in arbitrations, regulatory proceedings, and complex commercial disputes. He acts for clients across a broad range of industries, including energy, construction, telecommunications, real estate, technology, engineering, health care, transportation, manufacturing, agribusiness, and not-for-profit organizations.

When Clients Call Craig

Clients typically retain Craig when:

a significant commercial dispute threatens a business relationship or project;
shareholders, partners, or stakeholders become embroiled in conflict;
a construction project gives rise to delay, deficiency, negligence, or lien claims;
an injunction or other emergency court remedy is required;
an environmental incident or workplace accident triggers regulatory scrutiny;
governance issues create risk for directors, officers, or boards; or
litigation becomes a strategic business issue requiring experienced counsel and practical advice.

Craig understands that litigation is rarely just a legal problem. It is often a business problem, an operational problem, or a reputational problem. His advice is informed by that reality.

Commercial Litigation

Craig represents businesses and individuals in a wide range of commercial disputes, including contractual claims, shareholder disputes, governance matters, injunctions, fiduciary duty claims, and complex commercial litigation. His approach combines strong advocacy with a clear understanding of the commercial considerations that drive client decision-making.

Energy and Construction Disputes

Craig has extensive experience representing exploration and production companies, service companies, contractors, developers, owners, and consultants in disputes involving energy operations and construction projects.

His experience includes matters involving:

operating and joint venture agreements;
royalty and lease disputes;
drilling, production, and pipeline construction claims;
builders' liens;
delay and deficiency claims;
engineering and consultant negligence claims;
operator disputes; and
project and infrastructure-related litigation.

Clients value his ability to understand both the legal and technical issues that often arise in complex energy and construction matters.

Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Defence

Craig routinely assists organizations responding to workplace accidents, serious injuries, and fatalities. He provides immediate advice regarding incident response, reporting obligations, investigations, regulatory enforcement, and prosecutions.

He has extensive experience defending employers, contractors, and operators in proceedings brought under occupational health and safety, environmental, and regulatory legislation. He understands the significant operational, reputational, and legal consequences these matters can create and works closely with clients to help them manage risk while navigating the investigation and litigation process.

Governance and Leadership

Craig regularly advises directors, officers, boards, and senior management on governance disputes, stakeholder conflicts, fiduciary obligations, and litigation involving corporate decision-making.

Before becoming a lawyer, Craig served for ten years in the Canadian Armed Forces, including overseas operational deployments. That experience shaped the disciplined, practical, and calm approach he brings to helping clients manage conflict, uncertainty, and high-pressure situations.

Professional involvement

Professional and Firm Involvement

Craig is committed to mentoring the next generation of lawyers and serves as principal and mentor to articling students and junior counsel.

Professional associations

Member, Law Society of Alberta
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Calgary Bar Association

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, General Campaign Star – South West Asia, South West Asia Service Medal, Former Yugoslavia Medal, Peacekeeping Service Medal and two Commander in Chief Unit Commendations

Craig has been the secretary of the Board of The Military Museums Foundation for a number of years.

Representative work

Ovintiv Inc.’s $3.8B Acquisition of NuVista Energy Ltd.

Counsel to NuVista Energy Ltd. in connection with its approximately CAD $3.8 billion sale to Ovintiv Inc., pursuant to a definitive arrangement agreement under which Ovintiv Canada ULC agreed to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares not already owned by Ovintiv and its affiliates, including the assumption of NuVista’s net debt.

Counsel in various disputes regarding the interpretation of the CAOEC Master Daywork Contract

Lead counsel on a number of cases involving drilling contractors and the interpretation of the CAOEC Master Daywork Contract

Counsel on various environmental matters

Defence counsel on a number of environmental matters including H2S releases and pipeline ruptures.

Kicking Horse Oil & Gas Ltd.'s $300 million acquisition by Whitecap Resources Inc.

Counsel to Kicking Horse Oil & Gas Ltd., a portfolio company of Quantum Energy Partners, in its $300 million acquisition by Whitecap Resources Inc.

Successful defence in an alleged breach of confidence case

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, 2020 ABCA 21).

Counsel on Co-op health and safety compliance issues

Lead counsel to a gas co-op with health and safety compliance issues.

Royalties dispute before the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Counsel 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).

Successful summary dismissal of a $100 million claim involving disputed oil and gas facilities

Applied for the summary dismissal of a claim to an Ownership interest number of disputed oil and gas facilities estimated to be worth over $100M. 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)

Successfully advised Murphy Oil Company Ltd. in a $22 million dispute

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 Ltd, 2018 ABCA 380).

Successfully defended client in a contract dispute

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).

Contract review for a livestock association

Counsel to a livestock association with respect to various contractual review matters.

Joint venture and operating agreements dispute

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.

Employment dispute before the Court of the Queen's Bench

Co-counsel in a multi-million dollar claim and counterclaim between an ex-CEO and a large organization, alleging breach of contract, wrongful dismissal, negligence, fraud and deceit, which claim and counterclaim proceed to a lengthy trial before the Court of Queen's Bench.

H2S releases

Pipeline releases

Incident involving wildlife fatality at a condensate tank

Occupational health and safety advice for an agriculture retailer

Counsel to a retail supplier of agricultural products and services with respect to advice regarding their process safety management and potential liabilities under various regulations.

Advising an energy company in a $25 million claim

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

Defence counsel in various occupational health and safety disputes

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.

Farming company's commercial dispute

Counsel to a farming company regarding a dispute between the lessor and lessee of farmland in Saskatchewan.

Advising in a case that involved the impact of limitation periods

Lead counsel to a syndicate of working interest owners in sour and sweet gas facilities. The action involved allocations of produced substances and the impact of limitation periods.

Claim involving accusations of negligence

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.

Advising on a royalty dispute

Lead counsel to a commercial landlord in a dispute involving the royalty payable on the tenant's gross income and misreporting thereof.

Dispute regarding abandonment and reclamation

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.

Advising E&P company on a product liability claim

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.

$17 million product liability claim

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

Energy company's $16 million claim

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.

Advising on a product liability claim

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

Awards

Recent honours and recognition

Named Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation Canada (2025, 2026)

Recognized by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a recommended leader in Litigation - Corporate Commercial (2025)

Named Leading lawyer in Litigation: General Commercial (Alberta) by Chambers Canada (2023)

Named Future Star by Benchmark Litigation Canada, (2020-2024)

Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (present)

Publications

September 28, 2026

News

September 3, 2026