Ron’s legal practice focuses on resource development applications and commercial disputes. His experience is focused on energy, environmental and construction-related projects and conflicts.
He chairs the firm’s Energy, Environmental and Regulatory Practice Group and regularly appears before a variety of regulatory tribunals and courts in Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
Ron acts for industry and governments on a wide variety of litigation and administrative hearings on environmental and regulatory issues. He also defends environmental prosecutions and provides strategic advice to corporations involved in stakeholder issues and enforcement proceedings. He has acted in many contaminated site disputes and redevelopment issues involving contaminated sites.
Ron has also acted in a number of commercial arbitrations and mediations involving energy, regulatory and construction disputes.
Awards and Recognition
- Appointed Queen’s Counsel, 2012
- Leading practitioner – Environment and Transportation, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Recognized in the areas of Construction Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law, and Transportation Law, Best Lawyers in Canada
- BV Distinguished peer review rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Recognized in area of environmental law, Who’s Who Legal Canada
- Recognized by Chambers Global 2013 in the area of Environmental Law
- The Alberta Emerald Foundation award for youth has been named the Ron Kruhlak Award in recognition of Ron’s efforts in developing the Foundation.
Professional Associations and Affiliations
- Director and Member of Executive Committee, Alberta Chamber of Resources
- Member, Western Canada Commercial Arbitration Society
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Canadian Centre for Environmental Arbitration and Mediation
- Member, The Edmonton Legal Forum
Community and Volunteer Activities
- Director, Regional Board of the Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Past Director and Chair, Alberta Emerald Foundation
- Past Director and President, Environmental Law Centre
- Past Director, Edmonton Bar Association
- Past President, Crestwood Community League
Energy, Environmental & Regulatory
- Represented the City of Calgary in one of the largest contaminated site disputes in Alberta.
- Acted on behalf of oil sands operators with respect to environmental prosecutions.
- Counsel on behalf of proponents for mining, electricity, and oil and gas applications.
- Associate General Counsel to the Commissioner of the Public Inquiry into policing of the Blood Indian Tribe.
Commercial and Construction
- Part of the trial team in one of the largest civil claims in the province dealing with a fire at a major oil sands facility.
- Acted as counsel in construction arbitrations with respect to changes in soil conditions, changes in scope of work, and public/private partnership disputes.
- Acted on behalf of plant owner in negligence action against geotechnical engineering firm in a cooling pond failure.
- Acted on behalf of power generation corporations with respect to business interruption claim and power purchase agreement disputes.
