Mr. Ghikas FCIArb. is a litigator who has practiced law across western Canada for over 23 years. Although he has a commercial litigation background, for the past 20 years his primary focus has been on the energy industry (electricity, oil and gas, alternative energy, LNG), utilities, rate regulation and transportation regulation. His expertise in various areas has been recognized by organizations including Chambers, Best Lawyers in Canada, Benchmark Litigation, Lexpert, Legal 500 and Thomson Reuters Stand Out Lawyers. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Mr. Ghikas has been peer-recognized as Lawyer of the Year in British Columbia in three of the past five years in energy law categories.

His representative experience includes:

-lead counsel to a proponent of an $800 million LNG facility

-lead counsel to BC Hydro, one of Canada’s largest electric utilities, in an inquiry to determine whether to construct the $15 billion Site C dam project

-lead counsel to the owner of an oil refinery and large gas station chain in a gasoline pricing inquiry

-lead counsel for large electric and gas utilities on rate setting

-co-counsel in final offer rail arbitrations.

Mr. Ghikas is a roster arbitrator for the Canadian Transportation Agency.

Mr. Ghikas is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His experience as arbitrator includes:

-party appointed arbitrator in a dispute over carbon credits and force majeure relating to the failure of electricity generation;

-sole arbitrator in a shareholder dispute about entitlement to distributions and oppression;

-sole arbitrator in a franchising dispute; and

-sole arbitrator in a commercial breach of services contract dispute.

He has acted as counsel in a number of arbitrations and mediations, including:

– counsel to an electric utility in an arbitration regarding allocation of transmission capacity;

– counsel for public utilities in mediation processes; and

– advising on a dispute regarding an international LNG supply agreement.

Best Lawyers

-“Lawyer of the Year – Oil and Gas” British Columbia 2023

-“Lawyer of the Year – Energy Regulatory Law” British Columbia 2018, 2021

-International Arbitration (Vancouver) 2021-2023

-Administrative and Public Law Vancouver 2020-2023

-Energy Regulatory Law 2012-present

Chambers

-Energy: Power (Regulatory) Canada 2021-2023

-Energy: Regulatory and Litigation (British Columbia) 2018

Lexpert

-Leading Individual in Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas 2020-2023

-Lexpert -Regulatory and Public Law 2022-2023

-Canada’s Leading Energy Lawyers 2014

-Leading 500 in Canada Oil and Gas 2017

Benchmark Litigation

-“Litigation Star” energy and natural resources, 2013 to present

Thomson Reuters

-Standout Lawyer 2019, 2021-2022

Legal 500

-Leading Individual in Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and Gas 2020-2024

Who’s Who Legal

-Recommended in Energy 2023

Bachelor of Arts (BA) University of British Columbia 1995

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) University of Toronto 1998

Law Society of British Columbia 1999

Law Society of Alberta 2013

Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators 2018