Michael B. Niven, Q.C.

Michael Niven is head of the firm's oil and gas department. Michael deals with oil and gas transactions and oil and gas disputes. His transactional experience includes oil and gas asset and share transactions, the financing of oil and gas properties, oil and gas title work, and the preparation of contracts dealing with oil and gas assets, both working interests, royalty interests and facility interests.

Michael also deals with disputes between oil and gas operators, between operators and mineral owners and between operators and royalty owners. He has extensive experience in dealing with freehold leases and in dealing with matters concerning gross royalty trusts. Since 1989, he has acted as Court Appointed Representative for mineral owners whose titles are encumbered by gross royalty trusts.

His experience includes matters involving builders' liens, surface rights and regulation by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board. Michael represents a variety of oil and gas enterprises, both public and private, as well as service companies and freehold mineral owners.

His non-oil and gas practice includes dependent adult and estate litigation and personal property security matters. He has represented individuals accused of professional negligence by various professional bodies, including the Law Society of Alberta and the Real Estate Council of Alberta.

Michael acted for a Schedule I Canadian chartered bank for a number of years in the negotiation of loan agreements and the preparation and registration of security. He has acted for borrowers in the negotiation and preparation of loan agreements and security with respect to loan packages of all sizes up to $100,000,000.

Year of Call

• Scotland 1980
• Alberta 1983

Education

• University of Dundee, Scotland (LL.B. (Honours) 1976)
• University of Alberta (LL.M., 1977)

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