Connect with Fasken Martineau on LinkedIn

A.W. (Sandy) Carpenter

Partner

Sandy is one of Canada's leading lawyers with respect to Project Development, Regulatory, and Aboriginal matters.

With more than 20 years of experience acting on some of the most controversial projects in Canada, Sandy brings a forward-looking, multi-disciplinary mindset to his practice and works together with engineering, environmental, communications and other professionals to achieve successful resolutions that integrate all aspects of a major project. As a result of Sandy's deep understanding that it takes a team to tackle complex issues in our society, he is frequently asked to work in partnership with other consultants and law firms to supplement their expertise on a file.

On Aboriginal issues, Sandy has acted for industry since the emergence of modern Aboriginal law in Canada. He recognizes that clients often wish to resolve Aboriginal issues by agreement and works towards the realization of mutual benefits for his clients and First Nations alike. He also recognizes that, even with the best intentions, sometimes agreement isn't possible. Sandy is one of the only lawyers in Canada acting for industry and government on Aboriginal issues who regularly provides advice on both agreements with First Nations people and acts as counsel on First Nations court challenges, bringing a wide range of knowledge and insight to (and from) this critical balance.

Sandy is regularly asked to act on injunction proceedings where interference with industry operations or project construction is taking place, and other matters where assertions of rights threaten resource development. These issues, and other matters in which Sandy is involved, often evolve in real time, necessitating a broad strategic approach to accommodate potential future developments. They can also be subject to intense media and public scrutiny, including social media campaigns. Sandy recognizes that legal considerations are only one aspect of these matters and he works together with communications and other professionals to ensure that all required actions are evaluated and successfully implemented across whatever range of forums and activities is necessary while legal processes are taking place.

Sandy prides himself on his client-driven approach, recognizing that there are no "one size fits all" solutions, and that clients have widely different risk and fee tolerances. As a result, Sandy offers a range of services from occasional strategic reviews and input on company or government activities, to legal team management, to hands-on day-to-day involvement in complex and sensitive matters. Sandy also offers a range of fee structures from discounted hourly fees for work that provides other benefits, to flat fee structures, to other arrangements that accommodate clients' interests at the early stages of a project.

Sandy is recognized by LEXPERT as a leading practitioner in Aboriginal, Energy, and Environmental Law and by Best Lawyers in Canada in both Aboriginal and Energy Law.