Helmut K. Johannsen

Helmut Johannsen is the national leader of the Construction, Procurement & Infrastructure Group and also a member of the following practice groups: Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships; Energy, Environmental, Climate Change & Regulatory; and Litigation and Dispute Resolution. His practice focus includes all aspects of law related to construction and engineering, including litigation, arbitration, insurance, bonding and the negotiation, drafting, tendering, award and interpretation of all types of construction, architectural and engineering procurement processes and contracts. He has acted as counsel on complex civil litigation cases and arbitrations involving construction, engineering, procurement and complex technical matters. He has prepared numerous Requests for Proposals, tender documents and contracts for infrastructure and other projects, including major hydroelectric, rapid transit, LNG and gas pipeline projects.

In addition to being a lawyer, Mr. Johannsen is a Registered Professional Engineer who, prior to entering law, worked for the City of Vancouver Engineering Department, including feasibility and advanced computer simulation studies, estimating, design, procurement, and supervision of construction. He also has experience in geological engineering, road construction and residential building construction. This complementary knowledge and experience in the engineering and construction industries provides his clients with exceptional strategic advice and results.

Mr. Johannsen is a Governor and Past President of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, listed in the International Bar Association's International Who's Who Legal directory under Construction Law, and named in National Post's "Best Lawyers in Canada – Construction".

Selected Experience

• Represented United Group, a leading engineering and services company, in relation to an Alliance Agreement for the provision on a modified EPCM/EPC basis of 21 transmission lines and 32 new electrical substations in Alberta
• Preparing process documents, RFPs, proposal competition agreements and design-build contract, plus related engineering and other contracts and both the bonding and insurance requirements for the Waneta Expansion Project

News

• The results are in: 96 Fasken Martineau lawyers named The Best Lawyers in Canada 2010
• Who's Who Legal recognizes 28 Fasken Martineau lawyers as leaders in 14 practice areas

Publications

• Design-Build Project Delivery Challenges for Dams

Presentations

• Identifying and Assessing Risks at the Pre-Tender Stages of Your Project
• The Long and Winding Road: What the Tolls give, the Deducts can Take Away

Membership/Affiliations

• Registered as a Professional Engineer, Association of Professional Engineers of British Columbia (1977-present)
• Past President (2003-2004) and Governor, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers
• Construction Law Section (Past Chair, 1989-1990), and Civil Litigation, Insurance and Alternative Dispute Resolution Sections of the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch)
• Canadian Bar Association Practice Advisory Panel for Construction Law on Liability, Bonding and Insurance
• B.C. Arbitration and Mediation Institute
• Chartered Arbitrator, ADR Institute of Canada 
• Former Member, B.C. Committee of the Surety Association of Canada
• International Associate, American Bar Association (member of various sub-sections, including Forum Committee on the Construction Industry
• International Bar Association, Committees T (International Construction Contracts) and D (Procedure for Settling Disputes)
• Former Member and Chair, Legal Affairs Committee of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (1990 to 1997, Chair 1995 to 1997)
• Instructor, Construction Law, Douglas College (1985-1987)

Honours and Awards

• Best Lawyers in Canada 2010, Construction Law