Laurence J.E. Dunbar

Laurence (Laurie) Dunbar joined Fasken Martineau DuMoulin's Ottawa office as a partner in 2007, following the firm's merger with Johnston & Buchan LLP. He had practiced with Johnston & Buchan LLP as a partner for the previous 26 years primarily in the areas of communications, anti-trust and public law. Laurie is the co-chair of Fasken Martineau's communications law practice group.

Laurie advises a wide range of Canadian and foreign carriers, public utilities, telecommunications service providers and investors in the wireline, wireless, cable television, satellite and Internet markets.

He has advised extensively on strategies to open domestic and international telecommunications markets to competition as well as on related interconnection, ownership, licensing and tariff issues. He advises on trans-border telecommunications issues and on the application of Canadian foreign ownership restrictions to investments in Canadian carriers and broadcasting undertakings. He also advises clients on a wide range of radio spectrum issues relating to the provision of mobile wireless (cellular and PCS), fixed radio and satellite services.

In recent years, Laurie has advised airport authorities, electric and gas utilities on strategies to leverage their infrastructure to provide telecommunications services. He also advises on Internet-related issues including voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), ISP liability, e-commerce, interactive television and IP-TV.

Laurie advises both domestic and foreign governments on legislative and policy issues related to privatization, competition and regulatory reform in the telecommunications sector including the restructuring of legislative, policy and institutional frameworks, incentive-based alternatives to rate of return regulation, and "universal service" mechanisms.

Recent public sector mandates include advising the Government of British Columbia in connection with its "Digital Divide" project; the Ontario Energy Board on its "smart metering" project for electrical utilities; the Canadian radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the Commissioner of Competition on regulatory reform; the CRTC on procedural reform; the Government of Canada's Telecommunications Policy Review Panel on legal issues in connection with its 2006 review of Canadian telecommunications policy and legislation; and the Saudi Arabian Communication and Information Technologies Commission on competitive interconnection tariffs.

Laurie also advises on anti-trust issues including merger notification requirements and competitive disputes. He has acted as counsel for the Competition Bureau in an number of regulatory proceedings.

Laurie has also lectured extensively in respect of communications law and public policy issues as a part-time professor of communications law at the University of Ottawa Law School, as a special lecturer to assist in training regulatory and legal staff at the CRTC, and as a lecturer for regulators in developing countries on compliance with WTO requirements for open and transparent regulatory frameworks and institutions.

Selected Experience

• Barrett Xplore acquires wireless customers and assets from Storm Internet Services
• Rogers Wireless Partnership in applications for cellular/PCS spectrum, and spectrum auctions

News

• Fasken Martineau garners 30 nominations in Chambers Global's - The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2008
• Lexpert/American Lawyer’s Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada features numerous Fasken Martineau lawyers

Publications

• Industry Canada Releases Auction Policy Framework for Advanced Wireless Services Spectrum
• Division of Power and Interaction between Competition Law Authorities and Sector-Specific Regulators in the Telecommunications Sector

Presentations

• Current Regulatory Issues and Policy in Telecommunications and Broadcasting
• The Winds of Change

Membership/Affiliations

• Law Society of Upper Canada
• Canadian Bar Association
• International Bar Association
• Pacific Telecommunications Council
• Rideau Club (Ottawa)
• Royal Ottawa Golf Club
  

Community Involvement

• Director and Past President of the Distress Centre of Ottawa
• Member of the Executive Committee and Past President of the Canadian Association of Rhodes Scholars
• Member of the Finance Committee of the Rideau Club
  

Honours and Awards

• Canadian Rhodes Scholar
• Chambers Global World's Leading Lawyers for Business (recognized as a leading lawyer in telecommunications)
• Lexpert Directory (consistently recommended as a leading practitioner in telecommunications)
• Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers – Regulatory Communications lawyers
• The Best Lawyers in Canada (listed under Communications Law)