Hugh has more than 15 years of experience in dedicated arbitration counsel work. He has represented clients in high-value and complex international and domestic arbitrations in a range of industry sectors, including energy, telecommunications, mining, construction, sports and entertainment, insurance, logistics, IT, and real property, as well as under ad hoc and institutional rules including the ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ICDR, AAA, VanIAC, DIAC, and ADRIC. Hugh also acts as counsel for athletes and sports organizations in sports-related disputes before the SDRCC and in other sports-related forums.
In 2021, Who's Who Legal: Arbitration named him one of ten "Most Highly Regarded" partners under 45 in the Americas. In 2022, he was named as one of Canada's leading lawyers under 40 by Lexpert.
As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), Hugh has acted as a sole arbitrator in arbitrations involving procurement and real property disputes, as well as the discipline chair and appeals officer for certain sports associations.
In addition to articles and book chapters on arbitration, Hugh co-authored the Guide to the PCA Arbitration Rules, published by Oxford University Press, and is an adjunct professor of two courses (international commercial arbitration and sports arbitration) at Osgoode Hall Law School. He also maintains an active pro bono practice and was recognized at the 2022 Canada Law Awards for spearheading the “Pro Bono Initiative of the Year" to assist vulnerable Afghans.
Prior to joining BLG, Hugh practiced for five years in London and Dubai in the international arbitration group of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. He was previously assistant legal counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, where he was the McGill Law fellow and supported arbitral tribunals presiding over international investment arbitrations.
Experience
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International Arbitrations
- Representing Tower-EBC GP/s.e.n.c. in a $140 million ICC arbitration regarding the termination of a large-scale expansion works FIDIC contract, resulting a complete victory in arbitration and in subsequent court proceedings (Baffinland Iron Mines LP et al v Tower-EBC G.P./s.e.n.c.)
- Representing a public energy utility in a $240 million arbitration with an international contractor over the design, supply, and installation of seven turbine & generator units in a remote hydro electric project, resulting in a favourable award of tens of millions of dollars;
- Representing a consortium of Korean EPC contractors in an $280 million ICC arbitration seated in Toronto over the construction of a coal-fired power plant, resulting in a significant award, resulting in a complete victory.
- Representing an international joint venture in a $280 million dollar ICC arbitration over the construction of a mine in Central America, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing Canadian and South American parties in the defence of a $200 million ICC claim arising from a series of guarantees, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing an aerospace and telecommunications company in a dispute with an English satellite, telecommunications company under the LCIA Rules, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing a Canadian software developer in a $15 million programming dispute with an Eastern European/American vendor under the ICDR Arbitration Rules.
- Representing a telecommunications company in a $320 million investment dispute with a Middle Eastern government under the UNCITRAL Rules.
- Representing a consortium of Asian and African contractors in DIAC arbitration over the construction and finishing works of a major international airport in the Middle East, involving over $500 million in dispute.
- Representing a Turkish contractor in DIAC proceedings over the construction of a high-rise residential tower.
- Advising an international defence contractor in connection with a potential ICC dispute over a project in a Middle Eastern country.
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Domestic ADR
- Representing a public energy utility in a significant arbitration defending claims for reimbursements and declaratory relief under a series of system purchase and sale agreements, resulting in a full withdrawal of claims;
- Representing a hospital in a dispute with an architectural consultant in a dispute regarding delays and deficiencies in the supplied drawings and design documents, resulting in a favourable settlement;
- Advising a government entity in a significant mass transit procurement dispute, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing a hospital in a dispute over a series of delay issues arising during the construction phase of an expansion project.
- Representing a hospital in an adjudication regarding a newly installed security system, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing a hospital in an ad hoc arbitration regarding various expansion works, which resulted in a favourable settlement.
- Advising a hospital in a dispute over the proper interpretation of a complex infrastructure contract.
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Arbitration-related Litigation
- Successfully obtaining a Norwich order against a foreign State debtor in a judgment valued at over $1 billion;
- Representing a Chilean public entity in the enforcement of a substantial arbitral award in Ontario;
- Representing the leading Ukrainian enterprise for turbine jet engine overhaul and maintenance in the successful enforcement proceedings of a foreign arbitral award;
- Advising investors, CCDM Holdings, to recognize and enforce a $110 million arbitral award against India in Québec courts;
- Successfully representing Tower-EBC in enforcing a $70 million ICC award arising in the mining and construction sector before the Court of Appeal of Ontario.
- Successfully representing a consortium of companies in the recognition and enforcement of a $40 million dollar ICC arbitral award in Ontario courts.
- Successfully representing an Austrian company in the enforcement of a $1 million ICC award against a Canadian entity.
- Successfully representing a Rusoro Mining Ltd in the successful recognition and enforcement of a $1 billion ICSID (AF) arbitral award against Venezuela in Ontario and in subsequent execution efforts;
- Representing the Government of Mexico in the set aside of a partial award on jurisdiction issued by an arbitral tribunal pursuant to the ICSID Additional Facility Rules.
- Representing a law firm in the appeal of a decision on an arbitration related to the production of documents.
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Sports Disputes
- Successfully representing a coach in the full dismissal and withdraw of 20 different misconduct complaints from three different complainants (confidential);
- Successfully representing an international soccer player in the full dismissal of an alleged anti-doping rule violation and the threat of a four-year period of ineligibility (confidential);
- Successfully obtaining a full and immediate release of two national athletes from Skate Canada to compete for a different skating federation (Firus et al v Skate Canada)
- Successfully resisting an elevated sanction pursued by the CCES in SDRCC arbitral proceedings arising from an anti-doping rule violation under the Canada Anti-Doping Program (CCES v Geier)
- Representing a group of athletes and a provincial sports organization in a governance dispute with a national sports organization (confidential);
- Representing an athlete in an anti-doping infraction, which was resolved before proceedings to a hearing (confidential);
- Advising an Olympic athlete in the context of an investigation by the Office of Sport Integrity Commissioner (confidential);
- Advising a coach in the context of maltreatment allegations before the OSIC (confidential);
- Advising a coach in the context of an alleged breach of various policies under a provincial sports organization (confidential);
- Acting as the discipline and appeals chair of Squash Canada;
- Counsel at Sports Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC).
-
International Arbitrations
- Representing Tower-EBC GP/s.e.n.c. in a $140 million ICC arbitration regarding the termination of a large-scale expansion works FIDIC contract, resulting a complete victory in arbitration and in subsequent court proceedings (Baffinland Iron Mines LP et al v Tower-EBC G.P./s.e.n.c.)
- Representing a public energy utility in a $240 million arbitration with an international contractor over the design, supply, and installation of seven turbine & generator units in a remote hydro electric project, resulting in a favourable award of tens of millions of dollars;
- Representing a consortium of Korean EPC contractors in an $280 million ICC arbitration seated in Toronto over the construction of a coal-fired power plant, resulting in a significant award, resulting in a complete victory.
- Representing an international joint venture in a $280 million dollar ICC arbitration over the construction of a mine in Central America, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing Canadian and South American parties in the defence of a $200 million ICC claim arising from a series of guarantees, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing an aerospace and telecommunications company in a dispute with an English satellite, telecommunications company under the LCIA Rules, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing a Canadian software developer in a $15 million programming dispute with an Eastern European/American vendor under the ICDR Arbitration Rules.
- Representing a telecommunications company in a $320 million investment dispute with a Middle Eastern government under the UNCITRAL Rules.
- Representing a consortium of Asian and African contractors in DIAC arbitration over the construction and finishing works of a major international airport in the Middle East, involving over $500 million in dispute.
- Representing a Turkish contractor in DIAC proceedings over the construction of a high-rise residential tower.
- Advising an international defence contractor in connection with a potential ICC dispute over a project in a Middle Eastern country.
-
Domestic ADR
- Representing a public energy utility in a significant arbitration defending claims for reimbursements and declaratory relief under a series of system purchase and sale agreements, resulting in a full withdrawal of claims;
- Representing a hospital in a dispute with an architectural consultant in a dispute regarding delays and deficiencies in the supplied drawings and design documents, resulting in a favourable settlement;
- Advising a government entity in a significant mass transit procurement dispute, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing a hospital in a dispute over a series of delay issues arising during the construction phase of an expansion project.
- Representing a hospital in an adjudication regarding a newly installed security system, resulting in a favourable settlement.
- Representing a hospital in an ad hoc arbitration regarding various expansion works, which resulted in a favourable settlement.
- Advising a hospital in a dispute over the proper interpretation of a complex infrastructure contract.
-
Arbitration-related Litigation
- Successfully obtaining a Norwich order against a foreign State debtor in a judgment valued at over $1 billion;
- Representing a Chilean public entity in the enforcement of a substantial arbitral award in Ontario;
- Representing the leading Ukrainian enterprise for turbine jet engine overhaul and maintenance in the successful enforcement proceedings of a foreign arbitral award;
- Advising investors, CCDM Holdings, to recognize and enforce a $110 million arbitral award against India in Québec courts;
- Successfully representing Tower-EBC in enforcing a $70 million ICC award arising in the mining and construction sector before the Court of Appeal of Ontario.
- Successfully representing a consortium of companies in the recognition and enforcement of a $40 million dollar ICC arbitral award in Ontario courts.
- Successfully representing an Austrian company in the enforcement of a $1 million ICC award against a Canadian entity.
- Successfully representing a Rusoro Mining Ltd in the successful recognition and enforcement of a $1 billion ICSID (AF) arbitral award against Venezuela in Ontario and in subsequent execution efforts;
- Representing the Government of Mexico in the set aside of a partial award on jurisdiction issued by an arbitral tribunal pursuant to the ICSID Additional Facility Rules.
- Representing a law firm in the appeal of a decision on an arbitration related to the production of documents.
-
Sports Disputes
- Successfully representing a coach in the full dismissal and withdraw of 20 different misconduct complaints from three different complainants (confidential);
- Successfully representing an international soccer player in the full dismissal of an alleged anti-doping rule violation and the threat of a four-year period of ineligibility (confidential);
- Successfully obtaining a full and immediate release of two national athletes from Skate Canada to compete for a different skating federation (Firus et al v Skate Canada)
- Successfully resisting an elevated sanction pursued by the CCES in SDRCC arbitral proceedings arising from an anti-doping rule violation under the Canada Anti-Doping Program (CCES v Geier)
- Representing a group of athletes and a provincial sports organization in a governance dispute with a national sports organization (confidential);
- Representing an athlete in an anti-doping infraction, which was resolved before proceedings to a hearing (confidential);
- Advising an Olympic athlete in the context of an investigation by the Office of Sport Integrity Commissioner (confidential);
- Advising a coach in the context of maltreatment allegations before the OSIC (confidential);
- Advising a coach in the context of an alleged breach of various policies under a provincial sports organization (confidential);
- Acting as the discipline and appeals chair of Squash Canada;
- Counsel at Sports Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC).
