Bill Kenny acts as general counsel, practicing civil and regulatory litigation and construction law, as well as transportation, insurance, and corporate-commercial law. Bill has acted for construction contractors, consulting engineers, and owners. He has experience in all forms of claim-related events and dispute resolution as well as the preparation of contract documents. He has also been appointed as arbitrator and mediator in many commercial disputes.
Bill has written many articles and participated in seminars dealing with litigation, construction law, and directors’ liability. He has appeared before all levels of court in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories, as well as before numerous agencies, boards and tribunals. He has appeared as counsel before international commercial arbitration panels in London and Paris.
Lexpert Magazine lists Bill Kenny as the most frequently recommended lawyer in Edmonton for Construction Law and Corporate Commercial Litigation. Bill is consistently listed as one of the Best Lawyers in Canada for Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Director and Officer Liability, Insurance Law, International Arbitration, Bet the Company Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability, and Securities Litigation. Best Lawyers named him Edmonton Corporate and Commercial Litigator of the Year in 2010 and Edmonton Lawyer of the Year for Director and Officer Liability in 2012 and 2015. In January, 2010, Bill was the only construction lawyer in Edmonton recognized by Lexpert/American Lawyers Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. Bill has also been named by Best Lawyers in Canada as the Corporate and Commercial Litigation “Lawyer of the Year” for 2014. He received an “A” in the LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.
Bill was named winner of the Client Choice 2016 award in Construction. Published by International Law Office and Lexology, the Client Choice awards are based on a survey of senior corporate counsel around the world. Selection criteria focus exclusively on the ability to add real value to clients’ business.
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Professional achievements & leadership
- Chambers Canada, Dispute Resolution, 2013-2016; Construction, 2014-2019; Litigation: General Commercial, 2019
- Best Lawyers in Canada – Lawyer of the Year, Director and Officer Liability Practice, 2015, 2019
- Acritas Stars global survey of stand-out lawyers, 2018
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers
- Fellow, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- Best Lawyers in Canada – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Construction Law; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Director and Officer Liability Practice; Insurance Law; International Arbitration; Product Liability Law; Securities Law, 2006-2019
- Benchmark Canada, Litigation Star: Construction, General Commercial, Insurance, 2017
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Construction Law, 2013-2018; Litigation- Securities, 2013-2018; Litigation- Product Liability, 2013-2018; Litigation – Directors’ & Officers’ Liability, 2013-2018; Litigation – Corporate Commercial, 2013-2018; Litigation- Commercial Insurance, 2013-2018; Infrastructure, 2015, 2018
- International Who’s Who Legal: Construction, 2015, 2018
- Best Lawyers in Canada – Lawyer of the Year, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2014
- International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, 2013
- Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution, 2013
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated Lawyer, 2013
- Best Lawyers in Canada, Lawyer of the Year – Construction, 2013
- Appointed Queen’s Counsel, 1994
Community involvement
- Past Member, Board of Directors of the South Side Athletic Club
- Past Member, Board of Directors Legal Aid Society of Alberta
Professional memberships
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Edmonton Bar Association
- Member, Law Society of Northwest Territories
- Member, Bar Association of the Northwest Territories
- Member, Western Canada Arbitrators Roundtable
- Member, Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) Contracts Committee
- Past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association Construction Law Section for Northern Alberta
- Past Member of the Law Society of Alberta Insurance, Audit, and Finance Committees
Bar admissions & education
- Alberta Bar, 1974
- Saskatchewan Bar, 2012
- Northwest Territories Bar, 1982
- LL.B., University of Saskatchewan, 1973
Miller Thomson earns top rankings in Chambers Canada 2019
Miller Thomson earned a top “Band 1” ranking for two practice areas in the 2019 Chambers Canada Guide. Our Charities and Not-For-Profit group is regarded as being “leaders in the charitable sector,” and praised for their ability to “help find solutions in complex situations.” Our Agribusiness group...
Miller Thomson lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2019
In the just released 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada, 144 Miller Thomson lawyers from across the country have been recognized for their expertise in 47 areas of law. This includes 6 lawyers who were awarded “Lawyer of the Year” in...
Miller Thomson recognized in 2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
In the recently released 2018 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 90 Miller Thomson lawyers across 35 areas of law have been recognized for their industry-leading advisory expertise. These rankings are the culmination of an extensive annual peer review process...
Miller Thomson earns top rankings in Chambers Canada 2018
Miller Thomson earned a top Band 1 ranking for two practice areas in the 2018 Chambers Canada Guide. Our Charities and Not-For-Profit group is regarded for “its novel and innovative approach to complex matters arising within the charitable and non-profit market,”...
Miller Thomson recognized in 2017 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
In the recently released 2017 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, 79 Miller Thomson lawyers across 30 areas of law have been recognized for their industry-leading advisory expertise. These latest rankings are the culmination of an extensive annual peer...
Miller Thomson receives top honours in 2017 Chambers Canada guide
Thirteen Miller Thomson lawyers and four practice groups are named in the 2017 edition of Chambers Canada. The guide ranks lawyers and law firms in over 40 specialist practice areas across Canada, based on client feedback, peer interviews and an assessment of...
Miller Thomson lawyers recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2017
126 Miller Thomson lawyers from across the country and in numerous areas of law have been recognized for their expertise in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada. This result is up from 122 lawyers ranked last year....
Lexpert recognizes 80 Miller Thomson lawyers
Miller Thomson is pleased to announce 80 lawyers across ten of our offices are recognized in the 2016 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as leading practitioners in their field. Published annually since 1997, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory...
Miller Thomson lawyers recognized for superior client service
We are pleased to announce that two partners, Douglas Best and William Kenny are recipients of Client Choice 2016 awards. Douglas Best, of our Toronto office, is Chair of Miller Thomson’s National Corporate Fraud Asset Recovery Group. He has been...
Miller Thomson receives top honours in Chambers Canada
Twelve Miller Thomson lawyers and four practice groups were ranked in the recently published first edition of the Chambers Canada Guide. The Guide ranks leading lawyers and law firms practicing in all provinces and territories across Canada, in over 40...
Bill Kenny will co-chair the Canadian Institute’s Managing Risk at the Pre-Tender Stage of Your Construction Project in Calgary June 24-25, 2009
W. J. Kenny, Scott J. Hammel and Lauren M. Toreson of Miller Thomson’s Edmonton Construction Group will host an Executive Construction Breakfast Seminar in Edmonton on March 26, 2009.
Bruce McMeekin and William Kenny will present at the Federated Press conference – Directors’ & Officers’ Liability.
Edmonton Construction Seminar: Integrative Project Delivery – What are the terms?
This seminar will focus on Integrated Project Delivery Agreements: – The new CCDC 30 contract; – How it differs from traditional construction contracts; and – What is new and what to look out for. Date Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Time 7:15...
Calgary Construction Seminar: Integrative Project Delivery – What are the terms?
This seminar will focus on Integrated Project Delivery Agreements: – The new CCDC 30 contract; – How it differs from traditional construction contracts; and – What is new and what to look out for. Date Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Time 7:15...
Calgary Construction Seminar: Limiting Risk Through Contract
William Kenny, Scott Hammel and Leanna Olson host a complimentary breakfast seminar on Limiting Risk Through Contract on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. Date: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 Time: 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast and Registration 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Presentation...
Edmonton Construction Seminar: Limiting Risk Through Contract
William Kenny, Scott Hammel and Mark Alexander host a complimentary breakfast seminar on Limiting Risk Through Contract on Tuesday, April 17, 2018. Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2018 Time: 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast and Registration 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m....
Miller Thomson 2018 Saskatoon Construction Law Conference
Please join us on Friday, April 13, 2018, for a half day conference intended for all construction and real estate sector stakeholders and keep apprised of the most recent developments in your industry. Our speakers will discuss related industry topics...
Miller Thomson 2018 Regina Construction Law Conference
Please join us on Thursday, April 12, 2018, for a daylong conference intended for all construction and real estate sector stakeholders and keep apprised of the most recent developments in your industry. Our speakers will discuss related industry topics which...
Calgary Construction Seminar- Integrated Project Delivery
William Kenny and Leanna Olson host a breakfast seminar on Integrated Project Delivery- What are the terms? This seminar will focus on Integrated Project Delivery Agreements: how they are different than traditional construction contracts; the goals and challenges of these...
Saskatoon Construction Seminar- Contracts & Claims
William Kenny, Scott Hammel and Chad Eggerman host a breakfast seminar on Contracts & Claims on Thursday, October 12 2017. Date: Thursday, October 12 2017 Time: 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast and Registration 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Presentation Location: Saskatoon Club 417 21 Street E Saskatoon, SK To...
Vancouver Construction Seminar- Contracts & Claims
William Kenny, Scott Hammel and Heather Jones host a lunch seminar on Contracts & Claims on Thursday, June 1st 2017. Date: Thursday, June 1st 2017 Time: 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Lunch and Registration 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Presentation Location: Miller Thomson’s New Vancouver Office Pacific Centre 400-725 Granville Street Vancouver,...
Calgary Construction Seminar- Contracts & Claims
William Kenny, Scott Hammel and Philip Carson host a breakfast seminar on Contracts & Claims on Wednesday March 22nd 2017. Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 Time: 7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast and Registration 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Presentation Location: Ranchmen’s Club 710 13 Ave SW Calgary...
International Comparative Legal Guide to: Construction & Engineering Law 2018
William Kenny and Leanna Olson, with contributions from Fergus Schappert, Andréanne Sansoucy, Nick Willis and Haley Edmonds, authored the Canada chapter in the International Comparative Legal Guide to: Construction & Engineering Law 2018. This publication covers common issues in construction and engineering...
There are new changes to the Ontario Construction Lien Act!
If you have projects in Ontario or wish to see the latest legislative amendments, Bill 142 amending the Construction Lien Act has received Royal Assent and the Act, as amended, can be found here. Note that some sections are now in force...
International Comparative Legal Guide to Construction & Engineering Law 2016
William Kenny and Leanna Olson authored the chapter for Canada in this guide covering issues in construction and engineering laws and regulations for a number of jurisdictions, with contributions from Fergus Schappert and Andréanne Sansoucy. Click here to download the chapter.