Linda Bertoldi, one of the most widely respected lawyers in Canada’s energy sector, has been named as the winner of the 2015 Hedley Palmer Award. The recipient of numerous professional accolades, Ms Bertoldi is also a winner of the inaugural Lexpert® Zenith Awards, and has been recognized for acclaim by Chambers Canada, the International Who’s Who of Energy Lawyers, and the Legal Media Group, among others. She was honored by the Women’s Executive Network as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. Ms Bertoldi’s most recent award, specifically recognizing her work in the electricity generation sector, was presented by APPrO, the Association of Power Producers of Ontario, at the 27th annual Canadian Power Conference on November 17.
Michael Bernstein, the CEO of Capstone Infrastructure and Chair of APPrO’s Board, explained some of the reasons why Linda was selected for this year’s Hedley Palmer Award: “Linda helped advise many of today’s significant IPP (Independent Power Producer) players from their very origins over 20 years ago, from their creation, to their IPO, to their continued development. Linda has guided and advised many of the industry players on their corporate growth as well as helping them finance their projects.”
Rob McLeese, President of Access Capital, added, “Linda has been instrumental in providing excellent industry guidance, specific project guidance, and government guidance in her years in the industry.”
Ms Bertoldi’s work as a lawyer with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) is notable because it has gone beyond simply serving clients well. APPrO President Dave Butters said, “Through her work, Linda has caused key energy players from different subsectors, including generators, local distribution companies, consumers, investors and policy makers to appreciate each other’s concerns – an essential part of the process for addressing complex issues that inevitably have impacts across the sectors.”
The range of Ms Bertoldi’s work is remarkable. Recognized as a leading infrastructure lawyer, a leading corporate commercial lawyer, a leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyer in Canada, and the only Canadian lawyer named a “Groundbreaking Lawyer” by Public Utilities Fortnightly magazine, Ms Bertoldi has also found time to serve on several non-profit organization boards and speak at innumerable industry conferences.
Mr. Butters notes that “Linda has collaborated with independent power producers and other kinds of power generators on a range of contractual matters over a period of 20 years, consistently worked to see that procurement processes were cognizant of the financing requirements for power projects, and frequently acted to help make sure that new regulatory rules over the years were consistent with the operating requirements of existing generation.”
Ms Bertoldi has advised developers, lenders and investors in power projects across Canada including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, natural gas, cogeneration and district energy projects. She also has extensive experience advising municipal electric utilities and their owners on governance, financing, and mergers and acquisitions.
APPrO is especially grateful to Ms. Bertoldi because as a member of its Board since 1997, she has helped the organization develop positions and recommendations on a wide range of policy matters related to power generation.
Ms Bertoldi is a senior partner in the Toronto office of BLG and is Chair of the firm’s National Electricity Markets Group. She has been actively involved in the power sector since 1987, with a focus on corporate transactions, project finance, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions.
The Hedley Palmer Award is a special form of recognition presented each year by APPrO to honor an individual who in the judgment of the APPrO Board has made an outstanding contribution to the Ontario power industry. It has been awarded during the banquet dinner at the annual IPPSO or APPrO Conference to a different individual each year since 1989. According to APPrO, it’s the highest honor bestowed annually in the power generation business in Canada.
Professional recognitions received by Linda Bertoldi
• Recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada® as the 2016 Energy Law “Lawyer of the Year” for Toronto.
• Recognized by the 2016 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Corporate Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law).
• Recognized in the top tier in the 2016 edition of Chambers Canada — Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Energy: Power (Transactional) (Band 1)). Sources say Linda “is recognized as a verifiable expert in the Canadian electricity sector and is extremely knowledgeable about project finance.”
• Recognized as a leading lawyer in the 2016 edition of the IFLR1000 — The Guide to the World’s Leanding Financial Law Firms (Project Finance).
• Recognized in the top tier in the 2015 edition of Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Energy: Power). Sources describe Linda as “absolutely outstanding – a first-class lawyer,” and she is noted for her “first-rate reputation.” In the guide, sources say Linda is a “tremendous lawyer,” and “she is at the height of the scale in corporate transactions.”
• Recognized as a leading energy/power lawyer in the 2016 and 2015 editions of The Legal 500 Canada.
• Recognized in the 2015 edition of Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Mid-Market, Energy – Electricity), the Lexpert® Special Edition on the Leading Corporate Lawyers
• Recognized in the 2015 edition of Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law.
• Recognized in the 2015 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Corporate Commercial, Corporate Mid-Market, Energy: Electricity, Project Finance).
• Recognized as a leading energy lawyer in the 2015 and 2014 editions of the Lexpert®/Report on Business Special Edition on Energy.
• Recognized as a leading corporate commercial lawyer in the 2015 edition of IFLR 1000.
• Recognized as a leading infrastructure lawyer in the 2015 and 2014 editions of the Lexpert®/Report on Business Special Edition on Infrastructure.
• Recognized in the 2015 edition of Who’s Who Legal — The International Who’s Who of Energy Lawyers.
• Recognized in the 2015 edition of Who’s Who Legal: Canada (Energy).
• Recognized in the 2015 Lexpert® Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada (Energy: Electricity).
• Additional Accolades: Honoured by the Women’s Executive Network as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women; honoured as one of the winners of the inaugural Lexpert® Zenith Awards – Celebrating Leading Women Lawyers; the only Canadian lawyer named a Groundbreaking Lawyer by Public Utilities Fortnightly magazine; Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rated.