Nickie Nikolaou

Nickie Nikolaou

Positions

Professor

Faculty of Law

Contact information

Web presence

Location

Office: MFH4335

Background

Educational Background

LLM University of Calgary, 2000

LLB University of Alberta, 1996

BA (Hons) Political Studies and French, University of Saskatchewan, 1990

Biography

Professor Nikolaou is an award-winning scholar and teacher. She joined the Faculty in 2007 and was a Research Associate with the Canadian Institute of Resources Law from 2001-2007. She served as Associate Dean (Academic) of the Faculty from 2016-2021. Upon completing her term, Professor Nikolaou was recognized for her exceptional educational leadership contributions with the 2021 University of Calgary Teaching Award for Educational Leadership. During her five-year term as Associate Dean, Professor Nikolaou was instrumental in implementing the Faculty’s Calgary Curriculum (with its focus on experiential learning) and she developed new programs including the Certification in Common Law in French with the University of Ottawa and the Faculty’s Foreign-Trained Lawyers Program. The Faculty recognized her contributions to excellence in teaching and curricular and program development with the 2020 Howard Tidswell Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence. In 2023, her first article in the field of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) was awarded the 2023 Canadian Association of Law Teachers (CALT) award for SoTL research. 

Prior to her academic career, Professor Nikolaou practiced law in Calgary and served as legal counsel to the Honourable Madam Justice C. Hunt of the Alberta Court of Appeal. She articled with the Court of Appeal and Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary. In 2000, Professor Nikolaou completed her Master of Laws degree with a specialization in environmental and oil and gas law. Her thesis, which considered the liability regimes for well abandonment, reclamation, and contaminated sites in Alberta, was awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal as well as the Canadian Policy Research Award from the Policy Research Initiative in Ottawa.

Professor Nikolaou is a member of the Alberta Bar. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Student Legal Assistance, as well as the Canadian Institute of Resources Law. She is also a member of the Women in Law Leadership Education Committee. 

Research Activities

Professor Nikolaou’s research interests are in the areas of taxation, energy, natural resources, and environmental law. She is the current editor and author of the Canada Energy Law Service - Federal (Thomson/Carswell). Her publications and research include work on such topics as: the taxation of mining and oil and gas projects; the tax treatment of reclamation costs; public participation in energy, natural resources and environmental decision making; theories of environmental liability, including the polluter pays principle; liability regimes for the clean-up of environmental damage; the role of human rights law in natural resources development; the constitutional jurisdiction of administrative tribunals; the role of municipalities in natural resources and renewable energy development; the legal and regulatory framework for oil and gas, including oil sands, development in Alberta; and the role and mandate of Canadian energy regulators, both federal and provincial.

Professor Nikolaou also undertakes research in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), with a particular focus on experiential learning, best practices, and innovation in legal education.

Research

Areas of Research

Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Environmental Law, Taxation Law , Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

Participation in university strategic initiatives

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
LAW 403 Legislation
Law 407 Foundations in Law and Justice I
Law 527 Taxation Law
Law 625 Pollution Control and Waste Management Law

Awards

  • Canadian Association of Law Teachers (CALT) Prize for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), 2023,
  • University of Calgary Teaching Award for Educational Leadership (Individual - Formal Role), 2023,
  • Howard Tidswell Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary, 2020,
  • Canadian Policy Research Award, 2001, Policy Institute, Ottawa,
  • Governor General's Gold Medal, 2000, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary,

Publications

  • Creating the "Whole Advocate" through Experiential Learning in the Law Classroom. (2023) 10 Canadian Legal Education Annual Review 1 (with Lisa Silver & Alexander Dingman).
  • Mapping the Legal Framework for Oil Sands Development in Alberta. (2022) 60:1 Alberta Law Review 67.
  • Association Between Residential Proximity to Hydraulic Fracturing Sites and Adverse Birth Outcomes. (2022) 17:6 JAMA Pediatrics 585 (with Zoe Cairncross et al.).
  • The Regulation of Wind Power Development in Alberta: The Case of Municipalities. (2011) 22 Journal of Environmental Law and Practice 125.
  • Alberta's Approach to Local Governance in Oil and Gas Development. (2010) 48:1 Alberta Law Review 55.
  • Public Participation and the Disposition of Oil and Gas Rights in Alberta. (2007) 17 Journal of Environmental Law and Practice 205.
  • Alberta's Energy and Utilities Board and the Constitution of Canada. (2005) 43:2 Alberta Law Review 369.
  • Liability for Suspension/Discontinuation, Abandonment and Reclamation in Alberta - An Update. (2002) 39 Alberta Law Review 864.
  • Creating Liability Regimes for the Clean-up of Environmental Damage: The Literature. (1999) 9 Journal of Environmental Law and Practice 145.
  • Canada Energy Law Service - Federal. Author & Editor. Thomson Reuters (ongoing).
  • The Intersection of Human Rights Law and Environmental Law. in Allan E. Ingelson, ed., Environment in the Courtroom (University of Calgary Press). (2019)
  • The Ecological and Political Landscapes of Alberta's Hydrocarbon Economy. (with Michael S. Quinn et al). in Laurie E. Adkin, ed., First World Petro-Politics: The Political Ecology and Governance of Alberta. (2016)
  • Canada's New Environmental Assessment Act. (with Allan Ingelson & Alastair Lucas). in Impact Assessment: The Next Generation - 33rd Annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment Conference Proceedings, International Association for Impact Assessment. (2013)
  • Alberta's Water for Life and Recent Trends in International Law. (with J. Owen Saunders). Occasional Paper No. 33, Canadian Institute Resources Law. (2010)
  • 'Creating the 'Whole Advocate" through Experiential Learning in the Law Classroom. Canadian Association of Law Teachers Annual Meeting at Congress 2023 of the Humanities and Social Sciences, York University, Toronto. (2023)
  • "Timing and the Tax Treatment of Reclamation Expenses for Mining and Oil and Gas Projects". Colloquium on Taxing Income and Consumption: Past, Present and Future, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal. (2023)
  • "The Legal Framework for Oil Sands Development in Alberta: Issues and Challenges". Canadian Institute of Resources Law, Saturday Morning at the Law School. (2022)
  • "Teaching and Pedagogy: Enhancing Experiential Learning and Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning" (with Lisa Silver). Academy of Legal Studies in Business, 96th Annual Conference (online). (2021)
  • "Experiments in Ungrading" (Panelist) . Canadian Association of Law Teachers, Annual Conference (online). (2021)
  • "Reflection as a Critical Element in the Experiential Classroom" (with Lisa Silver). Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning (online). (2021)
  • "Navigating Canada's Changing Energy Landscape" (Moderator). Western Legal Innovation Forum (online). (2020)
  • "Environmental Law Needs Feminism Because" (Panelist). 4th Annual Law Needs Feminism Because YYC Forum. (2020)
  • "Alberta Oil Sands Past and Present: Critical Gaps in the Regulatory Framework". ConocoPhillips IRIS Seminar, Centre for Corporate Sustainability, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. (2017)
  • "Lessons from Canada: Key Issues in Designing a Regulatory Framework for Natural Resources Development". Symposium on Post-Conflict Natural Resources Extraction and Mining Law, Center for Energy and Sustainability Law, Qatar University and the US Department of Commerce, Commercial Law Development Program, Doha, Qatar. (2014)
  • "Alberta's Move to a Single Energy Regulator - What are the Changes? What are the Issues?". Institute for Sustainable Environment, Energy and Economy (ISEEE), Calgary. (2013)
  • "Alberta's New Responsible Energy Development Act". Energy Regulatory Forum, Calgary. (2013)
  • "Alberta's Move to a Single Energy Regulator - The Changes and the Issues". Alberta Association of General Counsel (AAGC), Calgary. (2013)
  • "The Intersection of Human Rights Law and Environmental Law". Symposium on Environmental Education for Judges and Court Practitioners, Environment Canada and the Canadian Institute of Resources Law. (2012)
  • "Changes to Canada's Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act", Cenovus Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Calgary. (2012)
  • "Foundations for Public Participation in Energy and Natural Resources Development". Conference on Public Participation in Energy and Natural Resources Development in Alberta -- Is There Room for Improvement?, Calgary. (2010)
  • "Theoretical Foundations for Public Participation in Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Decision-Making". Colloquium on Environmental Scholarship, Vermont Law School. (2010)
  • The Role of Municipalities and Health Authorities in Oil and Gas Regulatory Approvals. Canadian Bar Association Municipal Law (South) Section, Calgary. (2007)
  • "Human Rights and the Environment". Canadian Bar Association Environmental Law (South) Section, Calgary. (2007)
  • Persistent Issues and Challenges in Alberta's Oil Sands Regulatory Framework. 126 Resources 1. (2022)
  • Empowering women to lead in law. (with Dr Nadia Delanoy). CBA National . (2022)
  • A Guide for Providing Evidence of Teaching . (with Natasha Kenny et al.). Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary. (2018)
  • An Overview of Bill 2: Responsible Energy Development Act. The Negotiator: The Magazine of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen. (2013)
  • A Single Regulator for Oil and Gas Development in Alberta? A Critical Assessment of the Current Proposal. 113 Resources 1. (2012)
  • The Issues and Challenges with Public Participation in Energy and Natural Resources Development in Alberta. 108 Resources 1. (2010)
  • The Applicability of Section 7 of the Charter to Oil and Gas Development in Alberta. 17:3 Constitutional Forum 123. (2008)
  • Key Shortcomings in Alberta's Regulatory Framework for Oil Sands Development. 100 Resources 1 . (2007)
  • The Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Oil Sands Development in Alberta. Canadian Institute of Resources Law, Occasional Paper No. 21. (2007)
  • The Potential Application of Human Rights Law to Oil and Gas Development in Alberta. Canadian Institute of Resources Law and Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, Human Rights Paper No. 5. (2006)
  • Managing Alberta's Energy Future at the Landscape Scale. Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy, University of Calgary, Paper No. 18 of the Alberta Energy Futures Project . (2006)
  • The Role of Municipalites and Regional Health Authorities in Oil and Gas Development. 94 Resources 1. (2006)
  • Albertan's Concerns about Health Impacts and Oil and Gas Development: A Summary. Canadian Institute of Resources Law and Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, Human Rights Paper No. 3. (2006)
  • Municipal Regulation of Oil and Gas Development. 30:1 LawNow 17. (2005)
  • Human Rights, Health and Resource Development in Alberta: A Summary of Current and Emerging Law. 85 Resources 1. (2004)
  • Oil, Gas and a Right to Health. 29:2 LawNow 17. (2004)
  • Health, Human Rights and Resource Development in Alberta: Current and Emerging Law. Canadian Institute of Resources Law and Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, Human Rights Paper No. 1. (2003)
  • LL.M. Thesis: Liability for Well Abandonment, Reclamation, Releases of Substances and Contaminated Sites in Alberta: Does the Polluter or Beneficiary Pay?. University of Calgary. (2000)