Paul Drager, Q.C.
Paul devotes his practice to matters relating to international trade law, government relations and international resource issues.
Since 1989, Paul has acted as outside counsel for a number of energy and natural resource companies negotiating projects in the former Soviet Union. Such projects included the first oil joint venture by a major Canadian producer with the new Russian government. He has travelled extensively throughout eastern and western Europe on behalf of clients and has experience in negotiating international commercial agreements in a variety of foreign jurisdictions. He has worked on major mining and national resource projects.
Under Paul’s direction, Macleod Dixon received the first formal accreditation by the Russian government for any Canadian law firm and established the first branch of a Canadian law firm in Moscow in 1990. The office has developed into one of the premier western law firms in Russia advising clients including the Russian government and international multinationals on both public and private international law issues. The office has expanded to Almaty, the capital city of Kazakhstan, where Macleod Dixon was the first Canadian firm to establish a permanent office in 1995. Paul has been instrumental in Macleod Dixon’s further expansion into Caracas, Venezuela (1997) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2001), acting as Chair of the international operations from 1992 to 2007.
Paul has served as a Canadian diplomat on commercial and legal matters at the Canadian embassies in Moscow, USSR (1986 to 1989) and the Hague, Netherlands (1980 to 1984). As a foreign service officer in trade and legal matters in Ottawa with the Department of Foreign Affairs Canada, he has had considerable experience in bilateral and multilateral international trade law issues and negotiations, including international claims and commodity agreements. Prior to joining Foreign Affairs, Paul worked in Montreal for a large multinational aluminium corporation (Alcan) (1974 to 1978) and a major private Canadian law firm (1978/79).
Paul has also been active on trade and political matters, having been a delegate at international conferences such as The World Petroleum Conference and missions including Team Canada, as well as a candidate in the 1997 federal election on behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada in the constituency of Calgary South West.
- McGill University, B.C.L. and LL.B.
- McGill University, B.Comm.
- Hague Academy of International Law, studies in public and private international law
- Quebec, 1979
- Alberta, 1990
- English
- French
- Dutch
- Russian
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, the Canadian Bar Association
- Paul has addressed numerous international and Canadian conferences on international legal and business issues, and is often interviewed and quoted by the media on such issues as international economic development and political and energy scenes.
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Legislation, August 2007
- Employees Working in Foreign Countries: Personal Concerns and Other Issues Relating to Expatriates
- Celebrating Excellence Award, University of Calgary, 2005
- Recognition Award from the Faculty Association of the University of Calgary, 2004
- Distinguished Service Award for Service to the Community from the Law Society of Alberta and Canadian Bar Association, 2003
- Hal Godwin Award for Excellence in International Business, from the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Management, 2002
- President’s Internationalization Achievement Award, from the University of Calgary, 2001
- Chairman, CARE Canada
- Director, CARE International
- Chairman, International Business Advisory Board, University of Calgary
- National Director and Calgary Director of Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA)
