British Columbia’s top corporate mid-market lawyers in 2021

These are British Columbia’s top corporate mid-market lawyers based on the results of Lexpert’s exhaustive peer survey. The full list of the province’s most recommended lawyers and law firms in the practice can be viewed in our practice area rankings.

In our annual peer review, Lexpert defines corporate mid-market as an area of transactional work involving private and public businesses, whose revenues fall in approximately between the $50 million and $200 million range. The nature of the businesses involved includes knowledge-based companies, such as tech and biotech firms, engaging in transactions in a scale that is typical of a Canadian mid-market mergers and acquisition transactions, without taking in consideration the revenue.

M&A practitioners focusing in this area are primarily called upon to develop transaction strategy and to advise on the law as it relates to corporate, securities, finance, tax, competition, labour, employee benefits, real property, regulatory, environmental, intellectual property and litigation.

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Most frequently recommended corporate mid-market lawyers

David A. Allard
Law firm: Lawson Lundell LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1987

David A. Allard is a partner at Lawson Lundell LLP. He devotes his practice to mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance and securities law. Allard has extensive experience in advising private and public companies on transactional and general corporate commercial matters, corporate reorganizations and restructurings and corporate governance issues. His major representative transactional work includes the sale and purchase of large-scale manufacturing and processing operations and businesses, multi-jurisdictional structured sale transactions, private equity and venture capital investments, convertible debt financings, early-stage financings and corporate restructuring transactions and proceedings. Allard is a sought-after lecturer on business law matters and a regular contributor to continuing legal education publications.

Cameron G. Belsher
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1988

Cameron G. Belsher is a partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s Vancouver and Toronto offices. Belsher specializes in corporate finance and M&A transactions. His recent experience includes acting as lead counsel on substantial debt restructurings, cross-border and domestic M&A involving public and private companies, proxy contests, initial public offerings, public and private equity and debt financings, and joint ventures. Belsher also conducts significant work with pension fund and private equity clients. He is a former adjunct professor at University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law and past member of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) listings advisory committee.

John-Paul Bogden
Law firm: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1999 (MB); 2000 (BC)

John-Paul Bogden co-leads the private equity group at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, where also serves as a partner. He devotes his practice to mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, infrastructure and projects work and general corporate law. Bogden’s clients range from start-ups and venture-financed businesses to large, publicly traded corporations. A significant portion of his practice involves working with private equity funds, including buyout, infrastructure and venture capital funds, and their portfolio companies in investment, add-on, recapitalization and exit transactions. He also acts for technology-based businesses in relation to both operational and transactional matters and investment banks and other corporate finance professionals in relation to M&A and financing transactions. Bogden is frequently engaged as special M&A counsel by seller groups and investment banks undertaking competitive auction processes. He regularly speaks at business law conferences and is a member of several industry associations, including the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, the British Columbia Technology Industry Association and the Vancouver chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth.

Blair J.H. Horn
Law firm: Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1989 (ON); 1995 (BC)

Blair J.H. Horn is a partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. He specializes in mergers and acquisitions and securities law. Horn works with public and private companies on domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, public equity and debt financings, venture capital and private equity financings and corporate governance matters. He has advised clients, including technology companies, industrial and mining concerns, boards, independent committees of boards, underwriters, private equity and venture capital providers and financial advisors. Horn is active in continuing legal education and regularly presents on developments in M&A and securities law on topics such as hostile takeover bids, proxy contests, ethical issues in contested transactions, due diligence and special committees. He developed his teamwork skills as an Olympic rower in the Canadian Men’s Eight that won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Consistently recommended corporate mid-market lawyers

Peter D. Fairey
Law firm: Gowling WLG
Year called to the Bar: 1981

Peter D. Fairey is a senior partner at Gowling WLG’s business law group in Vancouver. He brings 40 years of experience in corporate and commercial transactions and boasts general knowledge of tax, securities, trusts and immigration law. Fairey acts on behalf of clients in a wide range of industries including public-private partnerships, life sciences, entertainment, publishing, information technology and alternative energy. He works with international clients, a number from the US and China in particular, and advises First Nation businesses. His experience includes the acquisition, disposition and financing of operating businesses, trans-border issues, private placements and innovative financings, governance and ownership structuring and dispute resolution, PPP projects and establishing funds for the government of BC and institutional investors. Fairey is a past chair of the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC and a past governor of the Law Foundation of BC. He is a regular instructor and author on business law subjects, including not-for-profit law, an area in which he has considerable involvement. Fairey was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2016.

Joseph A. Garcia
Law firm: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1997

Joseph A. Garcia is a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. He practises in the areas of corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. Garcia advises public and private companies, investment dealers, venture capital and private equity funds and acts as independent counsel to boards of directors. He has extensive experience advising on all types of domestic and cross-border M&A and corporate finance transactions, including public and private equity and debt financings, takeover and issuer bids, share and asset acquisitions and divestitures and regulatory and stock exchange compliance work. Prior to his career in law, Garcia worked in corporate finance with a national investment bank and in clinical research with a multinational pharmaceutical company. He is a director of Genome BC and chair of its audit committee. Garcia is also director emeritus of Life Sciences BC and the Canadian Glycomics Network and a member of the BIOTE Canada Legal Affairs Advisory Board, the Canadian Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Mitchell H. Gropper
Law firm: FARRIS
Year called to the Bar: 1966 (BC); 1970 (ON)

Mitchell H. Gropper is a senior partner at FARRIS. He boasts an extensive corporate and securities practice, with a focus on complex transactions, including real estate matters, corporate finance, reorganizations and mergers and acquisitions. Gropper has acted for purchasers and sellers in M&A transactions, including those for Aritzia, MDS, IntraWest, Vancouver Island Helicopters, Mark Anthony Presents, Coast Hotels and Global University Services. He has advised boards of directors and special committees, including those at Goldcorp, Intrawest, Coast Wholesale, Sterling Shoes and Vancouver City Savings Credit Union. He has also been involved in going-private and related-party transactions. Gropper has advised on financial reorganizations and debt restructurings, including as special legal advisor to Vancouver for the Olympic Village and several reorganization transactions for Concord Pacific Group, Onni Development and A&W Revenue Royalties. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1990.

Albert J. Hudec
Law firm: FARRIS
Year called to the Bar: 1981 (AB); 1994 (BC)

Albert J. Hudec is a senior partner at FARRIS. He devotes his practice to commercial transactions involving Indigenous parties and has been lead lawyer on many of Canada’s most significant Indigenous transactions in the last 12 years. He is also a prominent legal advisor to the British Columbia wine industry, advising on purchase and sale transactions and regulatory matters. Hudec is a mergers and acquisition and corporate governance practitioner with 40 years of experience in all legal aspects of securities and corporate finance. He is also well-versed in independent committee representation, with emphasis on the North American resource, infrastructure and technology industries. Hudec writes and speaks frequently on a variety of legal topics relating to wine law, Aboriginal law, corporate finance and corporate governance. He is a certified financial analyst.

Brett A. Kagetsu
Law firm: Gowling WLG
Year called to the Bar: 1996

Brett A. Kagetsu is a partner and member of the board of trustee at Gowling WLG's Vancouver office. He also is the former head of the firm’s business department and vice-chair of the corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and private equity practice group. Kagetsu assists public company clients in all legal aspects of their businesses, including securities law, corporate finance, M&A and corporate governance-related matters. He has also provided strategic advice to management and dissident shareholders in connection with contested shareholder meetings. Kagetsu is an active member of Gowling’s China initiative group and Japan country desk. He has assisted several Asia-based companies that have invested in Canada or that have sought a Canadian stock exchange listing. Kagetsu has spoken at various conferences in Canada, the US, China and Australia about stock exchange listings, securities law and corporate governance-related topics.

Kent D. Kufeldt
Law firm: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Year called to the Bar: 1989 (AB)

Kent D. Kufeldt is a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s Vancouver and Calgary offices. He is also the national business leader of the firm’s securities and capital markets group. Kufeldt represents public issuers and underwriters in public and private debt and equity financings, initial public offerings and cross-border financing transactions. He has experience with mergers and acquisitions and reorganization transactions, acting for both acquiring companies and target companies in hostile takeovers and negotiated acquisitions. Kufeldt has been involved in innovative transactions in both the corporate finance and M&A areas.

Robin Mahood
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called to the Bar: 2006 (BC); 2004 (New York)

Robin Mahood is a partner at the business law group at McCarthy Tétrault LLP’s Vancouver office. He advises public and private corporations on mergers and acquisitions, securities, day-to-day governance, continuous disclosure obligations and commercial matters. His recent transactional experience includes advising Canadian and international acquirers and targets in respect of domestic and cross-border M&A transactions in the renewable energy, mining, retail, forestry and life sciences industries. Mahood has also advised issuers, underwriters and investors on cross-border and domestic public offerings of equity and debt, including initial public offerings and private placements of equity and high-yield debt. He was formerly a law clerk to Justice Frank Lacobucci at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Steven R. McKoen
Law firm: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1998 (BC); 2002 (New York)

Steven R. McKoen is partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, where he practises securities and corporate law. He focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, corporate finance and corporate governance. McKoen acts for issuers, underwriters and private equity clients in a variety of sectors, including mining, forestry, high-tech and bio-tech. He has been a bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia since 2016 and was an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia for eight years. His recent transactions include acting for Nevsun Resources Ltd. on unsolicited acquisition proposal by Lundin Mining Corporation and Nevsun’s subsequent acquisition by Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd. for $1.86 billion, BRS & Co.’s acquisitions of majority stakes in Organika Health Products Inc. and Canada Pooch Ltd., and Correvio Pharma Corp. in its agreement to be acquired by ADVANZ Pharma Corp. Limited. He has also acted as Canadian counsel to Digital Colony Partners and EQT Infrastructure IV Fund in connection with their consortium’s US$14.3-billion agreement to acquire, recapitalize and take private Zayo Group Holdings, Inc.

Andrew McLeod
Law firm: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1996

Andrew McLeod is a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, where he practices securities law. He acts for public and private companies in the local, national and international level, advising in all aspects of their business including financings, restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, negotiation of commercial agreements and ongoing governance and disclosure matters. McLeod regularly represents investors, boards of directors, special committees, investment bankers and other participants in financing and M&A transactions in all industries, particularly mining and technology. His practice also includes acting for private equity and venture capital investors and companies receiving such investments. He is a regular author and speaker on structuring cross-border transactions, venture capital investing and advising tech clients.

Sven O. Milelli
Law firm: McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Year called the Bar: 2005 (BC); 2000 (New York)

Sven O. Milelli is the regional managing partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in British Columbia. He advises public and private corporations in a wide range of industries regarding mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings, joint ventures and corporate governance matters. Among his recent transactions are advising Canadian, US and international acquirers and targets on domestic and cross-border M&A, takeover bids and joint ventures in renewable energy, trucking and logistics, technology and software, oil and gas, forestry, pharmaceuticals, financial services, retail liquor, publishing, and pulp and paper industries. Milelli has also advised issuers and underwriters on cross-border, US and domestic public and private offerings of equity and debt, including initial public offerings, bought deal financings and secondary offerings.

Denise Nawata
Law firm: FARRIS
Year called to the Bar: 2005 (AB); 2006 (BC)

Denise Nawata is a corporate-commercial partner at FARRIS. She devotes her practice to the fields of corporate finance and securities, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. Nawata also focuses on complex business transactions for both public and private companies at various stages of their corporate growth. She acts for clients in a wide range of industries, including natural resources. Nawata boasts extensive experience in mining, and oil and gas transactions, technology and life sciences.

Fred R. Pletcher
Law firm: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Year called to the Bar: 1993

Fred R. Pletcher is the national leader of the mining group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, where he is also partner. He advises public companies and underwriters in connection with mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, corporate governance, continuous disclosure and general commercial matters. Pletcher frequently advises boards of directors and special committees of public companies. He also has considerable experience in the field of shareholder activism. In the mining field, Pletcher acts for Canadian and international mining companies in acquisitions and dispositions of mines, development projects and exploration properties, joint venture and option agreements, royalty and streaming transactions, expropriations and NI 43-101 reporting obligations. Pletcher frequently speaks and publishes papers on corporate, securities and mining issues.

Gary R. Sollis
Law firm: Dentons Canada LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1978

Gary R. Sollis is a partner in Dentons Canada LLP’s Vancouver office. He represents clients in the areas of corporate and securities law, with a focus on acquisitions, financings and reorganizations. Sollis has acted for a variety of public and private companies in financing transactions, including public offerings, private placements of debt and equity, special warrant financings, and public and private limited partnership offerings. He has also assisted clients in connection with takeover bids, mergers, proxy contests, spin-offs, joint ventures and acquisitions of private businesses. Sollis is an adjunct professor of securities regulation at Faculty of Law at University of British Columbia. He has also lectured on corporate and commercial law topics for the Continuing Legal Education Society and the British Columbia Professional Legal Training Course.

Michael G. Urbani
Law firm: Stikeman Elliott LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1997

Michael G. Urbani is a partner at Stikeman Elliott LLP’s corporate and securities group and a member of the firm’s professional ethics committee. He devotes his practice to corporate finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. Urbani acts for private and public entities and investment dealers in public financings and private placements in Canada and the US. He also represents clients on takeover bids, M&A, and corporate and commercial matters involving public and private corporations. His clients span a range of industries, including mining, high-tech, biotech, hospitality, communications and forest products.

Bob J. Wooder
Law firm: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Year called to the Bar: 1995

Bob J. Wooder is a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP’s capital markets group. He specializes in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. Wooder advises public and private companies and financial institutions. He boasts extensive expertise in advising on takeover and issuer bids, private equity financings and as independent counsel to boards of directors. Among his recent transactions are advising Nevsun Resources in connection with the $1.4-billion hostile takeover bid by Lundin Mining, which resulted in a friendly agreement with Zijin Mining Group to acquire Nevsun for $1.8 billion and acting for Equinox Gold in connection with its $1.5-billion merger with Leagold Mining. Wooder also has extensive experience advising on M&As, including advising Aurizon in connection with the hostile bid made by Alamos and advising a Special Committee of Alterra Power in connection with its $1.1-billion acquisition by Innergex Renewable Energy.

Lawyer(s)

Bob J. Wooder Michael G. Urbani Gary R. Sollis Fred R. Pletcher Denise Nawata Sven O. Milelli Andrew McLeod Steven R. McKoen Robin Mahood Brett A. Kagetsu Albert J. Hudec Mitchell H. Gropper Joseph A. Garcia Peter D. Fairey Blair J.H. Horn John-Paul Bogden Cameron Belsher David A. Allard

Firm(s)

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) Dentons Canada LLP McCarthy Tétrault LLP Stikeman Elliott LLP Lawson Lundell LLP Gowling WLG Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP