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What is Corporate Mid-Market?

Best Corporate lawyers for the Mid-market in Canada as ranked by Lexpert

Corporate Mid-Market laywers refers to an area of transactional work involving businesses (private and public) whose revenues fall in approximately the $50 million to $200 million range. The nature of the businesses involved tends to include predominantly knowledge-based companies (technology, life sciences) who engage in transactions of a size that is typical of a Canadian mid-market M&A transaction without having regard to the revenue.

 

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

 

Please be advised that the Lexpert directory has practice areas specific to:

  • Mergers and acquisitions lawyers
  • Labour relations lawyers
  • Intellectual property lawyers
  • Employment lawyers

 

What does a corporate lawyer do?

Corporate lawyers are employed by large enterprises down to SMEs with regard to their expertise on the federal laws and provincial and territorial statutes relating to businesses and corporations. The corporate lawyers that we have rated below as the best are focused on mid-market corporations. We cover what qualifies a company as mid-market further down in this article.

 

Corporation law

Corporation law is that branch of law generally governing corporations, from its inception, until its dissolution or bankruptcy, and the regulations imposed upon these corporations by the government. Since juridical entities or corporations have a separate legal personality from private persons, corporation law sets out their differences in law.

 

The Canada Business Corporations Act (or the CBCA) is the federal statute governing Canadian business corporations. The Act provides for the steps of incorporation; the capacities and powers of a corporation; the reports it needs to file; the authority, duties, responsibilities and liabilities of its shareholders, directors and officers; and the procedure for the liquidation and dissolution of a corporation.

 

Corporate lawyers

The work of corporate lawyers is typically around the CBCA, the corporation they serve, and the applicable provincial or territorial regulating statutes. In order to advise clients or corporations – whether they are small businesses, mid-market, or enterprises – of their rights, responsibilities, and duties, the best corporate lawyers are well-versed in these statutes and have a good grasp on the administrative workarounds of these statutes.

 

Overall, corporate lawyers ensure that the corporation complies with the impositions upon them by these federal and provincial or territorial regulating statutes, and other government regulations; oversee that the corporation also complies with the statutory standards with respect to its operations and its employees; and represent the best interests of their clients before any judicial court or administrative tribunal.

 

  • Incorporation: At the onset of a corporation, a corporate lawyer is hired to guide the incorporators and other stakeholders of the incorporation process. This is to guide them on the numerous requirements set by the CBCA, and the provincial and regulating statutes, not only pertaining to corporation laws, but also of taxation laws.
  • Shareholders and employees: Under the corporation law, a corporation is a separate judicial entity from its shareholders and employees. Thus, a corporate lawyer generally represents the corporation per se, and not its shareholders and employees, although the latter are the legal representatives and physical actors of the corporation. Although, this rule is absolute, especially in cases where the shareholder committed gross negligence or extrinsic fraud.
  • Contracts: Being learned in legal forms, corporate lawyers assist corporations with the contracts they enter into – from drafting, including the necessary terms and clauses thereto, negotiations in case of disagreements, and enforcing such contracts when there are breaches. These contracts may be in whatever form, such as sales contracts, lease agreements, partnerships, among others.
  • Arbitration or mediation: As an offshoot of the role of corporate lawyers in crafting and enforcing corporate contracts is the ability to mediate disputes or submit to proper mediation or arbitration institutions such disputes whenever proper, or when the contract between the parties say so.
  • Mergers and acquisitions (M&A): M&A are also part of a corporate lawyer’s job, especially when dealing or negotiating with other companies, in order to arrive to a mutually beneficial deal for the two companies in the M&A. In this regard, compliance with securities regulation and taxation laws are also a part of corporate lawyers’ expertise.
  • Litigation: As the work of corporate lawyers are mostly transactional, court or administrative actions are resorted to whenever the need arises, and in here, corporate lawyers are the ones to best represent their client-corporations before the court or tribunals.

 

What is considered a mid-market company?

Middle-market companies, or mid-market market businesses, are those businesses that are neither considered small businesses nor large, major enterprises. In other words, they are too small to be a big business, but they are also large enough to be considered a small business.

 

Although, there is really no set standard for how much yearly revenue or customers served for one to be considered as a mid-market business, certain financial institutions have considered some criteria in order to delineate between a small business, mid-market, and large enterprises.

 

  • Small businesses: Have less than 100 employees and have an annual revenue of $5 to $10 million. These are the emerging businesses, small start-ups, local shops or restaurants, and online businesses.
  • Mid-market companies: Employ about 101-500 workers and have an annual revenue of $10 million to $1 billion. It is at this level where many are looking to expand, franchise, and grow their business into multiple regions. Corporate lawyers are essential at this stage. Most typically, the corporations focused on by these lawyers are in the $50 million to $200 million range.
  • Large enterprises: Those having over 500 employees and over $1 billion annual revenue. These are the companies whose brand names are popularly known, and may be located in multiple areas.

 

What are mid-market mergers and acquisitions?

Mergers occur when two entirely separate companies agree to incorporate into a single company, and acquisitions is when one company acquires or buys-out another, including its stocks and assets.

 

Middle-market mergers and acquisitions, or mid-market M&A for brevity, happen in many ways, such as when one mid-market company acquires another mid-market or a smaller company; when two mid-market companies merge; when two smaller companies merge to achieve a mid-market status; or when a large company acquires or merges with a mid-market company.

 

Currently, there mid-market lawyers who can assist in mid-market M&As. Mid-market lawyers advise their clients on coming up with a beneficial M&A, in accordance with the other branches of law, such as taxation, securities, labour, among others.

 

Need help with corporate laws, the CBCA, or any other corporate matters? Reach out to the best corporate lawyers for the mid-market as ranked by Lexpert below.

David A. Allard
David A. Allard
Year called to bar: 1987
Vancouver, British Columbia
Lawson Lundell LLP
Daniel M. Allen
Daniel M. Allen
Year called to bar: 1996
Vancouver, British Columbia
Gowling WLG
Tara Amiri-Khaledi
Tara Amiri-Khaledi
Year called to bar: 2011
Vancouver, British Columbia
Gowling WLG
Arash Amouzgar
Arash Amouzgar
Year called to bar: 2011
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Jennifer A. Archer
Jennifer A. Archer
Year called to bar: 2005
Vancouver, British Columbia
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Michelle Audet-Noorani
Michelle Audet-Noorani
Year called to bar: 2005
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Jared Bachynski
Jared Bachynski
Year called to bar: 2013
Vancouver, British Columbia
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Cameron G. Belsher
Cameron G. Belsher
Year called to bar: 1988
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
John-Paul Bogden
John-Paul Bogden
Year called to bar: 1999
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Jason J. Brooks
Jason J. Brooks
Year called to bar: 1996
Vancouver, British Columbia
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Brian R. Canfield
Brian R. Canfield
Year called to bar: 1991
Vancouver, British Columbia
FARRIS
Joan C. Chambers
Joan C. Chambers
Year called to bar: 1991
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Prentice Durbin
Prentice Durbin
Year called to bar: 2006
Vancouver, British Columbia
Harper Grey LLP
Elizabeth K. Dylke
Elizabeth K. Dylke
Year called to bar: 2006
Vancouver, British Columbia
Bennett Jones LLP
Debra J. Finlay
Debra J. Finlay
Year called to bar: 1994
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
David S. Frost
David S. Frost
Year called to bar: 2001
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Joseph A. Garcia
Joseph A. Garcia
Year called to bar: 1997
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Christian P. Gauthier
Christian P. Gauthier
Year called to bar: 2002
Vancouver, British Columbia
Bennett Jones LLP
Victor Gerchikov
Victor Gerchikov
Vancouver, British Columbia
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Mitchell H. Gropper
Mitchell H. Gropper
Year called to bar: 1966
Vancouver, British Columbia
FARRIS
David Gunasekera
David Gunasekera
Year called to bar: 2001
Vancouver, British Columbia
DuMoulin Black LLP
Linda J. Hogg
Linda J. Hogg
Year called to bar: 1978
Vancouver, British Columbia
Gowling WLG
Blair J.H. Horn
Blair J.H. Horn
Year called to bar: 1989
Vancouver, British Columbia
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Albert J. Hudec
Albert J. Hudec
Year called to bar: 1981
Vancouver, British Columbia
FARRIS
Alan J. Hutchison
Alan J. Hutchison
Year called to bar: 2001
Vancouver, British Columbia
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Georald Ingborg
Georald Ingborg
Year called to bar: 1998
Vancouver, British Columbia
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Pavan Jawanda
Pavan Jawanda
Year called to bar: 2014
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Brett A. Kagetsu
Brett A. Kagetsu
Year called to bar: 1996
Vancouver, British Columbia
Gowling WLG
Jamie Kariya
Jamie Kariya
Year called to bar: 2010
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Kathleen P. Keilty
Kathleen P. Keilty
Year called to bar: 2001
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Ted I. Koffman
Ted I. Koffman
Year called to bar: 1987
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Kent D. Kufeldt
Kent D. Kufeldt
Year called to bar: 1989
Vancouver, British Columbia
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Cyndi D. Laval
Cyndi D. Laval
Year called to bar: 1993
Vancouver, British Columbia
Gowling WLG
Warren B. Learmonth
Warren B. Learmonth
Year called to bar: 1996
Vancouver, British Columbia
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Joyce Y.Y. Lee
Joyce Y.Y. Lee
Year called to bar: 1995
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Troy J. A. Lehman
Troy J. A. Lehman
Year called to bar: 2006
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Kwang Lim
Kwang Lim
Year called to bar: 2006
Vancouver, British Columbia
Bennett Jones LLP
Mark J. Longo
Mark J. Longo
Year called to bar: 1994
Vancouver, British Columbia
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Steven G. Lukas
Steven G. Lukas
Year called to bar: 1988
Vancouver, British Columbia
Harper Grey LLP
J. Geoffrey Lyster
J. Geoffrey Lyster
Year called to bar: 1990
Vancouver, British Columbia
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
R. Hector MacKay-Dunn
R. Hector MacKay-Dunn
Year called to bar: 1978
Vancouver, British Columbia
FARRIS
Robin Mahood
Robin Mahood
Year called to bar: 2006
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Valerie C. Mann
Valerie C. Mann
Year called to bar: 1992
Vancouver, British Columbia
Lawson Lundell LLP
Iain Mant
Iain Mant
Year called to bar: 1990
Vancouver, British Columbia
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Graeme D. Martindale
Graeme D. Martindale
Year called to bar: 2003
Vancouver, British Columbia
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Jonathan McCullough
Jonathan McCullough
Year called to bar: 1986
Vancouver, British Columbia
Bennett Jones LLP
William J. McFetridge
William J. McFetridge
Year called to bar: 1979
Vancouver, British Columbia
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Steven R. McKoen
Steven R. McKoen
Year called to bar: 1998
Vancouver, British Columbia
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Sven O. Milelli
Sven O. Milelli
Year called to bar: 2005
Vancouver, British Columbia
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Sean A. Muggah
Sean A. Muggah
Year called to bar: 1998
Vancouver, British Columbia
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
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