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Lexpert’s Cross-Border Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada 2009 and 2010—Cross-border practitioner to watch

Lexpert's Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40—One of Canada's leading lawyers under 40

Recently, Michael has been involved in various purchase and sale transactions of public and private companies, including

• Ernst & Young in its acquisition of RSM Richter's business
• Ursataur Capital, Bingley’s and EDC in the acquisition of the business of Mansour Mining
• Edgestone in its sale of BreconRidge to Sanmina
• 411.ca in its sale to Yellow Pages Group
• Ursataur Capital in its investment in Quantiam
• the sale of Black's Photo by ReichmannHauer Capital Partners to Telus Corporation
• China Investment Corporation in its C$1.7 billion acquisition of a 17% equity interest in Teck Resources
• Nike in its US$200 million sale of its Bauer Hockey subsidiary
• the C$1 billion public takeover of PBS Coals, a coal mining company, by Severstal Resources
• the acquisition of Metro Recycling, a scrap metal recycling company, by Gerdau Ameristeel
• the acquisition of Black’s Photo from FUJIFilm Canada and the acquisition of the Allan Candy division from Cadbury Adams Canada, by ReichmannHauer Capital Partners
• the investment by a Middle-Eastern sovereign wealth fund in a Canadian technology company
• the acquisition of Enunciate Conferencing and Budget Conferencing by Premiere Conference (Canada), a subsidiary of Premiere Global Services
• the public takeover of Minacs Worldwide, a BPO solutions company, by Transworks Information Services (part of the Aditya Birla Group), in partnership with ReichmannHauer Capital Partners
• the leveraged buyout of New Food Classics, a food-processing business, by EdgeStone Capital Partners
• the reverse takeover of Route1, a technology company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange
• the leveraged buyout of Spinrite, a Canadian textile business, and Madill Equipment, a heavy equipment manufacturer for the logging industry, by Sentinel Capital Partners, a U.S. private equity fund

In Michael's private equity fund formation and fund investing practice, he has represented

• The Toronto-Dominion Bank in the spinout of Northleaf Capital Partners in 2009
• The Toronto-Dominion Bank and the management team in the spinout of Birch Hill Equity Partners in 2005
• limited partners (including Northleaf Capital Partners, BDC, Canada Post, China Investment Corporation) in negotiating their investments in various private equity funds
• various fund sponsors in all aspects of planning, organizing and negotiating their private equity funds
• limited partners in their secondary market purchases of interests in various private equity funds

Michael currently co-chairs the firm’s Student Committee.

Michael is pro bono corporate counsel to Free the Children, a Canadian charity founded by Canadian child rights activists Craig and Marc Kielburger. Free the Children is the world's largest network of children helping children to develop as socially conscious global citizens and to become agents of change through domestic empowerment programs and leadership training. Michael is also pro bono corporate counsel to Me to We, a new kind of social enterprise founded by Marc and Craig Kielburger. Me to We is committed to working with people who want to help change the world with their daily choices. Through its media, socially responsible choices and leadership experiences, Me to We supports Free the Children's work with youth creating global change.

Michael is also director of, and corporate counsel to, the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, a not-for-profit, provincial government-sponsored organization. The institute was created to assess the economic competitiveness of the Province of Ontario by way of an independent task force chaired by Roger L. Martin, Dean of The Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

In 2011, Michael advised The Heart & Stroke Foundation in connection with the reorganization of its provincial chapters into a consolidated national organization.

Michael has also led Torys' initiative with Pro Bono Law Ontario and COSTI, Canada's largest settlement organization, in a project aimed at strengthening small businesses established by newcomers to Canada.

Michael has advised International Lawyers and Economists Against Poverty (ILEAP) on its incorporation and on corporate/commercial matters. ILEAP is a not-for-profit organization that provides legal and economic expertise and training to organizations and individuals in developing countries to assist in poverty reduction. ILEAP is associated with the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.

Michael has been an adjunct professor of Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, and has taught the Business Associations course twice.