Overview
Michael is a corporate/commercial lawyer focused on private equity and venture capital. Michael is the head of the firm’s Private Equity Practice. In his mergers and acquisitions practice Michael advises private equity funds, pension funds and strategic investors in all aspects of their domestic and cross-border M&A transactions and other investment activities, including leveraged buyouts, majority and minority equity investments, co-investments and restructurings.
In his fund formation practice, Michael advises sponsors in structuring and negotiating their private market funds and their internal governance and economic arrangements. He has recently advised sponsors on funds spanning a range of private market areas, including buy-out, venture capital, infrastructure, secondary and search funds, including most recently Maverix Private Equity, Amplitude Venture, Overbay Capital and Imperial Capital funds. His work also includes a number of secondary transactions to buy or sell LP interests in a fund or a portfolio of funds.
Recognition
Chambers Canada—Leading lawyer in private equity: buyouts (2017-2022)
Chambers Global—Leading lawyer in private equity: buyouts (2018-2021)
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms—Highly regarded in M&A and private equity (2022)
Best Lawyers in Canada—Leading lawyer in private funds law and corporate law (2014-2022)
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory—Leading lawyer in private equity, mergers & acquisitions (2013-2021)
Who’s Who Legal—Leading Canadian lawyer in private funds (2014-2021)
Best Lawyers in Canada—Private Funds Law Lawyer of the Year in Toronto (2018)
Lexpert’s Guide to US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada—Most Frequently Recommended in business issues (2018)
Lexpert’s Guide to US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada—Cross-border practitioner to watch (2009 and 2010)
Lexpert’s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40—One of Canada’s leading lawyers under 40 (2009)
Professional Involvement
Michael is heavily involved in supporting not-for-profit organizations, including acting as corporate counsel to the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, a not-for-profit, provincial government-sponsored organization and serving as its director for over 10 years, starting with its founding. He has also advised the Heart & Stroke Foundation, COSTI Immigrant Services and International Lawyers and Economists Against Poverty on various corporate and commercial matters. For many years, Michael was pro bono corporate counsel to We Charity (formerly Free the Children). At the same time, Michael was pro bono corporate counsel to Me to We.
He was also an adjunct professor of Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, and has taught the Business Associations course twice.
Community
For many years, Michael was pro bono corporate counsel to We Charity (formerly Free the Children), a Canadian charity founded by Canadian child rights activists Craig and Marc Kielburger. We Charity 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 was at the same time 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 We Charity’s work with youth creating global change.
