Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP - The Who's Who Legal 100 2013

What is the Who's Who Legal 100?

The firm is particularly well known for its outstanding mining practice and has been involved in key Plan Nord projects in Quebec, including acting for Goldcorp Inc on a C$2.1 billion Éléonore gold project, and Investissement Québec and Yara International ARA in an C$800 million apatite project. Other recent deals include acting for AuRico Gold in its sale of Ocampo Mine to Minera Frisco for C$750 million and Eldorado Gold when it announced the closing of its US$600 million senior notes offering. We feature seven “superb” lawyers from the firm in our mining chapter. In Toronto, Michael J Bourassa is “one of the best mining lawyers in Canada” and is our former mining lawyer of the year. His practice focuses on international mining due diligence as well as providing advice on contract negotiation and litigation support. He is joined in Toronto by Charles Higgins and John SM Turner. Higgins is an “excellent professional” who has “sound business judgement” while Turner is the leader of the firm’s global mining group and has been described by one of our respondents as “the sort of lawyer I love to work with”. Outside Canada, Tanneke Heersche in Johannesburg and Thomas Wexler in London are also highly recommended.

Following its merger with Bell Dewar, the firm has seen new additions to its project finance group. The firm fields a total of four lawyers to the corresponding chapter. Toronto-based Brian C Kelsall and Ella Plotkin are “extremely well known”. Kelsall has a broad practice which includes infrastructure, mining, power and real estate while Plotkin specialises in infrastructure and emerging markets project finance. Her recent work includes the Infrastructure Ontario’s Niagara Health System PPP Project and the Alberta Schools I PPP Project. Two former Bell Dewar lawyers are also featured. Andrew Mitchell is a “dean of the field” with a practice that focuses on mining. He is joined in Johannesburg by Lara Bezuidenhoudt, a “talented” practitioner advising on local projects as well as transactions in other African countries. She is additionally listed in our public procurement chapter alongside Michael van Vuren and John Janks, both former Bell Dewar lawyers based in Johannesburg. Van Vuren is a “professional, efficient and very sharp” practitioner while Janks is “very experienced” and advises government parties, private bidders and lenders. Based in Vancouver, Helmut Johannsen is a “pre-eminent” practitioner with experience as a professional engineer. He is featured in our public procurement and construction chapters.

Fasken Martineau has a strong presence in the life sciences sector and garners three listings in the chapter. Peter J Pliszka in Toronto, is a “terrific” life sciences product liability lawyer and has substantial experience acting for manufacturers, distributors and insurers in this area. He is also listed in our product liability defence chapter. Québec-based Mathieu Gagné is a “leading regulatory lawyer” and a “true expert in his field”. In London, managing partner of the firm Gary Howes is a “leading figure in the life sciences sector” and is praised for his “commercial approach”.

Based in Toronto, William Orr is a “true specialist” in corporate governance. Among his many positions, he currently acts as independent counsel to the Board of OMERS Administration Corporation. Jonathan Levin and Robert Paré are also highly recommended for their work in this area and both are additionally listed in our chapter on capital markets. Levin provides “exceptionally helpful and clear advice” to a wide range of high-profile clients while Paré is “very client-oriented”.

One further lawyer of note at the firm is Henri Alvarez QC. Co-chair of Fasken Martineau’s international arbitration practice group, he is a “sensational” disputes lawyer and garners listings in our arbitration, construction and oil and gas chapters.

The firm earns additional listings in a further 13 chapters, demonstrating their impressive reach of expertise.