James is a Partner in Osler’s Corporate Group and Co-Chair of the Mining Group. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and securities, and general corporate matters.
James has experience acting for issuers and underwriters in public offerings, including IPOs, shelf, short form, and “bought deal” financings, global private placements, as well as transactions involving inter-listed companies.
He also routinely provides ongoing advice to public and private corporations in a wide variety of industries on regulatory compliance matters, corporate governance, and continuous disclosure obligations, and he provides ongoing securities law compliance advice to TSX and TSXV listed issuers, including regarding mineral project disclosure under National Instrument 43-101. James previously served as a member of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ Mining Technical Advisory and Monitoring Committee, which provides guidance to the provincial securities commissions on technical mining matters.
James was a summer student with the firm and completed his articles in 2007–2008, during which time he was seconded to the Ontario Securities Commission in the Corporate Finance branch. He returned to Osler as an associate in 2008. During 2011, James was on secondment to the Toronto office of Goldman Sachs as an associate in the Natural Resources group focused on Metals & Mining.
In 2018, James was named a Lexpert Rising Star: Leading Lawyer Under 40, an award, which recognizes lawyers under the age of 40 at the top of their profession.
Representative Work
- The underwriters
The underwriters, led by Goldman Sachs, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and TD Securities, in connection with the initial public offering by Groupe Dynamite Inc.
- Bird Construction
Bird Construction in its acquisition of Jacob Bros Construction for $135 million
- Kyndryl
Kyndryl in the sale of its Securities Industry Services business to Broadridge
- Q4
Q4 in its acquisition by Sumeru Equity Partners
- Boart Longyear Company
Boart Longyear in the sale of its shares to American Industrial Partners Capital Fund
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross Gold Corporation in US$500 million offering of unsecured notes offering
- SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust
SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust in its offering of $300 million Series Z senior unsecured debentures
- Excellon Resources Inc.
Excellon Resources Inc. in its US$50 million acquisition of La Negra Mine in Mexico
- TELUS International
TELUS International in its US$1.225 billion acquisition of WillowTree
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross Gold Corporation in its US$225 million sale of Chirano mine to Asante Gold Corporation
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross Gold Corporation in its US$1.4 billion acquisition of Great Bear Resources
- Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Goldman Sachs Asset Management in its US$250 million investment in Hydrostor
- Q4 Inc.
Q4 Inc. in its IPO on the TSX
- TELUS International
TELUS International in its US$563 million secondary offering
- Battle North Gold Corporation
Battle North Gold Corporation in its acquisition by Evolution Mining Limited
- Interac Corp.
Interac Corp. in Canada's new real-time payments system
- TELUS International
TELUS International in its US$1.06 billion initial public offering
- Richardson Financial Group
Richardson Financial Group in the sale of Richardson GMP to GMP Capital Inc.
- Wealthsimple
Wealthsimple in its $114 million equity financing
- Raymond James Ltd.
The underwriters in the US$45.54 million cross-border secondary offering of common shares of Maverix Metals Inc. by Pan American Silver Corp.
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross in its agreement with N-Mining Limited to acquire Chulbatkan for US$283 million
- Genworth Financial, Inc.
Genworth Financial in its $2.4 billion agreement for Brookfield Business Partners to acquire Genworth’s stake in Genworth MI Canada Inc.
- CIBC World Markets
CIBC World Markets in Osisko Gold Royalties' $110.7M secondary bought deal offering
- Constellation Brands
Constellation Brands in connection with Canopy Growth’s right to acquire Acreage Holdings
- Red Label Holdings Inc. (Red Label Vacations)
Red Label Vacations in its acquisition by H.I.S. Group
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund in its acquisition of Marsulex Inc., its unsolicited take-over bid for Canexus Corporation and subsequent acquisition of Canexus Corporation by way of plan of arrangement
- COM DEV in connection with its acquisition by a subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc. by way of a plan of arrangement and its spinoff of exactEarth Ltd.
- Constellation Brands, Inc. in the sale of its Canadian wine business to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan for approximately $1.03 billion
- Corus Entertainment Inc. in connection with its proposed $2.65 billion purchase of Shaw Media Inc. from Shaw Communications Inc.
- Counsel to Manulife Financial Corporation in its $4-billion acquisition of the Canadian-based operations of Standard Life plc. The deal combines Manulife, one of the largest insurance companies in the world, and Standard Life Canada, the country’s fifth-largest insurer
- Kinross Gold Corporation in its acquisition of Underworld Resources Inc. by way of take-over bid, its initial private placement in Red Back Mining Inc., its subsequent acquisition of Red Back by way of plan of arrangement, the sale of its interest in Harry Winston Diamond Corporation and the Diavik Diamond Mine joint venture and the sale of Aurelian Resources to Lundin Gold
- The Special Committee of Northbridge Financial Corporation in its sale to Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited
- Equinox Minerals Limited in its proposed acquisition of Lundin Mining Corporation
- Continental Nickel Limited in its acquisition by IMX Resources Limited pursuant to a plan of arrangement
Corporate Finance
- The Pacific Road Resources Funds, private equity funds focused in the mining industry, in their investments in Timmins Gold Corp., Xtierra Inc., First Bauxite Corporation, Far West Mining Inc., CuOro Resources, BRC Minerals Limited, Bayswater Uranium Corporation’s Reno Creek project, Mega Precious Metals (including its sale to Yamana Gold) and Luna Gold Corporation (including its subsequent business combination with JDL Gold to form Trek Mining)
- The underwriters (led by RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and UBS Securities Canada Inc.) in the initial public offering of common shares, flow-through shares and warrants of Royal Nickel Corporation
- The underwriters (led by Scotia Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc.) in the $250 million initial public offering of Class A Restricted Units of Alignvest Acquisition II Corporation
- The underwriters (led by RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc.) in the $4 billion bought deal offering of common shares of Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest bought deal equity offering in Canadian history
The underwriters, led by Goldman Sachs, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and TD Securities, in connection with the initial public offering by Groupe Dynamite Inc.
Bird Construction in its acquisition of Jacob Bros Construction for $135 million
Kyndryl in the sale of its Securities Industry Services business to Broadridge
Q4 in its acquisition by Sumeru Equity Partners
Boart Longyear in the sale of its shares to American Industrial Partners Capital Fund
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross Gold Corporation in US$500 million offering of unsecured notes offering
- SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust
SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust in its offering of $300 million Series Z senior unsecured debentures
- Excellon Resources Inc.
Excellon Resources Inc. in its US$50 million acquisition of La Negra Mine in Mexico
- TELUS International
TELUS International in its US$1.225 billion acquisition of WillowTree
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross Gold Corporation in its US$225 million sale of Chirano mine to Asante Gold Corporation
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross Gold Corporation in its US$1.4 billion acquisition of Great Bear Resources
- Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Goldman Sachs Asset Management in its US$250 million investment in Hydrostor
- Q4 Inc.
Q4 Inc. in its IPO on the TSX
- TELUS International
TELUS International in its US$563 million secondary offering
- Battle North Gold Corporation
Battle North Gold Corporation in its acquisition by Evolution Mining Limited
- Interac Corp.
Interac Corp. in Canada's new real-time payments system
- TELUS International
TELUS International in its US$1.06 billion initial public offering
- Richardson Financial Group
Richardson Financial Group in the sale of Richardson GMP to GMP Capital Inc.
- Wealthsimple
Wealthsimple in its $114 million equity financing
- Raymond James Ltd.
The underwriters in the US$45.54 million cross-border secondary offering of common shares of Maverix Metals Inc. by Pan American Silver Corp.
- Kinross Gold Corporation
Kinross in its agreement with N-Mining Limited to acquire Chulbatkan for US$283 million
- Genworth Financial, Inc.
Genworth Financial in its $2.4 billion agreement for Brookfield Business Partners to acquire Genworth’s stake in Genworth MI Canada Inc.
- CIBC World Markets
CIBC World Markets in Osisko Gold Royalties' $110.7M secondary bought deal offering
- Constellation Brands
Constellation Brands in connection with Canopy Growth’s right to acquire Acreage Holdings
- Red Label Holdings Inc. (Red Label Vacations)
Red Label Vacations in its acquisition by H.I.S. Group
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund in its acquisition of Marsulex Inc., its unsolicited take-over bid for Canexus Corporation and subsequent acquisition of Canexus Corporation by way of plan of arrangement
- COM DEV in connection with its acquisition by a subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc. by way of a plan of arrangement and its spinoff of exactEarth Ltd.
- Constellation Brands, Inc. in the sale of its Canadian wine business to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan for approximately $1.03 billion
- Corus Entertainment Inc. in connection with its proposed $2.65 billion purchase of Shaw Media Inc. from Shaw Communications Inc.
- Counsel to Manulife Financial Corporation in its $4-billion acquisition of the Canadian-based operations of Standard Life plc. The deal combines Manulife, one of the largest insurance companies in the world, and Standard Life Canada, the country’s fifth-largest insurer
- Kinross Gold Corporation in its acquisition of Underworld Resources Inc. by way of take-over bid, its initial private placement in Red Back Mining Inc., its subsequent acquisition of Red Back by way of plan of arrangement, the sale of its interest in Harry Winston Diamond Corporation and the Diavik Diamond Mine joint venture and the sale of Aurelian Resources to Lundin Gold
- The Special Committee of Northbridge Financial Corporation in its sale to Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited
- Equinox Minerals Limited in its proposed acquisition of Lundin Mining Corporation
- Continental Nickel Limited in its acquisition by IMX Resources Limited pursuant to a plan of arrangement
Corporate Finance
- The Pacific Road Resources Funds, private equity funds focused in the mining industry, in their investments in Timmins Gold Corp., Xtierra Inc., First Bauxite Corporation, Far West Mining Inc., CuOro Resources, BRC Minerals Limited, Bayswater Uranium Corporation’s Reno Creek project, Mega Precious Metals (including its sale to Yamana Gold) and Luna Gold Corporation (including its subsequent business combination with JDL Gold to form Trek Mining)
- The underwriters (led by RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and UBS Securities Canada Inc.) in the initial public offering of common shares, flow-through shares and warrants of Royal Nickel Corporation
- The underwriters (led by Scotia Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc.) in the $250 million initial public offering of Class A Restricted Units of Alignvest Acquisition II Corporation
- The underwriters (led by RBC Dominion Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc.) in the $4 billion bought deal offering of common shares of Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest bought deal equity offering in Canadian history
Latest Insights
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Report Dec 5, 2024
Navigating control transactions: clarifying acceptable conduct boundaries
We review recent Canadian securities regulatory authority decisions that impact control transactions.
Read more -
Report Dec 5, 2024
Presenting our Legal Outlook
Osler Legal Outlook provides a look back on key legal developments in 2024 and a look forward to the implications for 2025 and beyond.
Read more -
Osler Update Nov 21, 2024
Will access finally equal delivery? Progress in access model for certain Canadian continuous disclosure documents
An alternative model for the delivery of certain continuous disclosure documents by non-investment fund reporting issuers is back on the table.
Read more -
Osler Update Nov 18, 2024
Water cannot be turned into wine: Cormark and the legality of triangular hedging transactions
The Ontario Capital Markets Tribunal has provided important guidance on hedging transactions in connection with private placements.
Read more
Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Corporate/Commercial (Ontario); Capital Markets – Debt & Equity
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Corporate Finance & Securities; Mergers & Acquisitions
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Lexpert Rising Stars: Recognized as a Rising Star (2018)
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Legal 500: Recognized in Next Generation Lawyers, Capital Markets; Recommended Lawyer, Energy and Natural Resources: Mining
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IFLR 1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms: Recognized in M&A; Capital Markets: Debt; Capital Markets: Equity (Highly Regarded)
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Mining Law
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Thomson Reuters: “Stand-out Lawyer”
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Lexpert Special Edition: Recognized in Energy
Media Mentions
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Osler News Oct 23, 2023
Nine Osler lawyers recognized in Lexpert Special Edition: Mining 2023
Congratulations to nine Osler lawyers recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Mining 2023, highlighting leading lawyers in the sector.
Read more -
Osler News Apr 19, 2023
42 Osler lawyers recognized by Lexpert as leaders in Finance and M&A
Osler is proud to announce 42 of our lawyers have been recognized as leaders in the Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2023.
Read more -
Osler News Apr 20, 2022
23 Osler lawyers recognized by Lexpert as leaders in Finance and M&A
Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2022 recognizes 23 Osler lawyers.
Read more -
Media Mentions Oct 5, 2020
Industry, investors divided on proposed Ontario capital market reforms – The Northern Miner
Some of the capital markets reforms being proposed by Ontario’s Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce (the Taskforce) are intended to make...
Read more
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
Risk Mitigation for Canadian Mining Issuers
Panelist, May 6, 2020
Credentials
Education
- Osgoode Hall Law School/Schulich School of Business, Joint LL.B./M.B.A.
- University of Waterloo, B.A. (Hons.)
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
- Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada