Mahdi Shams > MLT Aikins LLP > Vancouver, Canada > Lawyer Profile

Mahdi Shams

View profile

Work Department

Corporate Finance & Securities | Private Equity and Venture Capital | Mergers & Acquisitions | Innovation and Emerging Growth | Mining & Natural Resources | Innovation, Data & Technology | Cannabis | Agriculture & Food

Position

Partner

Career

Mahdi is an emerging industries lawyer with particular focus in the areas of technology (including e-sports and blockchain technology), mining and resources, cannabis and psychedelics, and plant protein. He advises entrepreneurs and growth-stage companies across Canada and helps businesses navigate legal and regulatory issues within new and rapidly advancing industries.

Mahdi employs a ‎business centric and practical approach to solving business and legal needs from incorporation through exit. He acts for clients at all stages of the business life cycle, advising on investments, acquisitions, amalgamations and reorganizations. Mahdi has experience assisting companies and investors secure debt and equity financing through private equity and venture capital opportunities.

Mahdi has been extensively involved in assisting ‎clients in the emerging cannabis sector since legalization in Canada. He has helped companies clients successfully navigate new regulation and rapid growth in the industry including complex advertising, licensing and consumer protection issues in British Columbia.

‎In the area of technology, Mahdi’s practice focuses on emerging blockchain technology businesses, including private equity investing, initial coin offerings, tokenization of products and regulatory advice. His advice regarding emerging blockchain and cryptocurrency markets is grounded in experience with securities regulators and public mergers and acquisitions.

In addition to transactional work, Mahdi advises public issuers on continuous disclosure obligations, corporate governance, securities, financing and general corporate law matters. He has extensive experience with corporate reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions, public and private equity and debt financing transactions, and Canadian and foreign stock exchange listings. He has participated in numerous cross-border and international corporate finance and merger transactions.

Mahdi was recognized as one of Lexpert magazine’s Rising Stars: Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40 in 2019 and also recognized as a leading lawyer in the agribusiness and cannabis industries in the 2020 Lexpert Special Edition: Agribusiness and Cannabis.

He is fluent in French and Farsi and has an intermediate level of Spanish.

Languages

French, Farsi, Spanish

Memberships

• Member, Board of Directors, Capture Photography Festival (2020-present)
• Participant, “Sleep Out to Support Homeless Youth” Fundraiser (November 21, 2019)

Education

• New York Bar (2011)
• British Columbia Bar (2010)
• JD (Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie, 2009)
• MBA (Dalhousie, 2009)
• BA (British Columbia, 2005)
• CIEP (Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences-Po), 2003)