John Terry > Torys > Toronto, Canada > Lawyer Profile

The Toronto-led mining team at Torys draws on the strength of a network of offices in Montreal, Halifax, Calgary and New York, to advise large, mid-cap and junior mining companies, issuers, underwriters and selling security holders on high-value, multi-jurisdictional M&A, project finance, joint ventures, commodity transactions, mining arbitration, restructuring, permitting matters and negotiations with Indigenous groups. Michael Pickersgill  leads the team, bringing expertise to M&A, corporate finance, earn-in agreements, and royalty, streaming and offtake arrangements. Other key figures include Michael Amm, who handles complex strategic investments, joint ventures, corporate financings, royalty and streaming transactions; Braden Jebson, who was promoted to partner in January 2023; Don Bell, who draws on experience advising on mining projects in North and South America, Asia and Africa; and John Terry and Kevin Morris, who both specialize in capital markets transactions, board governance advice and shareholder activist issues.

The practice at Torys handles a variety of contentious and non-contentious matters, including M&A transactions involving Indigenous communities, commercial arrangements, energy and infrastructure projects, disputes, land claims and restructurings. The group is co-led from Toronto by Valerie Helbronner, who focuses on the involvement of Indigenous communities in infrastructure projects; and litigator John Terry. Former Supreme Court Justice and senior counsel Frank Iacobucci is noted for his participation in contentious work. Associate Brianne Paulin majors on due diligence for Indigenous and environmental matters.

Torys’ international trade expertise is particularly weighted towards contentious matters, with a focus on investment treaty arbitrations and international commercial arbitrations. That being said, the group also leverages a significant regulatory offering that covers economic sanctions, anti-corruption law and export controls, among others. Department head John Terry brings to bear a strong record in complex disputes, where he represents corporations and federal, provincial and municipal governments on NAFTA and WTO cases. Senior associate Ryan Lax is additionally noted for contentious and regulatory trade work.