John Terry > Torys > Toronto, Canada > Lawyer Profile

Torys’ possesses niche expertise in NAFTA/WTO issues, where it specializes in representing claimants and respondents in treaty disputes, including international arbitrations. On the regulatory front, the team covers a range of economic sanctions, export controls and anti-corruption-related matters. Toronto-based practice head John Terry is recommended for investment arbitrations. Ryan Lax, who was recently promoted to counsel, has an emphasis on public, commercial and international trade law.

The expertise of the practice group at Torys takes in M&A transactions and energy and infrastructure projects, involving Indigenous communities, as well as related litigation. The team is regularly instructed by Indigenous communities, governments and companies alike. Toronto-based Valerie Helbronner and John Terry share leadership of the department. Helbronner specializes in the development of infrastructure projects involving Indigenous interests and parties. Terry focuses his practice on litigation for public law cases involving Indigenous issues, constitutional and treaty rights. Former Supreme Court Justice and senior counsel Frank Iacobucci KC is an additional key contact. Associate Brianne Paulin left the firm in October 2023.

The Toronto-led mining team at Torys pairs the strength of a network of offices in Montreal, Halifax, Calgary and New York, with the experience of its team, to advise large, mid-cap and junior mining companies, issuers, underwriters and selling security holders on matters ranging from high-value, multi-jurisdictional M&A, project finance, joint ventures and commodity transactions to mining arbitration, restructuring, permitting matters and negotiations with Indigenous groups. The team is headed by Michael Pickersgill, who brings a track record of expertise to M&A, corporate finance, earn-in agreements, and royalty, streaming and offtake arrangements. Other key figures of note include Michael Amm, who handles complex strategic investments, joint ventures, corporate financings and who, like Braden Jebson, manages complex royalty and streaming transactions; 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.