TORONTO—Mintz Members Michael F.E. Akkawi and Alex North were recognized as leading lawyers in Lexpert’s 2024 Finance and M&A Special Edition. The rankings serve as part of Lexpert’s comprehensive guide of the best lawyers in Canada determined through extensive annual peer surveys across various practice areas.

Michael is a seasoned private equity and fund formation lawyer who advises clients on market-leading transactions, investments, and fund matters. He draws on his extensive knowledge of business issues and market practices to represent a broad spectrum of private equity funds, pension funds, strategic investors, and fund sponsors.

Alex has a broad banking and finance practice representing agents, lenders, and borrowers, with extensive experience representing clients on both sides of the Canada-US border. She regularly acts as Canadian counsel on fund financing transactions, providing strategic advice to North American and global banks.

Focused on emerging and regulated industries, attorneys in Mintz’s Corporate Practice boast extensive experience in all stages of the capital-raising process – from start-up and venture capital funding, to initial public offerings, to continuing debt and equity finance needs, including private placements and public offerings. The firm’s transactional attorneys advise clients on how to keep their business healthy by working to structure transformative licensing or partnership arrangements, and, when the time is right, assist in growing clients via mergers and acquisitions.