The cover of the February 2015 issue of Lexpert magazine.Handout
Lexpert identifies and reports on emerging business issues and practice areas in the business of law. Whether online, in our magazine or the DealsWire e-newsletter, we chronicle deals and lawsuits of interest, and cover issues of broad concern to the legal profession and those who purchase legal services. We hope you enjoy this sample of our latest content.
From the DealsWire: Goldcorp, Iamgold, Encana, Mullen Group
The Lexpert DealsWire (subscribe here) documents facts, figures and key legal players behind recent deals. This week's announced deal spotlight highlights key players and figures in Goldcorp Inc.'s $526-million stock swap for Probe Mines Ltd.
In our closed deals section, we look at investor consortium's acquisition of the Niobec Mine from Iamgold Corp. for $530-million (U.S.); Antofagasta plc's $52-million purchase of Duluth Metals Ltd.; the sale of Encana Corp.'s Clearwater assets to Ember Resources Inc. for $605-million; Mullen Group Ltd.'s purchase of Gardewine Group LP for $172-million; and Exchange Income Corp.'s $246-million acquisition of Provincial Aerospace Ltd.
Drug patent settlements under scrutiny
Most pharmaceutical litigants dash out of court the minute their cases come to trial in order to hammer out secret agreements. Now those agreements – typically pay-for-delay settlements between brand-name and generic drugmakers – have grabbed the attention of John Pecman, Canada's new Commissioner of Competition.
Securities class actions put to the test
The Ontario Court of Appeal's recent decision in Bayens v. Kinross Gold clarified key issues around securities class actions, but the judgment's half-life is as of yet indeterminate, given that the Supreme Court of Canada is poised to deal with the same questions in 2015. Top securities litigators offer their take.
Strategic acquirers may see more 'locked box' arrangements
Lawyers say the M&A trend of "locking the box" – where the seller secures certainty from the buyer by locking in a purchase price before closing – will continue in North America. But will it be enough to drive Canadian M&A in the private space?
Major League Practice
As sports deals have become bigger, more complex issues have arisen to challenge lawyers, including morals clauses, ambush marketing and digital platforms. Lexpert speaks to the top sports lawyers about this growing practice area.
Courting technology
Outside the courtroom we live in a digital age. Lawyers and judges text and email, talk on Skype, stream movies and music and view photos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat. Inside the courtroom trials are run largely as they were in the typewriter age. But technological change is afoot even in Canadian courtrooms.
Crackdown on slavery and forced labour
Canadian corporations doing business in poor governance zones should take note, as forced labour and slavery in the supply chain are moving up the ladder of emerging risk concerns. Both the U.K. and the U.S. are cracking down through legislative and regulatory initiatives.
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