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Lexpert Roundup on the Business of Law

Lexpert identifies and reports on emerging business issues and practice areas in the business of law. Whether online, in our magazine or in 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 sampling of our latest content.

From the DealsWire: Top 10 Deals | Top 10 Business Decisions | Motorola buys Avigilon

The Lexpert DealsWire (subscribe here) documents facts, figures and key legal players behind recent deals. This week's announced deal spotlight features the key players and figures in Wolf Midstream's agreement to acquire the remaining 50 per cent interest in Access Pipeline.

In our closed deals section, we look at International Petroleum Corp.'s purchase of oil and gas assets from Cenovus Energy; Toromont Industries acquiring Hewitt Group; and Breton Hill Capital in its acquisition by Neuberger Berman Group.

We also look at the sale of Constitution Square – the largest real estate transaction in Ottawa's history.

[features, then other newly posted stories and columns [not Detours] are listed here, as in the highlighted sample format below]

Top 10 Deals of 2017

Consolidation was the recurring theme in 2017 Canadian M&A. In certain sectors facing disruptors and high costs (such as crop nutrients and investment fund management) it took two large competitors to team up. In other sectors (gold mining, for example, and REITs), it meant two purchasers coming together to acquire at least a third company. On these mandates, lawyers needed to help their purchaser clients align their respective interests, which were not identical. Here they are, then: the Top 10 Deals of 2017.

Top 10 Business Decisions of 2017

As they did in 2016, Canadian courts in 2017 displayed a fairly even-handed approach to business cases. Six of our top 10 decisions can be regarded as making life easier for business, with four presenting new challenges for the community. Tipping the scoresheet ever slightly more to the business side is the fact that the three top-ranked cases and five of the top six – in other words, the most significant ones – favour the business community.

Yukon First Nations win SCC appeal

In early December the Supreme Court of Canada allowed the appeal (in part) of Yukon First Nations and a conservation society in a five-year-old dispute over development of the Peel Watershed in the Yukon Territory, meaning the parties must return to the drawing board. The high court made clear in this decision the deference to the terms of modern treaties that the SCC has previously said is required.

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Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 27/03/24 4:00pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
CVE-N
Cenovus Energy Inc
-0.2%19.84
CVE-T
Cenovus Energy Inc
-0.33%26.93
IPCO-T
International Petroleum Corp
+0.82%16.08
TIH-T
Toromont Ind
+0.93%129.63

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