Melissa Smith

Melissa focuses her practice on corporate and securities law with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions and other business combinations of public and private issuers including share and asset acquisitions and sales, takeover bids, amalgamations and plans of arrangement.  

She also advises clients on financing transactions including public and private offerings of debt, equity and convertible securities, and compliance with corporate and securities regulatory requirements. In addition, Melissa prepares a wide variety of commercial, securities and corporate documents, including governance documents, shareholder agreements and other business agreements and conducts due diligence on behalf of issuers, agents and underwriters in a variety of contexts.  

Her clients range from small start-up private entities to large multinational companies. Melissa has worked with public clients listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the TSX Venture Exchange, Canadian Stock Exchange and various foreign stock exchanges. 

Melissa has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Mergers and Acquisitions Law since 2022 and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in Mining. 

• Acted for various public mining companies in respect of equity financings 
• Acted in connection with a bought deal private placement of a TSX-listed mining company 
• Acted for a mining company in respect of its initial public offering (IPO) and concurrent listening on the TSXV 
• Represented a private company focused on cleantech, renewable and sustainable technologies and services, in connection with acquisitions, both Canadian and international, equity financing and general corporate advisory services.  
• Acted in connection with the listing of numerous entities on the TSXV together with concurrent equity financings
• Represented a cybersecurity company in connection with a reverse takeover of public entity and listing on CSE 
• Represented a TSX-listed company in connection with various securities law matters, including compliance with continuous disclosure requirements 
• Represented a not-for-profit entity in connection with a merger with another entity 
• Advised a multinational online payment platform in respect of cryptocurrency regulation in Canada 
• A private multinational software company in connection to its significant acquisition of a private company in the software sector 
• Acted for Multiple Capital Pool Companies and private targets in respect of Qualifying Transactions on the TSXV 
• Various private companies based in the United States, in connection with potential cross border reverse takeovers and listings on Canadian stock exchanges. 
• Represented agents and underwriters in connection with short-form prospectus financings 
• Represented a dual-listed (TSX and foreign stock exchange) oil and gas company in respect of securities compliance matters, continuous disclosure obligations and multiple private placement and prospectus offerings 
• Represented a TSXV-listed corporation in connection with the acquisition of mining interests in Africa 
• Acted for an oilfield services company with respect to its private offering of senior notes 
• Have represented both sellers and buyers in connection with the sale and purchase of various professional practices, including oral surgeons, dentists, optometrists and architects 
• Represented shareholders (including minority shareholders) in respect of various corporate matters, including shareholder disputes 
• Multiple buyers and sellers of private companies by way of share or asset sales, amalgamations, takeover bids and plans of arrangements 

• Recognized in the 2026 edition of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Technology Law)
• Recognized in the 2026 (and since 2025) edition of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
• Recognized in the 2026 edition (and since 2022) of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Oil and Gas Law)
• Recognized in the 2026 edition (and since 2024) of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Securities Law)
• Finalist in the 2023 Women in Law Leadership Award (Leadership in the Profession – Private Practice)
• Recognized in the 2023 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Corporate Mid-Market; Mining)
• Recognized in the 2023 edition of Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health Sciences

• Director and Chair of Governance Committee, Trellis Society 
• Director and Chair of Governance and HR Committee, Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre 
• Member, Canadian Bar Association 
• Member, Law Society of Alberta,  
• Member, Calgary Bar Association