MLT AIKINS LLP | MLTAIKINS.COM
James Ferguson, K.C.
Partner • (he/him)
James practises largely in the areas of mergers, acquisitions and securities law, including corporate finance, private equity placement, leveraged buyouts, takeovers, cross-border transactions, amalgamations corporate governance and succession planning. His industry focus includes food and agri-business, energy, transportation, health, aviation, automotive and global manufacturing.
Services provided by J A Ferguson Law Corporation
Contact
Winnipeg
Education & Qualifications
- King's Counsel (2019)
- Manitoba Bar (1979)
- British Columbia Bar (1988)
- LLB (Manitoba, 1978)
- Faculty of Administrative Studies in Finance (Manitoba, 1973-1975)
Languages
- English
More about me
- Purchase, sale and financing transactions involving businesses across a wide array of industries
- Sale of Bison Transport Inc. to James Richardson & Sons, Limited
- Sale of Loveday Mushroom Farms to South Mill Champs
- Acquisition of Penner International Inc. by C.A.T. Inc
- Winnipeg Airports Authority commercial real estate development partnership with Rice Commercial Group and TD Asset Management
- Merger and consolidation of Canada’s credit union businesses – Credential Financial Inc., Qtrade Canada Inc. and NEI Investments – to form Aviso Wealth one of Canada’s largest independent wealth management firms, averaging more than $55 billion in client assets under administration and management.
- Manitoba Hydro – 138MW Power Purchase transaction and Secured Loan transaction for wind generated power with Pattern Energy
- Acquisition of Searcy Trucking Ltd., Renold’s Transport Ltd., Scott’s Express Inc. and Scott’s Transportation Services Inc. by Bison Transport
- Sale of ScootAround, Inc. to WHILL, Inc.(Japan)
- Sale of ARxIUM’s Panasonic Pouch Packaging Business to TCGRx
- Winnipeg Airports Authority – Airport Financing, Bond Offerings
- TruServ Canada Inc. – Merger transaction with RONA Inc.
- Manitoba Hydro – 300MW RFP for wind generated power
- Old Dutch Foods Ltd. takeover bid for Humpty Dumpty Snack Foods Inc.
- Demutualization of TruServ Canada Cooperative Inc.
- New Flyer Industries Inc. – IDS Offering
- Management representation in acquisition of Vansco Electronics Ltd.
- Acquisition of Winnipeg Hydro by Manitoba Hydro
- Sale and capital Restructuring of New Flyer Industries Limited
- Demutualization of the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange
- Structuring and initial public offering for ENSIS Growth Fund Inc.
- Privatization and initial public offering of Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS)
- Privatization and initial public offering of United Grain Growers Limited (now Viterra)
- Sale of Centra Gas (Manitoba) to Manitoba Hydro
- Corporate governance review and restructuring of Federal and Provincial Crown Corporations
- Parrish & Heimbecker Limited takeover bid for Thirdcoast Limited
- Acquisition of Carlson Engineered Composites by Carfair Composites (a subsidiary of New Flyer Industries)
- Acquisition of AmerisourceBergen Technology Group by Intelligent Hospital Systems Inc., creating new company named ARxIUM
- Acquisition of HiQual Engineered Structures Ltd (livestock handing systems division).by Sioux Steel Company
- Acquisition of H.O. Wolding, Inc. by Bison Transport
- Counsel to Granny’s Poultry Co-Operative in its merger with Exceldor to become a leader in the poultry sector in Canada
- Acquisition of The Property Registry (TPR) from the Government of Manitoba by Teranet
- Acquisition of CareVacations USA Inc. by ScootAround, Inc.
- Sale of Dunn-Rite Food Products Ltd. to Sunrise Poultry Processors Ltd.
- Sale of Custom Helicopters Ltd. to Exchange Income Corporation
- Sale of equity stake of HyLife Group Holdings Ltd. to ITOCHU Corporation
- Sale of shares of National Leasing Group Inc. held by The Megill-Stephenson Company Limited to Canadian Western Bank
- Sale of Fine Line Communications Ltd. to Stericycle Communications Solutions, ULC
- Co-chair, Innovation Committee, MLT Aikins (2019-present)
- Co-chair, Business Law Department, MLT Aikins (2017-present)
- Chair, Executive Board, Aikins (2009-2016)
- Member, Executive Board, Aikins (2002-2016)
- Co-chair, Business Law Department, Aikins (2000-2016)
- Bencher, Equity Committee, The Law Society of Manitoba (Manitoba, 1994-1996)
- Co-chair, Discipline Committee, The Law Society of Manitoba (Manitoba, 1995-1996)
- Co-chair, Conflict Investigations Committee, The Law Society of Manitoba (Manitoba, 1994-1995)
- Co-chair, Admissions and Education Committees, The Law Society of Manitoba (Manitoba, 1994-1995)
- Former Chair, Health Law Subsection, Canadian Bar Association/Manitoba Bar Association
- Former Member, Bar Council, Canadian Bar Association/Manitoba Bar Association
- Member, The Law Society of British Columbia
- Past Chair, Pan Am Clinic Foundation
- Director, Pan Am Clinic Foundation
- Director, Orthopaedic Innovation Center Inc.
- Past Member, Board of Governors and Executive Committee, St. John’s-Ravenscourt School
- Past Co-chair, Foundations for Health, Joint Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg Research Foundation, Health Sciences Centre Foundation, and John Buhler Research Centre
- Past Commodore, Zig Zag Yacht Club
- Past Chairman and Honorary Director, Health Sciences Centre Foundation
- Past Trustee, Our Lady of Victory School
- Lecturer, Bar Admission Course, The Law Society of Manitoba (Manitoba, 1985-2003)
- Lecturer, Faculty of Law (Manitoba, 1983-1993)
- Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2006) of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Law)
- Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2012) of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Governance Practice, Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
- Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2013) of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Securities Law)
- Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2018) of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Corporate Mid-Market)
- Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2020) of Chambers Canada (Corporate/Commercial, Manitoba)
- Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2017) of Chambers Canada (Senior Statespeople – Corporate/Commercial)
- Recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Infrastructure 2025 (and since 2019)
- Recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy 2025 (and since 2017)
- Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2021) of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Mergers and Acquisitions)
- Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2018) of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Corporate Commercial)
- Recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy 2023
- Recognized in the 2022 edition (and since 2021) of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Corporate Finance & Securities)
- Recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2022
- Recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Agribusiness and Cannabis 2021
- Appointed King’s Counsel (Manitoba, 2019)
- Recognized in the 2019 edition (and since 2016) of Chambers Canada (General Business Law, Manitoba)
- Recognized in the 2017 edition of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Lawyer of the Year – Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
- Recognized in the 2012 (and since 2006) edition of the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide (One of 500 Leading Lawyers in Canada)
- Recognized in the 2011 edition of the Best Lawyers in Canada (Lawyer of the Year – Corporate Law)
- Recognized as having the Highest Rating (AV) for Legal Standards and Legal Ability in Peer Review Ratings, LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell
