Four MLT Aikins lawyers recognized in 2026 Lexpert Special Edition: Mining

Four MLT Aikins lawyers – Erin Eccleston, Jonathan O’Connor, Mahdi Shams and Nigel Thompson – have been recognized as leading lawyers in the 2026 edition of the Lexpert Special Edition: Mining.

In addition to featuring top-ranked lawyers whose practices are relevant to matters related to mining and natural resources, the Lexpert Special Edition includes in-depth editorial articles discussing current industry developments, trends and legal issues, including on mining M&A, regulatory developments and critical minerals.

Please join us in congratulating these lawyers on this well-deserved recognition:

Erin Eccleston

Erin is a partner in the MLT Aikins corporate group in Saskatoon, co-leading the firm’s mining practice. She advises Canadian and international companies on a variety of matters, including acquisitions and dispositions of mineral dispositions and projects, joint venture and option agreements, supply chain agreements as well as royalty and commodity agreements. She has served as counsel to major uranium and potash producers, as well as mining suppliers involved in international ventures. Erin holds a Certificate in Mining Law from Osgoode Hall and is a graduate of the International Atomic Energy Agency and University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Executive Nuclear Energy Management School.

Jonathan O’Connor

Vancouver-based partner Jonathan O’Connor practises predominantly in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, capital markets and securities law. He has been involved in several high-profile commercial acquisition, financing and public offering transactions of Canadian and international clients and has extensive experience acting for buyers, sellers and issuers, both public and private, in a variety of industries, including the natural resources sector.

Mahdi Shams

Mahdi is a Vancouver-based partner who practises primarily corporate and securities law, including capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and finance transactions. Mahdi regularly acts for both public and private companies and registered securities dealers with a particular focus on the mining sector. Mahdi has represented a number of clients on a broad range of domestic and international transactions, including IPOs, debt and equity financings, public and private mergers and acquisitions, commercial sale agreements and corporate reorganizations.

Nigel Thompson

A partner based in Winnipeg, Nigel maintains a general corporate and commercial practice, with particular emphasis on environmental law and mining law matters. He regularly advises clients on environmental compliance, liability issues and the acquisition and financing of mineral leases and mining claims. Nigel has also chaired the Environmental, Energy and Resources Law Section of the Manitoba Bar Association and is recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada for his work in environmental and natural resources law.

About the Mining and Natural Resources Group

The MLT Aikins Mining and Natural Resources practice group is one of Western Canada’s most distinguished, providing deep business insight based on extensive domestic and international experience, wide multi-disciplinary knowledge and legal and service excellence. Our team of lawyers assist a wide range of major, intermediate and junior clients in Canada and overseas in all phases of the industry, from precious and base metals exploration, through project development, production and marketing.

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