MLT Aikins partners Amyn Lalji and Jonathan O’Connor have been recognized as leading lawyers in the new Lexpert Special Edition: Mining 2023.
The publication celebrates Canada’s top lawyers and this edition explores the latest mining industry developments, including trends and legal issues, finance, ESG and operations. MLT Aikins is proud of Amyn and Jonathan for achieving this recognition.
Amyn Lalji
Based in our Vancouver office, Amyn has more than 20 years of experience representing Indigenous clients in regulatory proceedings and negotiations concerning Canada’s largest resource-based projects and economic development initiatives. His experience includes engagement in the development of mines, hydroelectric projects, oil and gas projects and pipelines. His work has advanced the rights and interests of First Nations and enhanced the participation of his clients in economic opportunities of natural resources projects through the implementation of collaborative agreements with industry and government.
Amyn has extensive experience advising clients on Section 35 rights, governance, tax, trusts, litigation and employment matters before various courts and tribunals, including the Federal Court of Appeal, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, Canada Energy Regulator, Canadian Nuclear Safety Agency, Alberta Utilities Commission and the Alberta Energy Regulator. He has been recognized by Lexpert several times since 2014 as a leading lawyer in both mining and Aboriginal law.
Jonathan O’Connor
Also based in Vancouver, Jonathan practises largely in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, capital markets and securities law. He acted on two of the largest rights-offering transactions in Canadian history – with aggregate proceeds of approximately US$3 billion – and in numerous IPOs, qualifying transactions and equity offerings across a variety of industries for companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange and Canadian Securities Exchange.
Jonathan’s mergers and acquisitions experience focuses heavily on working with acquirors (often private equity) and vendors in industries where roll-up and consolidation strategies are implemented. He has been twice recognized in Best Lawyers magazine for his work in mergers and acquisitions, natural resources and corporate law.
MLT Aikins boasts several decades of working with clients in Canadian and international mining and natural resources. The firm is a leading player in the potash, uranium and gold in Canada, particularly Saskatchewan, with experience extending to the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. MLT Aikins assists mining clients in meeting their corporate and social responsibilities with regards to governance best practices, full and transparent disclosure, anti-corruption protection, sustainable development and other ESG initiatives.
MLT Aikins lawyers are trusted advisers to First Nations, as well as resource industry participants and strive to achieve results that benefit all stakeholders. The firm has deep experience in a wide range of resource industry litigation, including successfully litigating precedent-setting cases defining the nature of surface, royalty and leasehold rights.
Learn more about our mining practice.