James practises largely in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and securities law, including corporate finance, leveraged buyouts, takeovers, cross-border transactions and amalgamations. His industry focus includes food and agri-business, energy, transportation, health, aviation and global manufacturing.
- 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
- Sale of ARxIUM’s Panasonic Pouch Packaging Business to TCGRx
- 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
- TruServ Canada Inc. – Merger transaction with RONA Inc.
- Manitoba Hydro – 300MW RFP for wind generated power
- Winnipeg Airports Authority – Airport Financing, Bond Offering
- 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 Searcy Trucking Ltd., Renold’s Transport Ltd., Scott’s Express Inc. and Scott’s Transportation Services Inc. by Bison Transport
- 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 ScootAround, Inc. to WHILL, 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, MLT Aikins (2009-2016)
- Member, Executive Board, MLT Aikins (2002-2016)
- Co-chair, Business Law Department, MLT 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
- Chair, Pan Am Clinic Foundation
- Director, Pan Am Clinic Foundation
- 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)
- Appointed Queen’s Counsel (Manitoba, 2019)
- Recognized as One of the Best Lawyers in Canada, Best Lawyers (2022)
- Recognized as a Leading Professional, Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions, Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A (2022)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer, Agribusiness and Cannabis, Lexpert Special Edition on Agribusiness and Cannabis (2021)
- Recognized as a Highest Ranking of ‘Senior Statespeople,’ Corporate and Commercial Practice Area, Chambers Canada
- Recognized as a Leading Canadian Lawyer, Corporate/Commercial Law, Chambers Canada (2020-present)
- Recognized as One of Canada’s Leading Lawyers, Infrastructure, Lexpert/ROB Special Edition (2019-present)
- Named One of Canada’s Top Lawyers, General Business Law, Chambers Canada (2019)
- Recognized as One of Canada’s Leading Lawyers, Energy, Lexpert Special Edition (2017-present)
- Named Lawyer of the Year, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Best Lawyers (Winnipeg, 2017)
- Recognized as having the Highest Rating (AV) for Legal Standards and Legal Ability in Peer Review Ratings, LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell
- Named a Top Lawyer, General Business Law, Chambers and Partners (Global) (Manitoba, 2016-present)
- Named a Leading Practitioner, Corporate Commercial, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Named a Leading Practitioner, Corporate Finance, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Named a Leading Practitioner, Corporate Mid-Market, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Named a Leading Practitioner, Mergers and Acquisitions, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Named a Leading Lawyer, Canadian Lexpert Directory (2013-2021)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer, Corporate Governance Practice, Best Lawyers (2006-present)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer, Corporate Law, Best Lawyers (2006-present)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer, Mergers and Acquisitions, Best Lawyers (2006-present)
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer, Securities Law, Best Lawyers (2006-present)
- Named One of 500 Leading Lawyers in Canada, Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide (2006-2012)
- Named Lawyer of the Year, Corporate Law, Best Lawyers (2011)