James Ferguson, K.C.

Partner

(he/him)

Winnipeg / Services provided by J A Ferguson Law Corporation

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Education & Qualifications

  • Manitoba Bar (1979)
  • British Columbia Bar (1988)
  • LLB (Manitoba, 1978)
  • Faculty of Administrative Studies – Finance (Manitoba, 1973-1975)

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
  • Chair (2009-2016), Member (2002-2016), Aikins Executive Board
  • Co-Chair, MLT Aikins Business Law Department (2017-present)
  • Co-Chair, MLT Aikins Innovation Committee (2019-present)
  • Co-Chair, Aikins Business Law Department  (2000-2016)
  • Bencher (1994-1996), Equity Committee, Co-chair (1995-1996), Discipline Committee (1995-1996), Conflict Investigations Committee (1994-1995), Admissions and Education Committees (1994-1995), The Law Society of Manitoba
  • 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 and Director, Pan Am Clinic Foundation
  • Past Member of 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 (1985-2003)
  • Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Manitoba (1983-1993)
  • Appointed Queen’s Counsel (Manitoba, 2019)
  • Recognized as one of the best lawyers in Canada by Best Lawyers (2022 Edition)
  • Recognized as a leading professional in Finance and M&A in Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2022
  • Recognized in Lexpert Special Edition on Agribusiness and Cannabis (2021)
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada as highest ranking of ‘Senior Statespeople’ for Corporate and Commercial Practice Area
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada as a Leading Canadian lawyer in Corporate/Commercial law (since 2020)
  • Recognized in Lexpert/ROB Special Edition, as one of Canada’s Leading Lawyers in Infrastructure (since 2019)
  • Designated as one of Chambers Canada’s top lawyers in General Business Law (2019)
  • Recognized in Lexpert Special Edition as one of Canada’s Leading Lawyers in Energy (since 2017)
  • Lawyer of the Year, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Best Lawyers (Winnipeg, 2017)
  • Designated by LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubbell as having the highest rating (AV) for legal standards and legal ability in peer review ratings
  • Ranked by Chambers and Partners (Global) as top lawyer in General Business Law in Manitoba (since 2016)
  • A leading practitioner, Corporate Commercial, Corporate Finance, Corporate Mid-Market, M&A, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
  • Named in Canadian Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer (2013-2021)
  • Recognized in Best Lawyers, Corporate Governance Practice, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities Law (since 2006)
  • Named in Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide as one of leading 500 lawyers in Canada (2006-2012)
  • Named in Best Lawyers as the Lawyer of the Year for Corporate Law (2011)