Howard Levine, Montréal | Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

About Howard

Howard advises clients on a broad range of M&A, corporate and securities transactions, both nationally and internationally. His experience covers all aspects of securities and business law, including initial public offerings, private placements, counsel to special committees of boards of directors, take-over bids, reverse take-over bids, plans of arrangement, proxy battles, venture capital investments, private equity transactions and private acquisitions. He also represents clients before various securities regulatory authorities for disciplinary or other regulatory matters, as well as advising on continuous disclosure and corporate governance compliance.

Howard's clientele ranges from start-up companies obtaining their first round of financing to larger, more established companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV), the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and includes investment dealers and private equity and pension funds. His clients operate in a wide range of industries, including mining, manufacturing, software, information technology, financial services, transaction processing, energy, telecommunications, biotechnology, health products, consumer products and entertainment.

Howard is fluent in English and French and has a working knowledge of Hebrew.

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Matters on which Howard has acted recently as lead or co-lead counsel include representing:

A Quebec-based registered securities dealer in connection with the reorganization of its ownership structure
A NYSE-listed steel manufacturing company in connection with the creation of its Quebec-based joint venture for the production of cathode active materials used in the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its non-brokered private placement financing
A US-based underwriter in connection with the initial public offering in the US and NYSE listing of a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its best effort private placement financing
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its bought deal private placement financing
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its acquisition of a mining property located in Brazil and related bought deal private placement financing
An Israeli-based Tel Aviv Stock Exchange-listed company operating in the satellite sector in connection with its investment in, and concurrent operation agreement with, a Canadian Securities Exchange-listed company
An Iceland-based Euronext-listed issuer operating in the food processing sector in connection with multiple rounds of early stage investments in a Quebec-based software solutions provider
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of a division of another TSX-listed company
A TSX-listed company operating in the mining sector in a bought-deal public offering of subscription receipts and a related acquisition of a milling facility in Mexico
The underwriters in multiple series of bond offerings made by a Canadian airport authority
A TSX-listed company operating in the mining sector in the first business combination by way of plan of arrangement to occur under the Quebec Business Corporations Act
An NYSE-listed consumer products company in its acquisition of all of the assets of a TSX-listed income trust
A Canadian-based pension fund in a series of private placement investments in a TSX-listed professional services company
A TSX-listed company in its dissolution and the distribution of its assets to its shareholders
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in a number of bought deal private placements and public offerings
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company in its reverse take-over transaction pursuant to which it migrated its listing to the Canadian Securities Exchange
A Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company in its acquisition of an agricultural equipment manufacturer
A TSX Venture Exchange company operating in the oil and gas sector in its business combination by way of plan of arrangement
An NYSE-listed forestry company in its multiple rounds of strategic investments in a technology joint venture
A TSXV-listed nutraceutical company in its business combination by way of plan of arrangement
A mining company with assets located in Greenland in connection with its initial public offering and listing on the TSX Venture Exchange
A NYSE-listed biotechnology company in its Canadian special warrant financing and accompanying filing of a Canadian prospectus and listing on the TSX and its subsequent rounds of public financings
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of a NASDAQ-listed company and concurrent debt and equity financings
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of a U.S.-based elevator manufacturer
A NYSE-listed consumer products company in its investment in a technology company
A TSX-listed investment company in connection with its investment in a virtual-reality company
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of an Australian-based elevator distributor
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of a US-based elevator distributor
A Quebec-based pension fund in its financing of a TSX and ASX-listed company operating in the mining sector
A CSE-listed fintech company in a special warrant financing
A Quebec-based pension fund in its investment in a Canadian insurance brokerage
A Quebec-based pension fund in its investment in a North American commercial real estate firm
A privately-held Canadian company operating in the vacuum sector in its acquisition of a division of a Swedish-based Stockholm Stock Exchange and NASDAQ-listed company
A NYSE-listed consumer products company in its acquisition of a door service company

Awards & Recognition

Howard has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

The Best Lawyers in Canada (2020–2024: Corporate Law; 2019–2024: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Mining Law, Securities Law)
Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business – 2019–2024 (Corporate/Commercial)
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms – 2022–2023 (Banking and Mergers & Acquisitions)
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2021–2023: Corporate Mid-Market, Corporate Commercial Law, Mergers & Acquisitions; 2021–2022: Corporate Finance & Securities, Private Equity, Mining)
The Legal 500 Canada 2019 (Corporate and M&A)
Lexpert's Special Edition on Leading Canadian Lawyers in Global Mining, 2018/2019