Education
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Queen's University, L.L.B., 1990
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Trinity College (University of Toronto), B.A., (Hons), 1987
Bar Admissions
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New York
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England and Wales
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Ontario (Canada)
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Michael Smith advises U.S. and foreign entities on U.S. securities and corporate law in connection with international financings (including Shariah compliant financings), cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and un-registered fund formation. Mr. Smith regularly advises issuers and underwriters in both public and private equity and debt offerings, including high-yield debt, sovereign debt, structured products, Rule 144A and Regulation S offerings, and offerings under the Canada-U.S. Multijurisdictional Disclosure System; Mr. Smith has recently become actively involved with the structuring and trading of carbon credits, and related instruments, in the United States. He also regularly advises boards of directors and senior management on U.S. corporate governance matters.
Mr. Smith counsels clients in various industries and has significant experience in the oil and gas, mining, financial services, bio-tech, and pharmaceutical industries. Mr. Smith has advised on international transactions arising out of, or going into, Canada and Western Europe, as well as the emerging markets of the Caribbean and Latin America, Central Asia, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe. He is an active member of the firm’s Energy Group, and a member of the firm’s Strategic Planning Committee and Opinions Committee. Mr. Smith has practiced law with leading international law firms in Toronto, New York, and London and is admitted to practice law in New York, England and Wales, and Ontario, Canada.
Early in his career, Mr. Smith was seconded to the Corporate Finance Department and the General Counsel’s office of the Ontario Securities Commission in Toronto. He also spent several years practicing in London, where he advised on international equity offerings, emerging market privatizations, Euro debt issues, structured financings, Eurobond repackagings, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. While in London, Mr. Smith gained significant experience in U.K. underwritings (including listings on the London and Luxembourg Stock Exchanges), coupled with U.S. private placements.
Mr. Smith is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Trinity College), where he obtained a B.A. (Hons) in International Relations. While at University, he was commissioned a Navigating Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy. He was awarded his law degree from Queens University, Kingston, Ontario and is currently a member of the Dean’s Council for that law school. In March 2008, Mr. Smith was appointed to the Board of the Canadian Association of New York, an organization founded over 100 years ago to promote friendship between Canadians and Americans. Mr. Smith is a member of the Manhattan Committee on Foreign Relations and in January 2009, he was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army of Greater New York.
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