Mintz Levin Hires Leading Partners from Top Canadian Firms to Launch Toronto Office

Mintz Levin Hires Leading Partners from Top Canadian Firms to Launch Toronto Office

Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, based in Boston, has announced the opening of a new office in Toronto, marking the firm's debut in Canada. The office will be staffed with partners from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Dentons, and Torys.

Expanding its reach beyond its home country where it has six offices, the American law firm has ventured out of its home country for the first time. The move follows the announcement in January that the firm would also launch an office in Miami later this year.

Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo has brought on board Mitch Frazer, a renowned pensions lawyer, to lead its newly established Toronto office. Frazer joins from Canadian legal heavyweight Torys, along with Michael Akkawi and Cheryl Reicin, who were the leaders of the firm's private equity and fund formation, and life sciences practices respectively.

“Canadian companies and investors are increasingly looking to the US and we are excited to be plugging into a platform and business network that will be beneficial to our clients,” Frazer said.

According to Bob Bodian, the managing member of the firm, the office space in Toronto is being secured, and the firm aims to have 25 lawyers in the city in the next few months.

After more than 20 years as a pensions and employment team chair at Torys, Frazer has joined Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, where he will continue to advise many of Canada's largest corporations and pension funds on pensions, benefits, employment matters, and M&A transactions.

Akkawi advises a range of clients including private equity funds, pension funds, and strategic investors on complex transactions such as leveraged buyouts, equity investments, and restructurings.

He has also represented sponsors on various types of funds, including buy-outs, venture capital, infrastructure, secondary, and search funds. Akkawi has worked with prominent funds such as SeaFort Capital, Maverix Private Equity, and Imperial Capital funds. Prior to joining Mintz Levin, he spent over 27 years at Torys.

Reicin has extensive experience advising life sciences companies on a range of matters, including venture and later-stage financings, IPOs, M&A, licensing transactions, and joint ventures or alliances with strategic partners. She will serve as the international chair of the life sciences practice at Mintz.

Foster, who previously worked at Dentons for six years and before that at Torys in Toronto, focuses on representing both issuers and underwriters on public offerings and private placements, with a specific emphasis on the technology, mining, cannabis, and life sciences industries. He also advises clients on various aspects of M&A, including domestic and foreign acquirers, targets, special committees, boards of directors, and investment banks.

Completing the group of new hires is Johnson, a seasoned intellectual property lawyer with extensive experience in patent prosecution, portfolio management, disputes, and transactions. He has worked with clients in a variety of sectors, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, AgTech, and FoodTech. Before joining Mintz, he was a partner at Wilson Sonsini from 2020.

Bodian commented on the new team, stating that they are a great fit for the firm's strategic plan. He added that the firm's core areas, including life sciences, private equity, energy and sustainability, and technology, will all benefit from this expansion. According to Bodian, this group of trusted advisors will have a highly positive impact on both the firm and its clients.

Mintz currently has offices in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington DC.