56 LEXPERT MAGAZINE
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018
David Massé
Stikeman Elliott LLP
/
Montréal
David Massé practises in the Corporate
Group at Stikeman Elliott LLP, specializ-
ing in M&A, Capital Markets and Secur-
ities. He is counsel to sellers, purchasers
and financial advisors in Mergers and Ac-
quisitions, Divestitures, Spinoffs and Re-
organizations. He is a member of the firm's
Mining Group, acting for mining compan-
ies and underwriters on M&A, Corporate
Finance, Joint Ventures and Mining De-
velopment projects. Massé Chairs the prac-
tice group lunches of the Montréal office's
securities law and public M&A practice,
which provide continuous legal education
in the capital markets sector. He has been
an active member of the Office's Recruit-
ment Committee for the past 10 years,
significantly contributing to the firm's re-
cruitment success. Massé is President of the
Cercle finance et placement du Québec, a
networking organization for professionals
involved in Québec's financial markets,
and has been a member of its Board of Dir-
ectors for 10 years.
Andrew McLaughlin
Major Drilling Group International Inc.
/
Moncton
Andrew McLaughlin is General Counsel
& Corporate Secretary of Major Drilling
Group. Aer serving in Canada's Depart-
ment of Foreign Affairs for nine years,
McLaughlin now leads Major Drilling's le-
gal affairs spanning more than 20 countries,
helping navigate compliance issues in chal-
lenging operating environments. He has
represented the company in arbitration in
Latin America and in Canada on very short
notice. He leads Major's Whistleblower
system, enhanced its global Enterprise Risk
Assessment process and leads efforts on IP
matters, including a patent dispute. He has
helped Major transition to a nearly paperless
legal department and champions the imple-
mentation of a corporate-wide diversity poli-
cy. He launched Lawyer's Corner on Major's
intranet to foster a better understanding
of on-the-ground legal issues for front-line
workers. McLaughlin founded a federally
incorporated not-for-profit aimed at estab-
lishing Casa Canada Cuba, a cultural centre
in Havana. He is also a member of Monc-
ton's RCMP Board.
Miguel Mendes
BMO Financial Group
/
Toronto
Miguel Mendes is Senior Litigation Coun-
sel at BMO Financial Group. He has Cap-
ital Markets, Wealth Management and
Banking expertise, and advises BMO's Re-
tail Banking Business on contentious mat-
ters across Canada, Europe and Asia-Pacif-
ic. As part of BMO Legal's Idea Incubator
program, he designed an innovative digital
service to make investing in segregated in-
surance funds faster and easier for BMO's
customers and broker networks. He is
a top resource for resolving exception-
ally sensitive complaints, partly stemming
from his hands-on resolution of a years-
long dispute. Mendes Chairs BMO Pride,
dedicated to ensuring BMO's LGBTQ+
employees and customers can be their au-
thentic selves. He was a lead architect and
founding Chair of BMO's Canadian Pro
Bono Program. As a Pro Bono Ontario
volunteer duty counsel, Mendes acts for
an HIV+ Venezuelan man fighting for US
asylum through BMO's Asylum Project.
Mendes is President of the Portuguese-
Canadian Lawyers Association.
Drew Mitchell
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
/
Winnipeg
Drew Mitchell has developed a large com-
mercial practice with a specialty in Com-
mercial Lending at ompson Dorfman
Sweatman LLP, advising a wide variety of
small and large businesses on Mergers and
Acquisitions, Dispositions, and Reorgani-
zations, as well as advising on the organiza-
tion and structure of corporations and oth-
er business entities, such as limited partner-
ships. He focuses on three areas: Banking
and Finance, Securities Law, and Real Es-
tate and Development. Mitchell regularly
meets with his lender and other clients to
solicit feedback and to seek input on best
practices for communication, service de-
livery, and fee structures. is has resulted
in the implementation of a number of
changes to his practice, including meeting
via electronic means and alternative fee ar-
rangements. He was a Board member and
held executive positions at not-for-profit
organization Family Dynamics. He men-
tors the firm's summer students, articling
students and associate lawyers.
Elisabeth Neelin
Langlois lawyers
/
Montréal
Elisabeth Neelin practises Civil and Com-
mercial Litigation at Langlois lawyers. She
has experience in a wide range of matters
involving Commercial Law, Civil and
Professional Liability as well as in Regu-
latory Litigation and Regulatory Investi-
gations and also has expertise in areas of
Public and Administrative Law. Neelin
frequently represents foreign clients, in-
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