Lexpert magazine features articles and columns on developments in legal practice management, deals and lawsuits of interest in Canada, the law and business issues of interest to legal professionals and businesses that purchase legal services.
Issue link: https://digital.carswellmedia.com/i/1544329
22 www.lexpert.ca Canadian Law Awards Canadian Law Awards DISRUPTION FUELS opportunity in dealmaking. In 2025, Canada's M&A land- scape confronted a historic trade war, tariff shocks, and geopolitical upheaval, yet deal- makers refused to retreat. Total deal value soared to US$118 billion beyond 2024 on slightly fewer transactions, driven by large- cap opportunities in infrastructure, energ y, and critical minerals. Some analysts warned the turbulence would prove too severe. Washington's sweep- ing tariffs on Canadian goods triggered re- taliatory measures and shook cross-border confidence. Amendments to the Investment Canada Act sharpened regulatory scrutiny, and valuation gaps widened as buyers nego- tiated harder. Many deals demanded creative structuring to close. Despite these headwinds, the market showed remarkable strength. Transaction value reached US$131 billion in the third quarter, the strongest three-month period since the fourth quarter of 2020, accord- ing to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Canada's surge mirrored a powerful glob- al trend, with Bloomberg data showing worldwide M&A value hitting a near- record US$3.6 trillion, 38 percent above LEXPERT'S 2026 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR TOP DEALS THESE 20 DEALS, COMPILED BY KIEZZSA CRUZ AND MA. CARLEEN BONGAT AND SELECTED BY LEXPERT'S EDITORIAL AND RESEARCH TEAMS, SHOW HOW LAW FIRMS AND BUSINESSES DELIVERED RECORD DEALS AMID TRADE TURMOIL 2024. GDP growth of 1.7 percent rein- forced the economy's underlying resilience. Canada continues to produce bold strat-egies and skilled dealmakers. The transactions recognized in this year's Awards of Excellence reflect that strength, showcasing the conviction and foresight required to close transformative deals in one of the most complex environments in recent memory. is year, Lexpert has named 20 deals across five categories (capital markets, in- frastructure and project financing , insol- vency and restructuring , mid-market deals, and M&A deal of the year) as Excellence Awardees, selected from dozens of sub- missions submitted by legal professionals across Canada. The next step is for the shortlisted Excellence Awardee deals to be present- ed to a panel of judges, who will choose a final winner in each category. Excellence Awardees for all categories, including non-deals, will be honoured and winners announced at an in-person gala on May 5 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Here are this year's Excellence Awardees. Good luck to all. Selecting this year's Excellence Awardees involved a rigorous, expert-informed process. The Canadian Law Awards editorial and research teams reviewed all the submissions and consulted third-party information to identify each category's standouts. A large, independent external judging pan - el will judge these shortlisted sub- missions, scoring them against these criteria: the financial value of the deal; the degree to which it advanced legal and financial techniques and structures; how it spanned jurisdictions, practice areas, and industries; and whether the deal involved groundbreaking original legal strategies and struc- tures. By aggregating the judges' scores, a process independent- ly verified by PwC in an audit, a final winner will be chosen in each category. Winners will be announced at an in-person event on May 5.