6 LEXPERT
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2018
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WWW.LEXPERT.CA
Biringer, Monica E. Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
(416) 862-6830 mbiringer@osler.com
Ms. Biringer is Co-Chair of Osler's Tax Group. Her practice includes both tax
planning and tax disputes. Her experience includes advising on inbound
cross-border M&A, corporate finance, lease financing and financial
restructuring. In the disputes context she has deep experience
on matters involving the general anti-avoidance rule.
Binder, Joel E. Stikeman Elliott LLP
(416) 869-5233 jbinder@stikeman.com
Mr. Binder is a partner in the Corporate Finance, Securities and M&A
Groups in Toronto. He has a broad practice with significant experience
in complex corporate finance, private equity, public and private M&A
and transactional work. He represents public issuers, boards of directors,
investment dealers, private equity funds, and strategic bidders.
He sits on the TSX Advisory Committee.
Belovich, Donald G. Stikeman Elliott LLP
(416) 869-5605 dbelovich@stikeman.com
Mr. Belovich is a partner in the Capital Markets, Securities and M&A
Groups. He focuses on M&A, public financings and complex corporate
reorganizations. He advises issuers and underwriters on numerous IPOs
and other public offerings and private placements. He is a member
of the Law Society of Ontario and ABA — business law section,
and the co-founder of "100 Guys Who Care Oakville".
Bélanger, Carl Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
(514) 397-4332 cbelanger@fasken.com
Mr. Bélanger is a partner & co-president of the Corporate/Commercial Law
group. He is based in Montréal and his practice focuses on commercial
transactions and corporate structures, including mergers, acquisitions,
venture capital and private sector-funding. He has been especially active
in transactions involving private equity funds and business successions
through management and other buyouts.
Barbeau, Marc B. Stikeman Elliott LLP
(514) 397-3212 mbarbeau@stikeman.com
Partner and a member of the firm's Partnership Board. He practises
in the areas of M&A, reorganizations, corporate finance and securities,
and corporate governance, including advice to directors and senior
management. He has been a panelist at a number of conferences,
and lectures as an Adjunct Professor at McGill's Faculty of Law where
he received the James A. Robb Prize for his volunteer work.
Baldwin, Chris G. Lawson Lundell LLP
(604) 631-9151 cbaldwin@lawsonlundell.com
Mr. Baldwin advises on mine development, construction, operation
and mining M&A in Canada and the world. Practice includes mining
contracts with foreign governments, IBAs with Aboriginal groups, JVs,
royalties, strategic alliances and partnerships. He has experience
as an expert witness in mining-related litigation and arbitration.
LEXPERT-RANKED LAWYERS
hear — for example, giving them the heads up
about a development that could significantly im-
pact their business."
AI is coming to law firms across practice areas,
not strictly in M&A, and certain firms are seiz-
ing the day and getting involved in development
and testing. Lawyers in different practice areas
are learning from each other's experiences. René
Branchaud of Lavery, de Billy, L.L.P. says, "With
the creation of our Lavery Legal Lab on Artifi-
cial Intelligence a year ago, we started rapidly in-
troducing AI tools in some of our practice areas.
More specifically, we are using AI with translation
tools for patents and technical documents."
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP's Monica Bir-
inger says the firm has been involved in early beta
testing for soware programs in Tax and in Em-
ployment and Labour. In the case of Tax, they've
"rolled it out more broadly."
Several lawyers told us, as did John Emanoilidis
of Torys LLP, that they are using AI "particularly
in repetitive tasks like Due Diligence that can be
enhanced through predictive analytics." Cam-
eron Belsher at McCarthy Tétrault LLP puts an
estimated quantum on that: "In measuring our
AI Due Diligence offerings, we have seen savings
of around 60 per cent, with greater cost predict-
ability, efficiency and accuracy."
Companies' data is increasingly voluminous
and much of it unstructured. To the first part,
many AI developers argue that AI tools are
more effective at reviewing those volumes than
are students or junior associates who may not
be well instructed in what they are looking for,
not to mention the fact that they may be sleep-
deprived or bored. M&A lawyers in Canada
would call that an exaggeration but generally
suggest the optimal route is to have lawyers
working with computerized tools to handle the
volume, while adding their judgment in ways
that machines do not possess. As to the matter
of training, law schools are starting to take note:
"HAVING ACCESS
TOMARKET AND COMPETITIVE
INTELLIGENCE TOOLS THAT
EMPLOY AI TECHNOLOGIES
ALLOWS ME TO STAY IN THE KNOW
AND TURN THAT INSIGHT INTO
SOMETHING THE CLIENT NEEDS
TO HEAR — FOR EXAMPLE,
GIVING THEM THE HEADS UP
ABOUT A DEVELOPMENT
THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACT THEIR BUSINESS."
- JENNIFER TRAUB;
CASSELS BROCK & BLACKWELL LLP
