Howard Levine, Montréal

About Howard

Howard advises clients on a broad range of M&A, corporate and securities transactions, both nationally and internationally. His experience covers all aspects of securities and business law, including public offerings, private placements, counsel to special committees of boards of directors, take-over bids, reverse take-over bids, plans of arrangement, proxy battles, venture capital investments, private equity transactions and private acquisitions. He also represents clients in their dealings with the Canadian securities commissions and stock exchanges and advises on continuous disclosure and corporate governance compliance.

Howard's clientele ranges from start-up companies obtaining their first round of financing to larger, more established companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV), the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and includes investment dealers and private equity and pension funds. His clients operate in a wide range of industries, including mining, manufacturing, software, information technology, financial services, transaction processing, energy, telecommunications, biotechnology, health products, consumer products and entertainment.

Select Experience

Matters on which Howard has acted recently as lead or co-lead counsel include representing:

A TSX-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its merger with a TSX Venture-Exchange-listed mining company by way of plan of arrangement and concurrent private placement financing
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the biopharmaceutical sector in connection with its merger of equals transaction with a TSX and Nasdaq-dual listed biopharmaceutical company by way of a plan of arrangement
The special committee of the board of directors of a TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the financial services sector in connection with a privatization transaction carried out by its majority shareholders by way of a plan of arrangement
A Quebec-based pension fund in connection with its concurrent private placement in a TSX-listed company operating in the food sector carrying out a bought deal public offering
A Quebec-based pension plan in connection with its partial divestiture from a Canadian insurance brokerage
A company operating in the packaging business in connection with its sale to a French-based multinational
A syndicate of underwriters in connection with the bought deal public offering of shares of a TSX and NYSE-dual listed Quebec-based issuer operating in the mining sector
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in connection with the divesture of one of its operating divisions
An NYSE-listed sports and entertainment company in its series of private placement investments in a TSX-listed security company
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in connection with its bought deal public financing and concurrent private placement with an institutional investor
The executives of a TSX and NYSE-dual listed manufacturing company in connection with shareholder activism matters
A TSX-listed financial services company in connection with a series of normal course issuer bids
A Quebec-based pension fund in connection with its concurrent private placement in a TSX-listed company operating in the food sector carrying out a bought deal public offering
An NYSE-listed steel manufacturing company in connection with the creation of its Quebec-based joint venture for the production of cathode active materials used in the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its non-brokered private placement financing
A US-based underwriter in connection with the initial public offering in the US and NYSE listing of a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its best effort private placement financing
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its bought deal private placement financing
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company operating in the mining sector in connection with its acquisition of a mining property located in Brazil and related bought deal private placement financing
An Israeli-based Tel Aviv Stock Exchange-listed company operating in the satellite sector in connection with its investment in, and concurrent operation agreement with, a Canadian Securities Exchange-listed company
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of a division of another TSX-listed company
A TSX-listed company operating in the mining sector in a bought-deal public offering of subscription receipts and a related acquisition of a milling facility in Mexico
The underwriters in multiple series of bond offerings made by a Canadian airport authority
A TSX-listed company operating in the mining sector in the first business combination by way of plan of arrangement to occur under the Quebec Business Corporations Act
An NYSE-listed consumer products company in its acquisition of all of the assets of a TSX-listed income trust
A Canadian-based pension fund in a series of private placement investments in a TSX-listed professional services company
A TSX-listed company in its dissolution and the distribution of its assets to its shareholders
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in a number of bought deal private placements and public offerings
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed company in its reverse take-over transaction pursuant to which it migrated its listing to the Canadian Securities Exchange
A Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company in its acquisition of an agricultural equipment manufacturer
A TSX Venture Exchange company operating in the oil and gas sector in its business combination by way of plan of arrangement
A TSX Venture Exchange-listed nutraceutical company in its business combination by way of plan of arrangement
A mining company with assets located in Greenland in connection with its initial public offering and listing on the TSX Venture Exchange
An NYSE-listed biotechnology company in its Canadian special warrant financing and accompanying filing of a Canadian prospectus and listing on the TSX and its subsequent rounds of public financings
A TSX-listed company operating in the mobility sector in its acquisition of a NASDAQ-listed company and concurrent debt and equity financings

Awards & Recognition

Howard has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A – 2024–2025
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2021–2025: Corporate Mid-Market, Corporate Commercial Law, Corporate Finance & Securities, Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions; 2021–2022: Mining)
Chambers Canada Legal Guide – 2019–2025 (Corporate/Commercial – Quebec)
The Best Lawyers in Canada (2021–2025: Corporate Law; 2015–2025: Mergers and Acquisitions Law; 2016–2025: Mining Law; 2018–2025: Securities Law)
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms – 2022–2024 (Banking, M&A)
Lexpert Special Edition: Energy and Mining 2024
Lexpert Special Edition: Mining 2023
Lexology Index: Canada 2023 (M&A)