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About Joanna

Joanna focuses primarily on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, share and asset sale transactions, and general corporate matters. She takes part in several aspects of managing the M&A process, from due diligence to transaction closing, including drafting and negotiating the purchase agreement and other transaction documents.

In addition, Joanna advises companies on a wide range of commercial transactions involving information technology and intellectual property, including relating to the acquisition, licensing, development and disposition of intellectual property assets. She assists companies in the drafting and negotiating of license agreements, development agreements, implementation agreements and other technology-related agreements.

Joanna also has an active life sciences practice and has worked for some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies on a wide array of operational matters, including the drafting and negotiation of clinical trial agreements, product listing agreements and consulting and advisory board agreements as well as the establishment of patient support programs, among others.

Joanna is fluent in French and English.

Select Experience

Matters on which Joanna has acted include representing:

  • Valsoft Corporation in connection with US$170-million in growth funding from Coatue and Viking Global Investors

  • Valnet Inc. in connection with the sale of the Little Angel YouTube channel to Moonbug Entertainment Ltd.

  • The vendor of Eclipse Automation in connection with its sale to Accenture

  • Valsoft Corporation on the US$100-million minority investment by Viking Global Investors

  • Jam City Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Ludia Inc. from FremantleMedia Group Ltd.

  • Forbius in connection with its sale to Bristol Myers Squibb

  • GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A. on its advanced purchase agreement with the Government of Canada for the supply of adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccines in collaboration with Sanofi

  • GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A. on its collaboration agreement with Medicago Inc. to develop, manufacture and distribute a COVID-19 candidate vaccine

  • A U.S. private equity fund in connection with its acquisition of BioVectra Inc., a contract drug development and manufacturing organization

  • A U.S. private equity fund in connection with its acquisition of Rideau Recognition Solutions

  • H.I.G. Capital Inc. in connection with its acquisition of the Recochem business from Swander Pace Capital

  • A U.S. private equity fund in connection with the acquisition of Spinrite LP

  • ICM Partners in connection with its acquisition, along with Evenko and Bell Media, of the Just For Laughs Group

  • Groupe LAUAK in connection with the purchase of the aerospace tube manufacturing division of Bombardier Inc.

  • A privately-held Canadian company operating in the vacuum sector in its acquisition of a division of a Swedish-based Stockholm Stock Exchange and NASDAQ-listed company

  • Audax Capital in connection with its acquisition of Altasciences Company, a Quebec-based clinical research organization

  • A global independent safety science company in connection with its purchase of a Quebec-based provider of building envelope testing services

  • Magneti Marelli S.p.A. in relation to its investment in, and commercial arrangement with, LeddarTech Inc.

  • A NYSE-listed consumer products company in its investment in a technology company

  • A global defence company in relation to the sale of its commercial flight training unit to CAE Inc.

  • A global leading consumer goods company in connection with its acquisition of a Quebec-based distributor of food service products

  • A Canadian-based leading publisher of assessments in connection with its purchase of a complimentary business

  • Novacap Industries on its acquisition of Laces Group

  • Gemcom Software International Inc. in connection with its purchase by Dassault Systèmes S.A.

  • Informatica Corporation in its acquisition of Sand Technology Corporation's Nearline software division

  • A NYSE-listed consumer products company in its acquisitions of a variety of complimentary Canadian-based businesses

  • A NYSE-listed consumer products company in its acquisition of all of the assets of a TSX-listed income trust

  • A large privately held group of technology companies on the disposition of substantially all of their Canadian and foreign assets

Awards & Recognition

Joanna has been recognized in the following publications:

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada – 2024–2025 (Technology Law)

  • Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health Sciences 2024

  • The Legal 500 Canada 2024 (2024: Next Generation Partner – Technology; 2023: Technology)

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2023–2024: Private Equity; 2022–2023: Life Sciences & Health)

Professional Activities

Joanna is a member of the board of directors of ACG Québec. She is also a member of the Quebec Bar Association and the Lord Reading Law Society.

Professional Appearances
Media Activities
  • Interviewed : Melding of M&A and IP legal skills a perfect blend for Blakes lawyer Joanna Myszka
    Interviewed by Zena Olijnyk, Canadian Lawyer, August 5, 2022.
Education

Admitted to the Quebec Bar – 2010
BCL/LLB, McGill University – 2009
BA, McGill University – 2005

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