John Smith
Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
John’s corporate commercial practice has covered substantial transactions and projects. He now focuses primarily on ongoing advisory work to business clients ranging from large corporations to family businesses to fiduciaries. A significant portion of John's current work relates to advising on business succession strategies for larger organizations. John has had significant experience in directing major litigation for clients.
John has advised clients operating in a range of industries, including bulk terminal operations, retail operations, mining, forestry, and transportation, and in the private investment and energy sectors, as well as extensive involvement in advising a municipal government. John has also been involved in privatization and P3 projects.
After studying law at the University of Oxford, John taught law for six years before joining Lawson Lundell in 1981. John was the firm's Managing Partner from 2007-2009, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee from 2004-2006, and served as Chair of the firm’s Conflicts and Ethics Committee from 2000-2006 and 2010-2021.Overview
- English
- The Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, graduated 1974
- International Bar Association Conference, Vancouver, 2010 - Member, Host Committee
- English
- International Bar Association Conference, Vancouver, 2010 - Member, Host Committee
- The Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, graduated 1974
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus

- Securities Law, Vancouver, Canada (2018)
- Corporate Law, Vancouver, Canada (2015)
- Securities Law, Vancouver, Canada (2013)
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and Acquisitions Law
- Securities Law
- Chambers Canada: Corporate/Commercial - British Columbia
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Corporate Commercial Law (2021), and Corporate Finance & Securities (2020)
- Lexpert Special Edition 2016: Leading Canadian Lawyers in Global Mining
- Lexpert Special Edition 2016: Leading Canadian Lawyers in Infrastructure
- Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada 2014: Mergers & Acquisitions
- Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada 2016: Corporate Finance & Securities
- Lexpert Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada 2005: recognized for Corporate Commercial law
- Martindale-Hubbell International Law Directory: AV Peer Review rated
News & Media
Additional Information
- Experience
Selected experience includes:
Extensive experience with income funds including leading the largest IPO in British ColumbiaActing for over 15 years for British Columbia’s largest bulk terminalRepresenting a local transportation authority in a P3 project for the construction of a rapid transit line at a cost of $1.7 billionAdvising a coal company on the development, financing and acquisition of new minesActing on the sale of a Canadian company operating hearing aid clinics in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova ScotiaCounsel to the special committee of the board of a forest products company in relation to the recapitalization of its $1.2 billion debt
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