Mike (Michael) R. Axford

Mike R. Axford is a Partner practicing in both the firm's Corporate Law and Banking and Finance groups, based in the Vancouver office. He regularly advises Canadian, US, and international corporate and institutional clients on corporate matters, private M&A, reorganizations, venture capital transactions, and all aspects of Canadian and cross-border secured lending transactions, with particular focus on the Technology, Telecommunications, and Life Sciences sectors.

Mr. Axford has extensive transactional experience spanning over 35 years. He advised Conuma Coal Resources on its US$35 million acquisition of assets from Walter Energy Canada, a Cross Border Turnaround of the Year award-winning transaction, and Athabasca Potash on its CA$341 million acquisition by BHP Billiton. He also advised Versacold Income Fund on its CA$1.2 billion acquisition by Elmskip Holdings, CHIP REIT on its CA$1.2 billion acquisition by British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, and major US motion picture studios on syndicated film financing transactions aggregating over US$4 billion. He acts as external general counsel for numerous Canadian, US, and global corporations, and is frequently retained by major US law firms to advise on Canadian aspects of corporate and lending transactions.

Mike holds an LLB from Queen's University (1990) and a BComm from the University of British Columbia (1987). He has been recognized by The Legal 500 Canada in Energy and Natural Resources – Mining, The Best Lawyers in Canada in Corporate Law, and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in Corporate Mid-Market.