Michael Burns

Partner


Toronto

Tel : 416.865.7261
Fax : 416.865.7048

Email : michael.burns@mcmillan.ca
VCard : vcard

Professional Experience Michael's primary focus is in the areas of securities law, hedge funds and structured products with additional experience in the financing of junior resource issuers. Michael acted as lead counsel on the establishment of several private hedge funds in the Province of Ontario and has also acted as lead Canadian counsel regarding the establishment of "offshore" hedge funds. In addition, Michael has extensive experience in the structuring, offering and sale of structured investment products such as linked notes and closed ended investment trusts.

His securities work involves a wide variety of corporate finance transactions which include private placements, rights offerings, and initial public offerings, acting on behalf of both issuers and underwriters/agents. Michael's corporate finance experience has involved issuers in industries such as mining (both junior and senior issuers), advertising/corporate communications, television/entertainment production, business trusts, real estate investment trusts and transportation.

Michael's corporate practice includes experience with a broad range of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures as well as both hostile and friendly take-over bids.

Michael provides on-going advice to hedge funds as well as public and private corporate clients in the fields of mining, Business trusts and REITS, advertising/communications and financial services concerning continuous disclosure obligations, shareholder communications, executive compensation, corporate governance, preparations for annual and special meetings and general corporate matters.

Michael currently serves as legal counsel on the Executive Committee of the Canadian Chapter of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA). In 1996, he was a staff member of The Toronto Stock Exchange's Committee on corporate governance practices in Canada (the "Dey Committee") which published the seminal report entitled "Where Were the Directors?"

Before joining McMillan, Michael was a partner at Fogler, Rubinoff LLP and was previously an associate at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP.

Michael regularly appears as a legal commentator on the Business News Network (formerly, Report on Business Television).

publications and presentations
March 2012
divergent paths – securities regulatory authorities in nine Canadian jurisdictions propose to adopt different rules for registration of non-resident investment fund managers
securities and public markets bulletin
February 2012
international investment fund managers may need to register in Canada - revised registration requirements and exemptions for non-resident investment fund managers published for comment
securities and public markets bulletin
May 2011
further reforms to the registration regime in Canada
Investment Funds and Asset Management Bulletin
June 2010
Securities Regulatory Update:
New Alberta Rule May Affect Issuers Offering Securities Under the 'Minimum Amount' Exemption
Investment Funds and Asset Management Bulletin


  • business formation and reorganization
  • debt products
  • information technology
  • internet and e-commerce
  • natural resources
  • private equity
  • securities and public markets transactions

  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Listed Companies Association
  • Alternative Investment Management Association
Called to the Ontario bar - 1992

Dalhousie University, LLB - 1990

Dalhousie University, B.Comm. (Cum Laude) - 1987