
Overview
Michelle Vigod is a partner in a business law group and Co-Chair of the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Goodmans.
She has a broad transactional practice involving all aspects of corporate and securities law, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate finance. Michelle advises public and private companies on a broad range of domestic and cross-border transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, take-over bids, capital raising, corporate reorganizations and private equity transactions.
In addition to transactional work, Michelle provides ongoing advice to clients on matters relating to continuous disclosure obligations, corporate governance, legislative compliance and general corporate law.
In 2020, Michelle was honoured as one of Lexpert’s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40. She has also been recognized as a leading practitioner by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate finance and securities, the Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2022, IFLR 1000 for mergers and acquisitions and capital markets: debt and equity, and by Best Lawyers in Canada for corporate law, leveraged buyouts and private equity law and securities law.
Featured Work
Michelle’s recent transactional experience includes representing:
- The Special Committee of the Board of Brookfield Property Partners in its $6.5 billion privatization transaction
- Vertu Capital in connection with its sale of Firmex
- Ceridian in connection with its acquisition of Ideal
- Primo Water Corporation (formerly, Cott Corporation) in its acquisition of Primo Water for US$775 million, and on various matters including acquisitions, public offerings, private placements and other general corporate and securities law matters
- ZMC Capital in connection with its acquisition of Second City
- Brookfield Infrastructure in the sale of its interest in a Chilean transmission business for US$1.3 billion
- Vista Equity Partners in its acquisition of DH Corporation and combination of D+H with its portfolio company, Misys, for $4.8 billion
- Acasta Enterprises Inc. in connection with its qualifying acquisition of Apollo Health and Beauty Care Partnership, JemPak Corporation and Stellwagen Group with a total enterprise value of $1.1 billion
- Highbridge Principal Strategies LLC in connection with its acquisition of a non-controlling equity interest in GFL Environmental Inc. and the reorganization of share capital of GFL Environmental Inc.
- Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. in connection with its going-private transaction by Brookfield Asset Management, debt financings and other general corporate matters
Awards & Recognition
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Recognized, Corporate Finance & Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity 2023
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized: Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Securities Law 2023
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IFLR1000 Canada Rising Star Partner, Capital Markets: Equity 2022
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IFLR1000 Canada Rising Star Partner, M&A 2022
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IFLR1000 Canada Rising Star Partner, Capital Markets: Debt 2022
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized: Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Securities Law 2022
Credentials
Professional Involvement
Michelle is a member of the firm's technology group and is the co-chair of the firm's Women's Success Committee.
Michelle is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law in the Global Professional Masters of Law Program where she teaches Business Organizations.
Michelle was called to the New York bar in 2009 and to the Ontario bar in 2012. Prior to joining Goodmans, Michelle was a corporate lawyer in the New York office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.
Credentials
- University of Toronto, J.D., 2008
- McGill University, B.Comm., 2003, with distinction, Strategy and Finance
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
- Canadian Bar Association
- Canadian Women in Private Equity
- Canadian Women in Capital Markets
- American Bar Association
Call to Bar
- 2012 Ontario
- 2009 New York
Insights
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Capital Markets
2023 Annual Reporting and Proxy Season – Key Areas of Focus
Reporting issuers in Canada are subject to governance standards and continuous disclosure obligations under securities laws and stock exchange rules.From time to time, securities regulators, including… -
Capital Markets
ISS Announces Updates to Benchmark Proxy Voting Guidelines for 2023
Proxy advisor Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) recently updated its Benchmark Proxy Voting Guidelines, which generally apply to shareholder meetings beginning in 2023 or 2024. The updates… -
Mergers and Acquisitions
The Technology Mergers & Acquisitions Review 2nd Edition - Canada Chapter
Richard Corley, Allan Goodman, Michelle Vigod and Jessica Bishop authored the Canada Chapter of The Technology Mergers & Acquisitions Review 2nd Edition.Overview from the Canada Chapter:Deals in… -
Mergers and Acquisitions
The Technology Mergers & Acquisitions Review 1st Edition - Canada Chapter
Richard Corley, Allan Goodman and Michelle Vigod authored the Canada Chapter of The Technology Mergers & Acquisitions Review 1st Edition.Overview from the Canada Chapter: Deals in the technology… -
Mergers and Acquisitions
Private Acquisitions in Canada: Market Analysis Overview
Stephen Pincus, Michelle Vigod and Julian Di Bartolomeo have co-authored Private Acquisitions in Canada: Market Analysis Overview, a section of Thomson Reuters Practical Law's Private Mergers and… -
Capital Markets
Canadian Securities Regulators Offer Filing Relief for Market Participants and Support Virtual Meetings
The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced temporary extensions to filing deadlines and indicated they will publish guidance for companies considering hosting annual meetings online…
News & Events
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- 01:00 PM Corporate Governance and Stakeholder Litigation
Goodmans ePresents: The Future of Corporate Governance in Canada: Practical Insights
If you are on a board of directors, or advise one, please join us for a practical discussion on meeting new and evolving governance challenges in Canada.On April 18th, we will welcome Rahul Bhardwaj… -
Banking and Financial Services
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023 Continues to Recognize Goodmans
We are proud to announce we have once again been recognized in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023.85 Goodmans lawyers have been recognized as top-tier in their fields and leaders across… -
Banking and Financial Services
IFLR1000 2022 Recognizes Goodmans Lawyers and Practices
We are proud to announce Goodmans continues to be recognized by IFLR1000 in its annual guide. Recognition in IFLR1000 is based on a combination of in-depth qualitative research and…