Steve Michoulas 

overview

Steve Michoulas is a partner in McMillan’s Aviation and Commercial Real Estate Industry groups. He has over 16 years experience in corporate/commercial law with an emphasis on airports, real estate and infrastructure. Steve currently acts for international and regional airports and, prior to rejoining McMillan in February of 2018, Steve spent 8½ years at the Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) as Director, Legal Services.

Steve has worked on virtually all aspects of airport matters, including major real estate developments and non-aeronautical revenue projects, terminal concessions, into-plane fueling and tank farm management, procurement of airside operators, procurement processes to find business partners, managing a major piece of Competition Act litigation and related advice at another airport, advice as it relates to airside access, corporate governance and best practices regarding same, jurisdictional/constitutional matters, construction projects, debenture financings, innovation and the commercialization of such innovation both in domestic and foreign jurisdictions and the licensing of third party operators. 

Steve acts for a variety of land owners, investment firms and developers on a wide range of legal issues related to the acquisition, development, sale, financing and leasing of commercial real estate in British Columbia.  Steve has acted on a number of large real estate transactions since returning to McMillan in 2018, such transactions totaling well over one billion dollars during this time.

Steve is currently sits on the Legal Steering Committee of Airports Council International (NA), the largest airport trade association in North America. He is a frequent speaker at international airport conferences, including events hosted by the Worldwide Airport Lawyers Association, ACI (NA) and the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure.   

Steve’s broad skill set and his deep understanding of what clients want and need out of their legal counsel allows him to give practical, timely and strategic legal advice to his clients. 

Representative Matters

• Advising land owners and developers on a wide range of legal issues related to the acquisition, development, sale, financing and leasing of commercial real estate in British Columbia, such transactions totalling well over one billion dollars between February 2018 and October 2019.  

• Advising international and regional airports on a variety of matters, including:
  • land leasing and development,
  • retail, food and beverage leasing,
  • into-plane jet fuel licensing and tank farm management,
  • procurement, including an RFP for an into-plane fueling and tank farm management,
  • competition law advice and successful guidance related to potential abuse of dominant position,
  • airport innovation and the commercialization of same,
  • corporate governance and best practices regarding same for airports,
  • jurisdictional matters (i.e. federal vs. provincial/municipal authority), and
  • real estate issues related to glide path protection.

• While Director, Legal Services at the Vancouver Airport Authority at YVR:
  • Managing high profile, abuse of dominant position litigationbetween the Competition Bureau and the Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA)
  • Advising on the search for a partner and the subsequent corporate structuring, financing and development of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet at YVRand the Vancouver Airport Authority’s participation as a 50% partner
  • Advising on a $200m debenture refinancing for the Vancouver Airport Authority,
  • Advising the Vancouver Airport Authority on its growing innovation and technology business, which includes the development and sale of “BORDERXPRESS” automated passport control kiosks to airports across North America and around the world
  • Advising on the sale of the Vancouver Airport Authority’s stake in Vantage Airport Group (a former wholly owned subsidiary of the VAA which is now a world class international airport operator) and the negotiation of a long term strategic partnership agreement between the VAA and Vantage 
  • Successfully negotiating a lease for Canada Post’s new 700,000 square foot processing plant at YVR
  • Advising on regulatory and jurisdictional matters for the Vancouver Airport Authority
  • Leading a cross departmental team of airport professionals to create and negotiate a new  Airport Use Licence for air carriers and a new form of Ground Handling Licence at YVR
  • Advising on a de-icing cost allocation issue at YVR
  • Advising on virtually all other legal issues affecting the Vancouver Airport Authority, including but not limited to retail, car rental, car sharing, service contracts, fuel, construction and project security, procurement, utilities, airport operations, municipal affairs, constitutional law, metro/rail access issues, labour law, aboriginal issues, community affairs and environmental issues
• Advising the purchaser in the buyout of shares of a local air passenger carrier
• Advising the developer of wind farm projects in British Columbia with respect to securing land through options to lease and long term land leases
• Advising an international agriculture company with respect to the purchase and development of a processing plant on industrial land
• Advising a major landowner with respect to the development and financing of a $100+ million dollar mixed use retail/residential building in Vancouver
• Advising the purchaser of large-scale greenhouse operation
• Advising the developer in connection with a 41 parcel land assembly

News

Education

• University Bachelor of Laws, University of British Columbia - 2002
• Canadian Securities Course, Canadian Securities Institute - 2000
• Bachelor of Arts (Political Science), University of British Columbia - 1999

Year Of Call

• Called to the British Columbia bar - 2003

Directorships and Professional Associations

• Member, Legal Steering Committee, Airports Council International (North America)

• Former Member, Canadian Airports Legal Group
• Chair, Real Property Section (Vancouver), Canadian Bar Association, 2008-2009
• Committee Member, Developing Leaders Committee for the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), 2008-2010                                                
• Committee Member, LTSA Stakeholder Advisory Committee, 2009-2010
• Contributing Editor, CLE British Columbia Real Estate Practice Manual, 2006-2009

Community Involvement

• Co-Founder, UBC Law Rugby Scholarship
• Coach, Dunbar Little League
• Volunteer, Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

Awards & Rankings

• Chosen as a Finalist for the 2013 Western Canada General Counsel Awards in the “Tomorrow’s Leader” category.