Bernhard (Bernie) was a partner of McMillan LLP from 1992 to 2019 and now serves in a Counsel role. He continues to practice in a semi-retired role for a number of clients in the areas of corporate and securities law together with certain commercial law matters focusing on natural resources and technology transfer. He holds both legal and accounting accreditation. Bernie’s clients include a broad mix of both private and public companies many with international operations and international stock exchange listings. Corporate finance and M&A constitutes a large part of his practice including private placement and prospectus offerings, corporate mergers and restructurings, take-over bids and defences, proxy contests, and similar corporate work.



Representative Matters

  • Acted for Taseko Mines Limited for a private US$250 million secured Notes offering, 2017 and a 2016 successful defence in a litigious proxy contest
  • Acted of Auryn Resources Ltd in a $43M strategic investment by Goldcorp, 2017
  • Acted for Amarc Resources Inc. in $60 million of earn-in and joint venture mineral property transactions 2016/2017 involving Hudbay Resources and Thomson Creek, Gold Fields and Cascadero Copper
  • Acted for Cayden Resources in its $205 million acquisition by Agnico Eagle in 2014
  • Acted for Great Basin Gold through financing and construction of two mines 2008-2012
  • Acted as Agent’s counsel for Global Securities Corp in connection with $20 million offering of mortgage-backed trust units in 2012
  • Acted in the sale to China based Jinchuan Group of Continental Gold in a $431 million sale in 2011
  • Acted for Taseko Mines Limited in its $200 million offering of 7% Senior Notes in 2011
  • Acted for Farallon Mining in its sale to Nyrstar in 2011 for $409 million

Teaching Engagements

  • Speaker, Continuing Legal Education and Insight publications
  • Former part-time accounting lecturer, University of Victoria

News


Rankings & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the area of Mining
  • Recognized in the 2023 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Mining Lawyers  
  • Recognized in the 2023 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the area of Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Global 2022 as a leader in Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2022 as a leader in Mining
  • Recognized in the 2022 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the area of Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Global 2021 as a leader in Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2021 as a leader in Mining
  • Listed in the Legal500 Canada 2021 as a Recommended Lawyer – Energy and Natural Resources Mining
  • Recognized by the Best Lawyers in Canada (2021) as a leading lawyer in the areas of Mining Law and Natural Resources Law
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2020 as a leader in Mining
  • Recognized in the 2020 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended lawyer in the area of Mining
  • Recognized by Chambers Global (2020) as a leading lawyer in the area Mining (International & Cross-Border)
  • Listed in the Legal500 Canada 2020 as a “Recommended Lawyer” – Energy and Natural Resources: Mining
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada (2020) as a leading lawyer in the area of Energy & Natural Resources: Mining
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada 2009 – 2020 as a leader in Natural Resources Law
  • Recognized in the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Consistently Recommended lawyer in the area of Mining
  • Recognized by Chambers Global (2019) as a leading lawyer in the area of Energy & Natural Resources: Mining
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada 2019 as a leader in Energy & Natural Resources: Mining
  • Recognized in the 2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Consistently Recommended lawyer in the area of Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal Canada: 2018 as a leader in Mining
  • Listed in Chambers Global 2018 as a leading lawyer in Energy & Natural Resources: Mining
  • Listed in Chambers Canada 2018 as a leading lawyer in Corporate Commercial – British Columbia, Energy & Natural Resources: Mining – Canada
  • Listed in Chambers Canada 2017 as a leading lawyer in Corporate Commercial – British Columbia, Energy & Natural Resources: Mining – Canada
  • Listed in Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2017 as repeatedly recommended in the area of Mining
  • Listed in Chambers Global 2016 – 2017 as a leading lawyer in Energy & Natural Resources: Mining
  • Listed in the 2016/17 Lexpert Special Edition as a leading lawyer in Global Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2016 – 2017 (Mining)
  • Listed in Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2016 as a leading practitioner in Mining
  • Listed in the 2015/16 Lexpert Special Edition as a leading lawyer in Global Mining
  • Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2014 Report on Canada’s Leading Business Lawyers (Mining)
  • Listed in The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers – Mining 2010-12 as an expert in Mining Law
  • Expert witness in mining capital markets proceeding against Government of British Columbia, BC Supreme Court, 2006

Directorships & Affiliations

  • Vancouver Bar Association
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia
  • Currently, Director Nanotech Security Corp.(other private and public company directorships held in the past)

Education & Admissions

1984
Called to the British Columbia bar
1977
B.Comm (Accounting/Finance)University of Calgary
1980
CA - Chartered Accountancy Designation
1983
LLB (Highest Academic Standing, 3rd year Law Award)University of Victoria