Michael D. Smith

Partner* Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 1981
*Practising as a professional corporation
People > Michael D. Smith

Mike has been practising real estate law at Aird & Berlis LLP for over 35 years, advising and supporting both entrepreneurial and institutional clients. The depth of his experience provides him with a broad perspective and enables him to take a distinctive approach to addressing the unique aspects of each client matter.

As a member of the firm's Real Estate and Infrastructure Groups, Mike represents real estate investment trusts, syndicators, developers, pooled funds, utilities, retail chains, lenders and investors with respect to commercial, multi-family residential and industrial transactions from the development stage right through to final completion. He also has expertise in credit tenant lease transactions, securitization and the Ontario oil and gas industry.

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized in The Legal 500 Canada for his expertise in the practice area of Real Estate
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Real Estate Law

Representative Matters

Advises lenders, borrowers and professional advisors in security transactions, realizations, restructuring, asset management, foreclosures and receiverships.

Advised Forum Leasehold Partners on its $66 million acquisition and lease-back (on a credit tenant basis) of TransAlta’s head office in Calgary, Alberta.

Advises Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, a leading owner, manager and developer of urban office environments operating in Canada’s major cities.

Advised The Cordish Company on its joint venture with Woodbine Entertainment Group in connection with the development of up to 3 million square feet of commercial space adjacent to the Woodbine racetrack.

Insights

Insights EnergyInsider Jul 18, 2016 Geothermal HVAC Heats Up in the Wake of Ontario's Climate Change Action Plan

Education

  • LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1979
  • MBA (with Distinction), Financing and Accounting, York University, 1979
  • BA, Economics, University of Western Ontario, 1975

Expertise