Education

University of British Columbia, BA, 1981 University of British Columbia, LLB, 1985

Bar Admissions

British Columbia, 1986

Jonathan McCullough

Retired Partner

T: 604.891.5306 / E: mcculloughj@bennettjones.com

Vancouver

Well-respected for his depth of experience and his strong following nationally, Jonathan McCullough was noted by clients as a “stellar practitioner”, “a great strategist and a pleasure to work with”.

Jonathan practiced corporate and securities law for over 35 years. His practice was distinguished by a deep focus on private equity transactions, in which he acted on behalf of both fund sponsors and institutional investors in the formation of domestic and international private equity funds. These funds were established to invest across a broad spectrum of assets, including buyouts, mezzanine financing, venture capital, merchant banking, infrastructure, and timber. He possessed comprehensive expertise in the structuring, negotiation, and execution of such investments, as well as in the development and application of standards relating to investment policies, fee arrangements, returns, and governance within this evolving asset class.

He brought substantial experience to advising private equity funds on a wide array of transactions, encompassing investments, mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations, and exit strategies.

Jonathan was a founding partner of McCullough O’Connor Irwin LLP, and played a pivotal role in the firm’s integration with Bennett Jones LLP in 2018.

Throughout his career, Jonathan was a frequent speaker at legal education forums and authored numerous articles addressing corporate law topics. His expertise earned him consistent recognition as a leading practitioner in:

• Chambers Global;
• Chambers Canada;
• Best Lawyers in Canada;
• Expert Guides – Private Equity;
• International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers;
• IFLR’s Guide to the World’s Leading Private Equity Lawyers;
• Lexpert Magazine; and
• PLC’s Cross-Border Private Equity Handbook.

He held membership in several professional organizations, including the Canadian Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation.

Following a distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Jon has retired from the practice of law. His contributions to the private equity and corporate legal landscape have left a lasting impact, and he remains held in the highest regard by clients and colleagues alike.

To ensure continuity of service and support, we invite clients to direct future inquiries to Kwang Lim, Managing Partner of our Vancouver office, or John Mercury, Executive Chair and Chair of the Board. Kwang is a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs, investors, and high-growth and public companies, offering pragmatic, strategic counsel on complex corporate finance and M&A transactions. John brings extensive experience in private equity and cross-border M&A, with a background in both law and investment banking. He is widely recognized for his ability to navigate sophisticated deal structures and advise fund sponsors and institutional investors on high-stakes, multijurisdictional transactions—reflecting the caliber of counsel clients have come to expect.