Bennett Jones is pleased to announce that John Mercury has been appointed Vice Chair, Clients and Industries of the firm. As Vice Chair, he will be responsible for leading and coordinating the firm’s industry groups and client initiatives. John is the Head of the firm’s Private Equity practice and, prior to assuming a management role, was the firm’s Lead Director.

In addition to his new responsibilities, John will continue with his legal practice, where he concentrates on M&A, private equity and debt investments, leveraged buyouts and corporate governance matters, primarily on behalf of Canadian and U.S. financial sponsors. John also advises general partners and investors in the formation of private investment funds and other investment vehicles. His clients span industries, including energy, financial services, consumer products and manufacturing.

Before joining Bennett Jones, John spent eight years in New York, where he practised corporate and U.S. tax law with a leading New York-based law firm and where he worked as an investment banker with Merrill Lynch in its M&A group. In these roles, John provided legal and financial advice to a broad range of U.S., Canadian and foreign companies, primarily in the fields of mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, debt and equity financings and corporate governance matters.

John is a member of the firm's board of directors and serves on a number of corporate and not-for-profit boards. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and the New York City Bar.