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Gordon N. Cameron

Canadian Corporate and Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones New York

Principal, Head of New York Office

Thomas A. Bauer

M&A, Corporate Reorganization, and Income Trust Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Partner 

Xenia Wong

Equity and Debt Securities New York Lawyer at Bennett Jones

Counsel

The special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) IPO boom of 2021 fizzled in 2022 as SPAC IPO activity declined sharply—a trend that will likely continue in 2023. In 2021, there were a record-breaking 613 SPAC IPOs whereas, as of March 2023, there have only been seven SPAC IPOs. This marked decrease in SPAC IPO activity has been driven by rising interest rates, inflation and changes in the regulatory landscape due to increased scrutiny by the SEC.

Canada CrossBorder DeSPAC Transactions What US Listed SPACs and Canadian Companies Need to Know

Canada Cross-Border De-SPAC Transactions: What U.S.-Listed SPACs and Canadian Companies Need to Know

Edwin G. Kroft KC

Tax Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones

Partner

Hennadiy Kutsenko

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Associate

Sophie Virji

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

The 7th edition of Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes, published on <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.gettaxnetpro.com/" target="_blank">Taxnet Pro</a> by Thomson Reuters, includes articles that highlight tax disputes issues that have arisen during past economic downturns and that might arise again as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the legal right under Canadian tax law to contest the assessment of a taxpayer being pursued for the vicarious/ derivative tax liability of another person and the timing of and process for the reopening of the Tax Court of Canada, following comments made by Chief Justice Rossiter to the Canadian Tax Foundation on May 15, 2020.

Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes May 2020

Bennett Jones on Tax Disputes - May 2020

Jehad Haymour

Tax Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Update from the Tax Court: On May 14, 2020, Chief Justice Rossiter and Associate Chief Justice Lamarre of the Tax Court of Canada provided an update on the resumption of operations of the Tax Court to the members of the Canadian Bar Association Tax Court Bench and Bar Committee (Jehad Haymour is a member of the Canadian Bar Association Tax Court Bench and Bar Committee.).

The Reopening of the Tax Court of Canada Timeline and Protocols as at May 15 2020

The Reopening of the Tax Court of Canada: Timeline and Protocols as at May 15, 2020

Greg M. Johnson

Energy Industry Corporate Tax, Reorganization, M&A and Private Equity Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

COVID Tax Updates from the Alberta Government and the CRA

COVID-19 Tax Updates from the Alberta Government and the CRA

Serge Dupont

Senior Advisor at Bennett Jones Ottawa

Senior Advisor

The U.S. and global economies proved resilient in 2025. There were reasons, particularly around U.S. President Donald Trump&rsquo;s April 1 &ldquo;Liberation Day,&rdquo; to fear a global trade war or corrections in financial markets that would cause a recession in the United States and a sharp slowing of the global economy. In fact, while growth in the United States and most major economies slowed in 2025, other policy and market factors offset at least in part the early effect of disruptive policies by the U.S. administration. The United States&rsquo;s trading partners chose to avoid an all-out trade war, and most negotiated some form of accommodation with President Trump.

Economic Outlook 2026

Adapting to a New World: From Ambition to Investment

Ahmed Elmallah

Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Counsel, Patent Agent, Trademark Agent

Benjamin K. Reingold

Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Stephen D. Burns

Technology Lawyer, Intellectual Property Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner, Trademark Agent

Stephen Thaler has appealed the Commissioner of Patents&rsquo; refusal to recognize his AI system, DABUS, as an inventor under the Patent Act. The case raises legal and practical questions as AI systems play a growing role in generating novel inventions. The outcome could influence how Canadian innovators protect AI-driven discoveries, particularly in pharmaceutical R&amp;D.

Appeal Filed Thaler Challenges Refusal to Recognize AI

Appeal Filed: Thaler Challenges Refusal to Recognize AI as an Inventor on a Patent—Implications Beyond Inventorship

Curtis A. Cusinato

Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions and Capital Markets Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Vice Chair and Partner

Spencer Daniel

Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Nadia Plawiuk

In recent years, private equity investment in sports has surged globally, marking a transformative shift in the financial and operational landscape of professional athletics. The global sports market was valued at nearly US$516 billion in 2024, with forecasts projecting it will surpass US$893 billion by 2034. Major North American leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS have responded to this momentum by easing ownership restrictions since 2020, allowing private equity firms to acquire minority stakes and fueling increased deal activity. In 2024, minority investments accounted for 48% of deal volume, reflecting a growing trend in passive investment structures. Today, over 74 North American sports teams are backed or affiliated with private equity, with many more viewing private equity as a strategic growth partner amid rising team valuations and evolving monetization models.

How Private Equity is Changing the Game for North American Sports and Beyond

David Wainer

Commercial Transactions Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

This end-of-year overview examines the Federal Government&rsquo;s rapid expansion of AI-related funding in 2025, from large-scale investments in data centres and public compute infrastructure to programs supporting AI access, adoption and domestic research. It also explores the new commitments announced in Budget 2025 and signals key trends to watch in 2026 as Canada strengthens its AI ecosystem.

Canadas AI Efforts in 2025 A Year in Review

Canada's AI Efforts in 2025: A Year in Review

Laura Inglis

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Edmonton

Christine Plante

Civil Fraud Recovery, Employment and Shareholder Disputes Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

David M. Price

Employment Services Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Effective January 1, 2026, Alberta will increase job-protected long-term illness and injury leave from 16 to 27 weeks. This update aligns Alberta with other leading Canadian jurisdictions that recently implemented similar extended leaves. Employers will need to revisit their workplace policies to ensure compliance with the new requirements. The blog explains the legislative amendments and their implications for employers.

Alberta Aligns with Other Provinces in Extending Long Term Illness and Injury Leave

Taxation Issues in Real Estate Transactions

From the Same Authors