Steven practises in the areas of tax law, mergers and acquisitions, business succession, corporate and commercial law and high-net-worth estate and succession planning.
Steven advises clients across Canada, including public companies, private corporations, partnerships and trusts. He is also a trusted advisor to many high-net-worth multi-generational families. Steven’s clients include many of the leading businesses and business leaders in Manitoba and he has extensive knowledge and market-leading experience in a variety of industries including manufacturing, transportation, real estate development, agriculture, distribution, cannabis, regulated professionals, health care, supply chain logistics, retail operations and construction. Steven is recognized as a leading lawyer in corporate tax by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (since 2012) and by Best Lawyers for tax law and trusts and estates (since 2010).
Steven is deeply committed to the firm and the practice of law. He was previously a member of the Aikins, Macaulay & Thorvaldson Executive Committee and is the current Chair of the MLT Aikins Partner Compensation Committee. Steven previously taught courses at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law and for the Law Society of Manitoba’s Bar Admission Course. He has been a frequent speaker and presenter for organizations including the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Family Enterprise Exchange, Federated Press and the Law Society of Manitoba.
Steven is also a very active and supportive member of the Winnipeg community, having served on many volunteer boards and committees including the Health Sciences Centre Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, the Simkin Centre Foundation, the Rose and Max Rady Jewish Community Centre and St. John’s-Ravenscourt School.
- Counsel to hundreds of private and public corporations, partnerships and professionals in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, strategic business and tax planning, corporate governance and shareholder dispute resolution
- Trusted adviser to numerous multi-generational high-net-worth families
- Counsel to Cando Rail & Terminals Ltd. on the sale to Alberta Investment Management Corporation
- Counsel to Cando Rail Services Ltd. on an equity investment by Torquest Partners
- Counsel to Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. on its TSX listing and the development of its retail operations
- Counsel to Bold Commerce on capital raises with Whitecap Ventures Partners and Round 13 Capital
- Counsel to the CEL Group of Companies on its sale to Madison Industries
- Counsel to Melet Plastics Inc. on its sale to The Regency Group
- Counsel to Controlled Environments on its acquisition of Argus Control Systems Ltd.
- Tax Counsel to Manitoba Telecom Services on the acquisition of Allstream Inc.
- Counsel to Loewen Windows Ltd. on the sale to VKR Holdings A/S
- Counsel to purchasers on the purchase of Loewen Windows Ltd. from VKR Holdings A/S
- Tax counsel to the owners of Mondetta/MPG on the sale of an equity interest to Webster Equity Partners
- Tax counsel on the sale of Custom Helicopters Ltd to Exchange Income Corporation
- Tax counsel to Westcoast Energy on the sale of Centra Gas Manitoba to Manitoba Hydro
- Tax counsel on the acquisition of the assets of Winnipeg Hydro by Manitoba Hydro
- Tax counsel to TruServ Canada Cooperative Inc. on its federal co-operative conversion
- Chair, Partner Compensation Committee, MLT Aikins
- Past Member, Executive Board, Aikins
- Past Member, Students’ Committee, Aikins
- Member, Audit and Finance Committee, Jewish Foundation of Manitoba
- Director, The Simkin Centre Foundation
- Member, Membership Committee, St. Charles Golf and Country Club
- Honorary Counsel, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue
- Past Director, Health Sciences Centre Foundation
- Past Governor, St. John’s-Ravenscourt School
- Past Director, Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club
- Past Director and Honorary Counsel, Rose and Max Rady Jewish Community Centre
- Past Director, Jewish Federation of Winnipeg
- Past Chair, Tax Subsection, Manitoba Bar Association
- Past Member, Curriculum Review Committee, Faculty of Law (Manitoba)
- Past Director, Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (Winnipeg)
- Past Director, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue
- Former Course Head and Sessional Lecturer, Corporate Tax, Faculty of Law (Manitoba)
- Former Instructor, Advanced Corporate Law, Faculty of Law (Manitoba)
- Former Course Head and Instructor, Bar Admission Course, The Law Society of Manitoba
- Member, The Law Society of Manitoba
- Member, Manitoba Bar Association
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Canadian Tax Foundation
- Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
- Authored and co-authored numerous articles on taxation for the Canadian Tax Foundation, Federated Press and the Law Society of Manitoba
- Recognized as a Top Lawyer, Trusts and Estates, Tax Law, Best Lawyers (2010-present)
- Named a Leading Lawyer, Corporate Tax, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2012-2023)