Krane to spearhead competition law and foreign investment practice amidst firm's expansion
This article was produced in partnership with MLT Aikins
MLT Aikins invited Joshua Krane to come aboard as partner and lead the firm’s competition law and foreign investment practice and, as the saying goes, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“Managing Partner Aaron Runge and Firm Chair Adam Levene presented me with an opportunity that I wasn’t sure I’d ever see again in my lifetime,” Krane says. “I’m at the stage of my life and my career where I’m excited to do something different and that’s what this is: it’s a different move, it’s exciting, and I couldn’t turn it down.”
Krane spoke to Canadian Lawyer from his homebase in Ottawa, over 3000 kms away from MLT Aikins's Calgary office with which he is associated. Though he’ll be supporting every office, in person and with some frequency, the intention of his unique role is to highlight that the Calgary office is growing and it’s growing fast. Aligning with the firm’s already extensive Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Regina offices and growing offices in Vancouver and Edmonton, Calgary is adding M&A capabilities as it strengthens its leadership across Western Canada and beyond.
“MLT Aikins is looking to cement its Western Canadian presence and having competition sit with the Calgary office is consistent with the growth agenda of the firm,” Krane explains, stressing that competition law doesn’t have to be a Toronto practice.
“There may be a bit of a blind spot in Eastern Canada about how strong MLT Aikins is, but they didn’t become one of the largest firms in Canada by accident. They’ve made investments, built a phenomenal client base, and picked strong people to service those clients. They’ve got excellent management partners that are focused on doing all the right things, including putting client service first. I’m very much looking forward to being a part of that.”
Coming aboard at an opportune time
Krane’s addition comes at an opportune time and is a nod to the firm’s commitment to support clients in a rapidly changing area of law. In the wake of three rounds of legislative changes over the last two years, clients are rethinking traditional approaches and requiring more advice as they proceed with transactions or commercial arrangements.
Hailing from the competition law group of a national firm where he spent just over a decade, Krane sees many opportunities that align with the firm’s strengths in industries like banking, energy, agriculture, and technology, which are all seeing an increased focus on competition.
Having worked closely with manufacturers and dealers in agribusiness, Krane expects ongoing issues between the two stakeholders — changes around the right to repair, for example — to drive competition involvement up, as well as a spike in transactions that require competition support as more technology and innovation enters the space. Krane also acts for various telecommunications companies on making sure Canadians have access to wholesale for internet, which is “a very, very active file right now involving many telecom companies,” he says.
On the technology side there have been significant changes around foreign investment controls. As technology companies — especially in areas of rapidly growing activity, such as Calgary — look to source more funding, it’s critical they receive proper guidance on who is a suitable investor, what kind of approvals are needed, and how to structure those deals to get them through. Finally, unique to MLT Aikins practice experience is carbon capture utilization storage. Considering recent changes around greenwashing rules, carbon capture companies must be mindful about conducting the right testing and validating the approaches they're taking so they're not offside the competition rules.
“These are all big, high-profile issues that concern many of the firm's clients and overall, the market is much more focused on competition than it’s ever been historically, which means competition lawyers have a seat at the table early and often,” Krane says. “My expectation is we’ll see more firms become active in the space to help support their clients through the risks.”
Adding value for clients via in-house focus and experience
Noting that it’s remarkable MLT Aikins has grown to its current size without a full-time competition lawyer, Krane believes establishing deep experience in-house adds immeasurable value to the advice the firm gives. His work started right away: Krane reports constructive discussions with colleagues about ongoing projects, his integration into a few commercial and industry teams with a view to present on what’s to come, and an eye to growing the firm’s talented base of young lawyers, working closely with those who show an interest in and aptitude for competition.
“The learning curve can be quite steep, but we’ve already identified some great lawyers internally who are keen and capable in this area,” Krane says. “I’d like to add more competition lawyers to the bench of MLT Aikins as we build out our practice group to mirror the size of our law firm.”
Along with an impressive resume and a fulsome technical skillset, Krane brings an outlook that bolsters the client-centric ethos of the firm. He has a deep appreciation and respect for his clients, relishing the opportunity to work closely with them to help solve their business problems. He often thinks back to what he refers to as the best advice he’s been given, which he intends to continue to implement in his new role.
“Understanding the emotions our clients are experiencing and helping them work through them is critical, and helpful from a business development perspective,” he recalls. “Clients want to know you’re worried about their issue and that you have their back, and that’s always guided my practice — and it’s an approach that’s right at home at MLT Aikins.”
