Eva Bellissimo is a partner in the firm’s Toronto office and Co-leader of McCarthy Tétrault’s Global Metals & Mining Group. Named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada (2021), Eva is deeply connected to the mining industry and is a strategic and entrepreneurial lawyer with a strong reputation for getting the deal done.

With 20 years of experience and having led hundreds of transactions, Eva’s practice is focused on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and corporate finance, primarily in the mining and cannabis industries. In her M&A practice, Eva offers pragmatic advice and develops deal strategy for acquirors, target companies and special committees, assisting clients in developing and executing a variety of transactions including arrangements, reverse take-overs, going-private transactions, take-over bids and other business combinations. In her corporate finance practice, she advises issuers and investment banks on public equity offerings, convertible debt transactions and initial public offerings. Eva is also the lead advisor to a number of international clients seeking to undertake strategic investments in TSX-listed issuers. In addition, Eva has navigated issuers through proxy contests and advised with respect to activist shareholder actions.

Eva has led a range of M&A and corporate financing transactions involving TSX, TSXV and CSE listed issuers, including:

• Acting for Rio Tinto on its proposed US$2.7 billion all cash insider acquisition of TSX/NYSE-listed Turquoise Hill Resources which operates the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia
• Acting for Newcrest Mining on its $3.5B acquisition of TSX/NYSE-listed Pretium Resources Inc. which operates the Brucejack gold mine in British Columbia
• Acting for a syndicate of underwriters led by RBC Capital Markets and Haywood Securities Inc. in connection with an IPO of Arizona Sonoran Copper Company
• Acting for Rio Tinto on its Heads of Agreement with Turquoise Hill Resources for an updated US$2.3 billion funding plan (including project finance and equity) for the completion of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Project in Mongolia
• Acting for Evolution Mining on its acquisition of TSX-listed Battle North Gold Corp.
• Acting for Altius Renewable Royalties Corp. on is $100 million initial public offering and concurrent TSX listing via TSX Sandbox
• Acting for Endeavour Mining on its C$2.44 billion all-stock acquisition of TSX-listed Teranga Gold Corporation which operates the Sabodala-Massawa and Wahgnion gold mines in West Africa
• Acting for Endeavour Mining in connection with its US$2 billion shelf prospectus and subsequent US$200 million investment by La Mancha
• Acting for Stelco on its US$100 million option to acquire 25% interest in Minntac, the largest iron ore mine in the United States, and entry into long term extension pellet supply agreement with U.S Steel
• Acting for Newcrest Mining on its US$460 million acquisition of gold prepay and silver stream facilities and offtake on Lundin Gold's Fruta del Norte gold mine in Ecuador from Orion and Blackstone
• Acting for Endeavour Mining on its C$1 billion all-stock acquisition of TSX-listed SEMAFO which operates the Boungou and Mana gold mines in Burkina Faso
• Acting for Anglo Asian Mining on its strategic investment in TSXV-listed Libero Copper and Gold
• Acting for Sumitomo Metals Mining on its strategic investment in TSXV-listed Kenorland Minerals
• Acting for Vale on its earn-in agreement for various copper properties in the United States
• Acting for Vale on its strategic alliance with Mundoro Capital with respect to copper deposits in western United States
• Acted for a syndicate of agents led by Haywood Securities Inc. in connection with an initial public offering of Uranium Royalty Corp
• Acted for Calibre Mining on its acquisition of two operating mines from B2Gold and concurrent $100 million financing and TSX graduation.
• Acted for Osisko Gold Royalties on a C$537 million going private transaction of TSX-listed Dalradian Resources and continuing shareholder arrangements.
• Acting on behalf of Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. in connection with its $1.2 billion business combination with Newmarket Gold Inc.
• Acting on behalf of a syndicate of agents co-led by Scotia Capital Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp. and National Bank Financial Inc. in connection with an initial public offering of Titan Mining Corporation
• Acting on behalf of Desert Lion Energy Inc. in connection with its subscription receipt offering and reverse take-over listing transaction
• Acting on behalf of a syndicate of agents co-led by Scotia Capital Inc. and Haywood Securities Inc. in connection with a public offering of $65 million of common shares of Altius Minerals Corporation the proceeds of which were used to fund a portion of a $500 million royalty acquisition
• Acting on behalf of a Buffalo Coal Corp. in connection with a number of strategic convertible debt investments by Resource Capital Funds V L.P.
• Acting on behalf of Franco-Nevada Corporation in connection with a $370 million public offering of units
• Advised Skeena Resources on its 100% acquisition of Eskay Creek gold and silver project from Barrick

In addition to her law practice, Eva remains actively involved with Western University. Eva was a regular lecturer on mining corporate finance at Western University Law School and is the Chair of the Advisory Council for the DAN Management Program at Western University. Eva is also the chair of Corporate Governance Committee of a number of public company boards.

Eva is a graduate of Western University, B.A. (ACS) (with Distinction), 1998, and Western University Law School, LL.B., 2001. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2002.