Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can unlock significant growth opportunities for any business — but they are fraught with risk. In today’s complex business environment, understanding the legal essentials behind these deals and how they can be used to manage risk is critical for professionals in every sector. From early-stage agreements that affect the dynamics of the negotiation process, to sorting out how to put together a deal that is effective in managing business risks associated with anything from intellectual property to employment matters, or even new challenges like AI, the stakes are high for founders, investors, directors, executives, and employees.
Offered online, Queen’s Law’s two-day intensive course, M&A Law Essentials: What Businesses Need to Know, will provide a clear overview of public and private M&A. Participants will learn the risks and opportunities associated with each aspect of an M&A transaction; the steps, processes, and key documents that shape deals; and the roles and interests of actors from board members to shareholders.
“Understanding the M&A process from start to finish isn’t something to leave only to lawyers and accountants,” says course developer Trevor Fairlie, Counsel, Corporate & Securities at Thomson Reuters and former counsel in the Ontario Securities Commission’s Mergers and Acquisitions Department. “Every stakeholder deserves to understand these processes and how they affect them. This course is designed to bridge the gap between legal and business perspectives.”
Over two days, participants will explore the key agreements in an M&A transaction — from letters of intent and confidentiality agreements to purchase agreements — and learn why they matter. The course examines how corporate and securities laws provide a structural framework for M&A, and how tax, competition, employment, and privacy laws intersect with these transactions. Special attention is also given to cross-border M&A, where foreign investment, government approvals, and regulatory risks add complexity. Non-lawyer participants will learn why the legal dimensions can make or break M&A deals, and how to get the most out of their legal and financial advisors as they sort out how to manage deal risk; professional advisors, including lawyers, will leave with an integrated understanding of “the whole chess board” in M&A deals, and how they can better serve their clients’ interests.
What sets this course apart is its expert faculty. Instructors include leading M&A practitioners from national law firms, in-house counsel at major corporations, regulators from the Ontario Securities Commission, and academics with deep real-world M&A experience. Their collective experience spans every aspect of the M&A process, offering participants invaluable insights from those who negotiate, regulate, and even end up managing litigation over these deals.
Among the experts is Robert Yalden, the Sigurdson Professor in Corporate Law and Finance at Queen’s Law and former senior partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. He will lead sessions on public M&A and the role of the Board of Directors. “These topics are critical because they go to the heart of governance and accountability,” Yalden explains. “Boards play a pivotal role in shaping outcomes, and understanding their responsibilities and the risks they need to manage is essential for anyone involved in a transaction.”
No prior legal experience is required, making the intensive accessible to professionals from diverse backgrounds — including professional advisors, consultants, and corporate leaders — who want to understand M&A fundamentals and the legal risks that can shape business outcomes.
The course runs online Feb. 5–6, 2026. Registration is $2,300, with discounts available for organizations such as non-profits and educational institutions. Learn more and register on the M&A Law Essentials web page.