Donald Bell, Partner, Davis LLP
Listed in Banking, Business/Corporate, Commercial, Mergers & Acquisitions
- Suite 6000, 1 First Canadian Place, PO Box 367, 100 King St W, Toronto ON M5X 1E2
- 416.369.5265
- www.davis.ca/en/lawyer/Donald-Bell/
email: dbell@davis.ca
Law School: LL.B., University of British Columbia, 1993
School: B.A., University of Saskatchewan, 1988
School: Sophia University, Tokyo, 1985 - 1987
State/Provincial Admissions: Ontario (2006), British Columbia (1994), New York (1994)
Languages: English, Japanese
Don Bell is a Partner based in the Toronto office of Davis LLP. Don advises Canadian, U.S. and Japanese corporations and financial institutions from a diverse array of industry groups on corporate commercial matters, with a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions.
In addition to advising on commercial transactions, Don provides ongoing general business law advice to corporations and financial institutions carrying on business in Canada.
Don is ranked as a leading lawyer for Corporate/M&A for Canada and Japan by Chambers Global: Guide to World’s Leading Lawyers 2012, 2013 and 2014, and peer review rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell. The Chambers Global editorial note states: clients say that “he impresses with his depth of knowledge, professionalism, responsiveness, speed and the quality of his work product,” and value his Japanese language skills.
His experience includes advising on:
- inbound foreign investment into Canada;
- business mergers, acquisitions and sales;
- commercial lending, project finance, private financing and securitization;
- natural resource projects in Canada and Asia including mining and pulp and paper;
- energy projects including natural gas, wind, solar, biomass and coal;
- private utility projects including water, waste-water, district energy and electrical distribution;
- manufacturing and distribution;
- limited partnerships and joint ventures; and
- general corporate counsel.
Don joined Davis LLP’s Vancouver office in 1993 and was one of the founding Partners of Davis LLP’s Tokyo office in 1997. In 2006, Don relocated his practice to Toronto, and continues to work out of the firm’s Tokyo and Vancouver offices on a regular basis.
Since 2002, Don has been a member of Davis LLP’s elected national Executive Committee. He is qualified to practice law in British Columbia, Ontario, and New York, and he is chair of the Vancouver chapter of the New York State Bar Association International Law and Practice Section.
Don is fluent in Japanese, and worked for several years for a Japanese electronics manufacturer and a business consulting company after studying in Japan during his high school and university years. His business experience is reflected in the practical and service-oriented business counsel he provides.
Don also provides advice to a number of not-for-profit organizations including Cadence Progressive Contemporary Ballet and the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Foundation.
