Mitchell joined Farris in July 1998 after spending the majority of the previous 28 years with the Vancouver office of McCarthy Tetrault LLP. He served as their Managing Partner from 1988 to 1990. Prior to joining that firm, he spent three years as a professor in the Faculty of Law at Western University in London, Ontario.
Mitchell has an active practice, often giving advice in complex transactions, including to boards of directors and independent committees of boards of directors; corporations and directors in “going private” transactions and in mergers and acquisitions of public and private corporations. In his real estate practice, Mitchell has been involved in various transactions, financings and complex debt restructurings including advising the City of Vancouver on the restructuring of the Olympic Village real estate project.
Mitchell is rated in the Best Lawyers in Canada directory, Chambers Canada directory, the Lexpert directory as one of Vancouver’s leading lawyers in energy, finance, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, mid-market advisory services, income funds and corporate commercial (one of only three lawyers recognized in three categories), one of Canada’s 40 “Deal-Makers”, one of Canada’s 100 most creative lawyers, one of Canada’s 100 leading cross-border transaction lawyers, and one of Lexpert’s ALM 500 lawyers, profiled as the “Most Frequently Recommended” lawyers across Canada.
Mitchell is currently the Chair of the Project Assurance Board created by BC Hydro and the Province of British Columbia to oversee the construction of the $16B Site C clean energy hydro electric power dam on the Peace River near Fort St John. He is also the chair of the Dean’s Advisory Committee at Allard School of Law, the Chancellor, and a director of, University of Canada West, and has served as a director of Diversified Royalty Inc., Catalyst Paper Inc, Crew Gold Inc, and Concert Properties Ltd.
Mitchell has participated in several continuing legal education programs including: Directors’ Duties and the Business Judgement Rule; Corporate Governance; Mergers and Acquisitions and the Role of the Board; Innovative Financing Structures; Executive Retention in M&A Transactions.
Year of Call
1966
Legal Recognition
•The Best Lawyers in Canada (2026)
•Chambers Canada Ranked Lawyer (2026)
•Lexpert Leading Energy Lawyers (2025)
•Lexpert Leading Lawyers in Canada (2025)
•Lexpert Leading Finance and M&A Lawyers (2025)
•Lexpert Leading Mining Lawyers (2024)
•Lexpert Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (2024)
•Recognized by Who’s Who Legal Canada (2020) in the categories of Capital Markets, Corporate Governance
•Martindale-Hubbell Ranking (AV)
•Queen’s Counsel (1990)
Pro Bono and Community Work
•Chair of the Project Assurance Board (Site C)
•Past Chair of Board of the Federation of Jewish Community of Greater Vancouver
•Past director of the Arts Club Theatre and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Jewish Foundation of Greater Vancouver.
•Past Chair (2002-2003) of the combined Jewish Appeal of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver
•Former chair of the Real Estate division of the United Way of Greater Vancouver and the Lawyer division of the United Way of Greater Vancouver
In the News
Recognition
Farris Lawyers Named in the 2026 Chambers Canada Guide
September 25, 2025
Recognition
61 Farris Lawyers Recognized in the 2026 Best Lawyers in Canada Directory
September 4, 2025
Recognition
Farris Lawyers Named as Leading Energy Lawyers
August 6, 2025
