Morgan T. McDonald

Partner

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Morgan consistently delivers excellent work product and is a creative problem solver.

client feedback, Chambers Canada

Emailmorgan.mcdonald@ca.dlapiper.com

Call+1 778 999 1185

Vancouver

About

Morgan McDonald is a business lawyer, practising corporate and commercial law with ‎companies from ‎startup, to growth and ultimately later operating stages. Morgan’s practice is focused on assisting ‎founders and established companies in the technology ‎sector, including software, gaming, ecommerce ‎and related technology facing businesses and emerging markets ‎including artificial intelligence, cloud ‎computing and privacy. Morgan has also been involved in assisting ‎clients in the emerging cannabis and ‎psychedelics ‎sectors since inception and has helped companies navigate new regulation and rapid ‎growth ‎in the space. ‎Regardless of the industry, Morgan provides value to new and repeat entrepreneurs using a ‎‎business centric and practical approach to solving business and legal needs from incorporation through ‎exit. ‎

Morgan assists clients at early stages with long and short term planning in company formation and ‎shareholder and ‎founder agreements. As they grow, she assists clients with IP creation, commercialization, ‎and management, go-to-‎market contract drafting and negotiation including development, licencing and ‎subscription agreements, ‎employment and contractor agreements and compensation plans, and ongoing ‎contract review. As needs arise, ‎Morgan assists companies and investors with debt and equity financing ‎from friends and family and seed through ‎series rounds and private equity and venture capital ‎opportunities by negotiating and managing transactions from ‎term sheet through close. ‎

Morgan is active in the startup and technology community, partnering as a mentor with a number of ‎accelerators and incubators ‎and speaking regularly to entrepreneurs and providing office hours.‎

Prior to earning her LL.M. from the University of British Columbia, Morgan externed at the United States ‎‎District Court for the Central District of California and was called to the California State Bar.‎

Areas of FocusConsumer Goods, Food and Retail Corporate Intellectual Property Mergers and Acquisitions Private Equity Technology and Commercial Transactions Emerging Growth and Venture Capital Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity Technology Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics

Bar admissionsBritish Columbia, 2013California, 2011

EXPERIENCE

TECHNOLOGY

Eldridge LLC in its Acquisition and investment into Viral Nation Inc. and a Viral Nation International Inc. ‎for CAD$250 million.‎
Eldridge LLC in its Series B Investment into Skyhive Technologies for approximately $40 million.
‎Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO, CSE: DPRO) in the launch of Draganfly’s Drone Technology Course at Alabama State University’s Division of Continuing Education. Draganfly Inc.
Seequent in dual track process where the client evaluated options to publically list or sell, resulting in an ‎acquisition by Bentley Systems, Incorporated for US$1.05 billion.‎
Seaspine in its acquisition by plan of arrangement of 7D Surgical for a purchase price of US$110 ‎million. ‎
Hiya Inc., on its expansion of fraud and spam services into Canada and negotiation of its carrier ‎contract master technology and services agreement with Rogers. ‎
se2 Technologies in its acquisition of Breathe Life Inc. to expand se2’s end-to-end SaaS solutions to ‎help carriers offer a digital buying experience to customers. ‎
Eldridge LLC in its Series D Investment into Koho Financial Inc. for approximately $210 million.‎
Commit Solutions Inc. in its $6 million Seed Financing round.‎
NuData Security Inc., a cyber-fraud detection and behavior analysis software ‎platform, through to its ‎sale to Mastercard ‎Incorporated.‎
Bit Stew Systems Inc., a Big Data edge network aggregation developer, throughout its growth and ‎commercial development, including multiple financings ‎culminating in its sale to a subsidiary of General ‎Electric Co. in a cash transaction ‎valued at US$153 million.‎
Plentyoffish Media Inc. ("POF"), one of the world’s largest online free dating sites, and its founder ‎Markus Frind in POF's ‎acquisition by The Match Group for US$575 million.‎
Lofi Studios in its initial seed investments ‎and launch of its WEEDGANG NFT.
Gratify Payments Inc. in its founding and the Australian and Canadian launch of its buy-now, pay-later solution for payment services providers.

ESG/ RETAIL/ CONSUMER GOODS/ WELLNESS

Hydrofarm Holding Group Inc.’s acquisition of Greenstar Plant Products Inc. for a CAD$103,635,000.‎
Tru Earth Environmental Products Inc. in its seed funding, bridge loan funding and Series A Round. ‎
VGAN Brands Inc. in its acquisition of The Gourmet Ghetto Ltd. dba NextJen Gluten Free in connection ‎with its initial financing and public listing. ‎
TrendiTech Inc., a food waste startup, in its seed financing, corporate clean up, commercial relationship ‎management. ‎
Numinus Wellness Inc. on regulatory, employment and related operational matters in its transaction to acquire Novamind Inc. and it’s US-operating subsidiaries in Utah and Arizona.
Delic Holdings Inc. in its acquisition of Ketamine Wellness Centers for approximately USD $10m.