Christopher L. Doerksen
PEOPLE

Christopher L. Doerksen

Partner
doerksen.christopher@dorsey.com

Overview

CHRIS HELPS CLIENTS STRUCTURE AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR FINANCING AND M&A TRANSACTIONS, AND COMPLY WITH THEIR DISCLOSURE AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS.

Chris helps clients raise money by selling equity and debt, buy and sell assets and businesses, manage their SEC disclosures, implement corporate governance structures, list on stock exchanges, and establish equity-based compensation arrangements. He currently serves as the head of Seattle’s Corporate department and co-chair of the Canada Cross-Border Practice Group. Chris works in a number of industries, including mining, energy, life sciences, technology, clean technology and financial services. Chris has extensive experience advising Canadian and other foreign clients on U.S. cross-border transactions, and often serves as their general U.S. outside counsel, helping them access solutions to all of their U.S. legal needs through Dorsey’s extensive network of offices and attorneys. He is also co-editor of Dorsey’s Cross-Border Counselor Blog.

Education & Admissions

Stanford Law School (J.D., 1999), With distinction

Simon Fraser University (B.A., 1996), Gold Medal, History;
Gordon M. Shrum Scholarship

Admissions

  • Washington

Experience

Representative Work

Mining & Energy

  • Represented one of the world's largest uranium companies in domestic and offshore acquisitions, dispositions and equity and debt financings aggregating more than $7 billion.
  • Represented a gold company in SEC reporting, corporate governance, an NYSE American listing and a series of equity and debt financings and acquisitions totaling over $4 billion that transformed the company from a privately-held exploration stage company into a large, publicly-traded producer.
  • Represented a platinum company in an NYSE American listing, SEC reporting, corporate governance and public and private financings aggregating over $700 million.
  • Represented mining companies or their investment banks in several going public transactions in which privately-held, U.S.-based mining companies went public via a reverse takeover of a Canadian public company and a concurrent equity financing.

Life Sciences

  • Represented a supplier to the life sciences industry in a transformative transaction in which the company completed a $15 million public offering of common stock and warrants, converted $14 million of secured debt into equity, and uplisted from the OTCQB to the NASDAQ Capital Market, as well as in other matters including SEC reporting and corporate governance.
  • Represented a biopharmaceutical company in several VC financings, a going public transaction via the takeover of a NASDAQ-listed company, SEC reporting, NASDAQ corporate governance and a $50 million shelf takedown of common stock and warrants.
  • Represented a medical device company in SEC reporting and nearly $50 million in equity financings.

Technology and Clean Tech

  • Represented a solar lighting company in a series of public and private equity financings and an acquisition in Florida.
  • Represented a California-based solar roofing company in an inversion transaction in which the company went public via a reverse takeover of a Canadian public company, concurrent with a $45 million equity financing.
  • Represented a satellite imaging company in a going public M&A transaction and a series of financings.

Other Industries

  • Represented a consumer lending company in a series of high yield debt, convertible debt and equity offerings in excess of $1 billion.
  • Represented the world’s largest industrial auctioneer in SEC reporting, NYSE compliance, corporate governance, stock based compensation, and M&A related matters. 
  • Represented a chain of vitamin and supplement stores in a $50 million sale of the company.
  • Represented a sandwich chain in its initial public offering on NASDAQ.
  • Represented the controlling stakeholder of one of the world's largest commercial real estate brokerage firms in the reorganization of the firm's international governing structure and the relicensing of its operations throughout the U.S.

News & Resources

Articles

Corporate Transparency Act: Enforcement Halted Pending Further Court Developments
Comparison of Canadian and U.S. Securities Laws
EDGAR Next—Changes to Filer Access and Account Management
Companies Subject to U.S. Jurisdiction Should not Restrict Personnel from Being SEC Whistleblowers, or Receiving SEC Whistleblower Awards
SEC Staff Provides Welcome Guidance to Resource Extraction Issuers
The Perils of Finder’s Fees (Revisited)
Canadian CPCs, SPACs, and Shells Should Be Careful to Avoid U.S. Investment Company Status
The SEC Amends Policy on Economic Projections, and Issues Final Rules and Additional Guidance for SPACs and Shell Companies
The SEC Amends Policy on Economic Projections, and Issues Final Rules and Additional Guidance for SPACs and Shell Companies
The SEC Amends Policy on Economic Projections, and Issues Final Rules and Additional Guidance for SPACs and Shell Companies
SEC Amends Schedule 13D/G Requirements
SEC Amends Schedule 13D/G Requirements
SEC Accelerates Filing Deadlines for Beneficial Ownership Reports by 5% Shareholders, and Further Amends and Guides Reporting Standards
Canadian Companies Listed on the NYSE, NYSE American, or Nasdaq Must Adopt Updated Clawback Policies by December 1, 2023
FAQs on the SEC's Prescribed Clawback Policy
Implications of SEC Amendment to Insider Trading Safe Harbor for Canadian Issuers
SEC Amends Insider Trading Safe Harbor and Requires New Disclosures to Address Insider Trading Risks
The SEC’s Form F-7 Can Be Used to Conduct a U.S. Public Offering of Securities, with No Review, No Ongoing SEC Reporting, and No Market Capitalization Requirement
Raising U.S. Funds Under Canada’s New “Listed Issuer Financing Exemption”
Mining Companies Subject To The SEC’S Subpart 1300 Of Regulation S-K Should Prepare Now For Next Year’s Annual Report
Continuing a Company from One Country to Another Country Without U.S. Registration or Exemption Triggers Shareholder Rescission Rights
Dorsey releases Updated Guide for Canadian issuers to trade on the OTCQX and OTCQB
Guide to Joining the OTCQX or the OTCQB Markets for Canadian and Other Foreign Issuers
OTCQX International Rule Changes Will Push Certain Canadian Companies to the OTCQB Tier
SPAC Talk: Important Considerations for Private Companies Evaluating a SPAC Going-Public Transaction

News & Press Mentions

201 Dorsey Lawyers Recognized in 2025 Best Lawyers in America, Lawyers of the Year, and Ones to Watch
Chambers USA 2024 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practices
Chambers Global 2024 Recognizes Dorsey Partners and Practices
Dorsey Advises Sponsor in UBTECH ROBOTICS IPO
200 Dorsey Lawyers Selected for Inclusion in 2024 Best Lawyers in America, Lawyers of the Year, and Ones to Watch
Chambers USA 2023 Recognizes 12 Dorsey Lawyers and Four Practices in Seattle
Chambers USA 2023 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practices
Chambers Global 2023 Recognizes Dorsey Partners and Practices
Chambers USA 2022 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practices
Chambers USA 2019 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practices
Chambers USA 2018 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practices in Seattle
Chambers USA 2017 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practice Groups in Seattle
Chambers USA 2017 Recognizes Dorsey Lawyers and Practices
Dorsey Represents Underwriters in Tactile Medical IPO
Super Lawyers Recognizes 20 Dorsey Lawyers in Seattle
Dorsey & Whitney Named Capital Markets Law Firm of the Year-North America by Lawyers World Law
12 lawyers in the Firm’s Seattle office named Super Lawyers™ and six named Rising Stars by Washington Super Lawyers

Events & Speaking Engagements

Webinar Playback: New SEC Reporting of Government Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers
U.S. Securities Law Update, presented to the Canadian Bar Association
U.S. Securities Law Update, presented to the Canadian Bar Association
Webinar Playback: Listing on the NYSE American for Canadian Issuers
Webinar Playback: Trading on the OTCQX/OTCQB Markets for Canadian Issuers
Webinar Playback: At-the-Market (ATM) Programs for Canadian Issuers
At-the-Market (ATM) Programs for U.S. and Canadian Issuers
US Cross-Border Considerations for In-House Counsel
SEC Adopts Rules to Modernize Mineral Disclosure Requirements for Mining Companies
Understanding the SEC’s New Mining Disclosure Rules
Webinar Playback: Understanding the SEC’s New Mining Disclosure Rules
Understanding Disclosure Rules for Mining Companies: A Comparison of U.S. and International Technical Disclosure Standards, presented at the 63rd Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Annual Institute
Intellectual Property Webinar Series: Changes to Confidentiality Clauses
Webinar Playback: Changes to Confidentiality Clauses
U.S. Securities Law Update, presented to the Canadian Bar Association
Webinar Playback: Understanding the SEC’s Proposed New Mining Disclosure Rules
Going Public in Canada, presented in Seattle
Webinar Playback: Regulation A+: New Financing Opportunities for the U.S. Markets
Regulation A+: New Financing Opportunities for the Canadian Markets
Current Issues in Cross-Border Transactions, presented to the Canadian Bar Association
Current Issues in Cross-Border Transactions
Offering Securities in the United States
Numerous presentations regarding the changes in securities laws effected by the JOBS Act and the Dodd-Frank Act
10 Critical Due Diligence Issues That Can Spoil Your Day (or Deal), a presentation at the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation's Special Institute on Due Diligence in Mining and Oil & Gas Transactions
Invitation to the Broker-Dealers: Guide to Cross-Border Financings

Professional & Civic

Community Involvement

  • Volunteer, Girl Scouts of Western Washington, Troop 41274

Accolades

Chambers USA 2024 Dorsey LogoChambers Global 2023Chambers USA 2023 Chambers 2022Chambers USA 2021Ranked in Chambers USA 2020Ranked in Chambers USA 2019 Leading Individual

Chambers USA 2018 Leading Individual  Ranked in USA Chambers 2017 Leading Individual

  • Listed in Who's Who Legal – Mining, 2025
  • Recognized in Best Lawyers in America©, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2024-2025
  • Recognized internationally by Chambers Global (Energy: Mining & Metals (Transactional) in USA), 2023
  • Recognized nationally by Chambers USA (Energy: Mining & Metals (Transactional)), 2022-2024

Contributed 50+ Pro Bono Hours in 2020

  • Contributed more than 50 Challenge pro bono hours, 2020
  • Ranked as one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA (Corporate/Commercial), 2016-2019
  • Recognized as a Foreign Expert (Based Abroad) for Corporate/M&A: Canada by Chambers Global, 2013
  • Recognized as a Foreign Expert (Canada) for Corporate/M&A: USA by Chambers Global, 2013
  • Listed as a "Rising Star" by Washington Super Lawyers, 2005-2014
Christopher L. Doerksen