Martin Aquilina

Martin Aquilina was enrolled at the Barreau du Québec (Quebec Bar) in 1993, had a brief stint with the federal government before joining MD Management Limited, where he eventually became the head of the legal department of what was then the financial services arm of the Canadian Medical Association.

Following his call to the Ontario Bar in 1999, Martin brought his expertise in securities law to the Ottawa office of Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP. During the next five and a half years, Martin worked principally as a transactional lawyer, advising on several dozens of financings (debt and equity) and M&A transactions, both private and public.

In 2005, Martin joined one of Canada’s largest law firms, Gowlings Lafleur Henderson (now known as Gowlings WLG), immersing himself in increasingly complex files alongside seasoned technicians.

In 2010, Martin took a sabbatical in order to pursue a Master’s in international and European law at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (Netherlands). His thesis on the Rights of Cultural Majorities earned him a nomination to the J.P.A. Francois Prize offered by the Royal Netherlands Society of International Law.

Martin’s next professional challenge brought him to Geneva, Switzerland, serving as a legal adviser to the Global Fund, an international financing organization funding the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

In 2014, Martin returned to Canada and joined HazloLaw – Business Lawyers, where he used his unique combination of skills and experience to service both a business and non-business clientele dealing with international challenges or opportunities. In 2021, he founded his firm, Aquilina Law, where he continues his internationally focused practice while servicing domestic clients who are confronted with unusual or challenging legal matters.

Martin speaks English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch.