Firm: McMillan LLP Location: Vancouver As a partner in McMillan's capital-markets practice, Desmond Balakrishnan developed expertise working in highly regulated industries such as gaming and liquor. When British Columbia started issuing medical-marijuana licenses in late 2013, Balakrishnan jumped on the new line of business, seeing a clear crossover with his practice area. "We were a first mover five years ago," Balakrishnan said. He now focuses on advising the biggest IPOs and M&A transactions in cannabis. He led a team that represented Aurora Cannabis in its $1 billion takeover of CanniMed Therapeutics — a deal that started out hostile but turned friendly, Balakrishnan said — as well as Aurora's $3.5 billion merger with MedReleaf, one of the biggest marijuana M&A transactions to date. Aurora, for its part, spent 2018 on an acquisition spree, deals that benefited Balakrishnan's longstanding relationship with the company.