Firms To Watch: Corporate and M&A

MLT Aikins LLP leverages the bench strength of 6 locations across Western Canada to advise domestic and multinational corporates across such industries as financial services, oil & gas, agribusiness, transport, aviation and natural resources, on business combinations and high-value purchases.

Corporate and M&A in Canada

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

The powerhouse practice at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP continues to lead in the marketplace, utilizing the bench strength of national offices in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa and abroad in London and New York, to advise major domestic and multinational corporates and financial institutions involved in high-value public and private M&A. The group is led by two M&A experts: David Kruse, who also provides expertise in assisting with shareholder, joint venture, partnership and commercial agreements, and Catherine Youdan, a specialist in equity and debt capital market transactions. Ross Bentley in Calgary brings experience to the aviation, energy and agribusiness sectors, advising on domestic and international mergers, takeover bids and plans of arrangement. Michael Gans draws on over 25 years of practice, managing complex M&A, related party transactions and internal investigations. Jeffrey Lloyd brings authority to major negotiated and unsolicited transactions involving clients in such industries as real estate, media, telecoms and financial services. Acting for wide client base of public and private companies, boards of directors, special committees and underwriters, Linda Tu specializes in the retail, tech, renewables, agriculture and cannabis spaces. All lawyers, unless noted, work in the Toronto office.

Practice head(s):

David Kruse: Catherine Youdan


Other key lawyers:

Ross Bentley; Michael Gans; Jeffrey Lloyd; Linda Tu; Chad Schneider; Christine Milliken; John-Paul Bogden; Paul Singh; Lindsay Balson


Key clients

Royal Bank of Canada


Canadian Pacific Railway Limited


Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.


Magnet Forensics Inc.


Suncor Energy Inc.


Simpson Group


BCE / Bell Canada, Inc.


Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board


CI Financial Corp.


Lyft


ABC Technologies Holdings


Work highlights


  • Advised Royal Bank of Canada on its C$13.5bn acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada.
  • Advised Pembina Pipeline Corporation on its C$11.4bn joint venture with KKR & Co. to merge their western Canadian natural gas processing assets.
  • Advised Turquoise Hill Resources Limited on its C$4.3bn going private acquisition by its controlling shareholder Rio Tinto.

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP remains a market leader, pairing the bench strength of offices in Toronto, Montreal and New York with the experience of its team to advise major public and private companies, pension funds, private equity firms and financial sponsors involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Acting for such key market players as the Barrick Gold Corporation and the Blackstone Group, the practice’s client roster spans such sectors as mining, telecoms, energy, life sciences, financial services and retail. The group is headed in Toronto by transactional authority Vincent Mercier, who assists bidders, target boards and special committees, including on proxy contests; Patricia Olasker, an expert in friendly and unsolicited M&A and shareholder activism; mining industry specialist Melanie Shishler, who handles public company M&A, private asset acquisitions and dispositions, and complex private equity investment transactions; and by Franziska Ruf in Montreal, who brings expertise to M&A, private equity, corporate governance, capital markets and securities matters. In Toronto, Aaron Atkinson specializes in major transactions, along with Brett Seifred, who acts for clients across such industries as telecoms, food services and entertainment.

Practice head(s):

Vincent Mercier; Patricia Olasker; Franziska Ruf; Melanie Shishler


Other key lawyers:

Brett Seifred; Richard Cherney; Aaron Atkinson; Justin Vineberg; Elliot Greenstone; Sébastien Roy; Kevin Greenspoon


Testimonials

‘Their knowledge base and technical skills are unmatched.’

‘Kevin Greenspoon is extremely bright, diligent and experienced.’

‘Melanie Shishler’s combination of technical legal knowledge allied with commercial skill and judgement has yet to be matched.’

Key clients

The Blackstone Group


Shaw Communications Inc.


Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.


KLH Capital


Barrick Gold Corporation


KKR & Co., Inc.


The Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments)


Interfor Corporation


WideOrbit


Elliott Investment Management L.P.


Work highlights


  • Acted for Shaw Communications in the acquisition by Rogers Communications of all of Shaw’s issued and outstanding Class A and Class B shares in a transaction valued at approximately $26bn, including debt.
  • Acted for Barrick Gold Corporation in its agreement with the governments of Pakistan and Balochistan to reconstitute the Reko Diq Project in the country’s Balochistan province.
  • Acted for Agnico Eagle Mines Limited in its joint topping bid with Pan American Silver Corp. for the acquisition of Yamana Gold.

Goodmans LLP

Based in Toronto, Goodmans LLP continues to lead in the corporate and M&A space, advising major multinational corporates and financial institutions involved in complex, multi-jurisdictional M&A, reorganisations and corporate governance matters. The firm’s broad client base spans sectors ranging from real estate, telecoms, energy, pharmaceuticals and aviation to mining, cannabis, sports and cryptocurrency. Robert Vaux, who specializes in public and private M&A, IPOs and follow-on financings, co-heads the team, along with Michelle Vigod, who manages M&A, take-over bids, divestitures, corporate reorganizations and private equity transactions. Other key figures include Stephen Pincus, a renowned expert in SPAC structures; Neill May, an expert in securities; Stephen Halperin, who brings over 30 years of experience; Jonathan Lampe, who advises on the governance of public entities, in relation to ongoing operations, strategic initiatives, investigations and dissident shareholder activities; Jamie van Diepen, who brings transactional strength to such industries as pharmaceuticals and education; Brad Ross, who represents a wide base of issuers, private companies and underwriters; and shareholder activities specialist Jonathan Feldman. Julian di Bartolomeo was promoted to partner in January 2023.

Practice head(s):

Robert Vaux; Michelle Vigod


Other key lawyers:

Stephen Pincus; Neill May; Michael Partridge; Brenda Gosselin; Chris Sunstrum; Brad Ross; David Coll-Black; Stephen Halperin; Jonathan Lampe; Jonathan Feldman; Jamie van Diepen; Kari MacKay; Julian di Bartolomeo; Tara Hunt


Key clients

Rogers Inc.


Onex Corporation Ltd.


Newmont North America Exploration


Clairvest Group Inc.


OMERS Private Equity


Minto Apartment REIT


Berkshire Investments Group


Canaccord Genuity


Searchlight Capital Partners


Revera


Northern Private Capital


Coeur Mining, Inc.


Franco-Nevada Corporation


Subversive Capital


Bank of Montreal (BMO)


Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining Co. Ltd.


MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Inc.


Dream Industrial REIT


Brookfield Renewable Partners


Latecoere


Nuvo Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Miravo Healthcare


CRAFT 1861 Global Holdings


Brookfield Asset Management


Trader Corporation


Gamut Capital Management L.P.


BDT Capital Partners Ltd.


Altria Group, LLC


GSR II Meteora Acquisition Corp.


AP IX Alpha Holdings (Lux)


All Blue Investments (DIFC) Ltd.


Modu-Loc Fence Rentals


Keystone Capital Management L.P.


Ontario Plants Propagation Ltd.


Resonetics, LLC


Molded Devices, Inc.


Work highlights


  • Acted for Rogers Communications in connection with its acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares and Class B Shares of Shaw Communications in a transaction valued at approximately C$26bn.
  • Acted for the independent directors of Brookfield Renewable Partners in connection with the acquisition by BEP, along with Cameco Corporation and BEP’s institutional partners, of Westinghouse Electric Company from Brookfield Business Partners.
  • Acted for Onex Corporation and WestJet Airlines in the acquisition by WestJet of Sunwing Vacations.

McCarthy Tétrault

With a nationwide presence and offices abroad in London and New York, McCarthy Tétrault continues to act as a first port of call for major public and private companies (including Blackstone and Rio Tinto) and private equity firms involved in high-value domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions. The firm’s comprehensive service covers M&A, corporate finance and capital markets matters. The practice’s roster spans such sectors as mining, manufacturing, software, oil and gas, media, IT, private equity and pharmaceuticals, with the practice displaying particular strength in the mining space. Cameron Belsher, who works in the Vancouver and Toronto offices, brings expertise to M&A and private equity matters and co-leads the group with Jonathan See, a specialist in files related to the gaming, infrastructure and power industries, and Shea Small in Toronto and London, who provides extensive experience in joint ventures, strategic investments and capital markets. Clemens Mayr in Montreal acts for issuers and underwriters in Canadian and cross-border public financings. Shevaun McGrath handles complex leveraged buyouts, minority investments and restructurings in Toronto, where David Woollcombe advises on M&A and securities offerings.

Practice head(s):

Cameron Belsher KC; Jonathan See; Shea Small


Other key lawyers:

Shevaun McGrath; Patrick Boucher; Clemens Mayr; Roger Taplin; Patrick Shea; David Woollcombe; Chrystelle Chevalier-Gagnon


Key clients

British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI)


Blackstone


Brookfield Asset Management


Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)


Cameco Corporation


Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)


CVC Capital Partners


Endeavour Mining


Fairfax Financial


Instar Asset Management


Magris Resources Canada Inc.


Mubadala Investment Company


Newcrest Mining Limited


Novacap


OMERS


Partners Group


Rio Tinto plc


Slate Asset Management


TD Bank and TD Greystone Asset Management


Vision Ridge Partners, LLC


Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

With locations in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, Vancouver and New York, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP remains a force in the practice space, bringing strength to advising major domestic and multinational financial institutes and corporates (including the Royal Bank of Canada, Microsoft and General Motors) on large-scale and mid-cap market deals, such as cross-border M&A (including privatizations and corporate restructurings), securities and capital markets matters. The practice is led in Toronto by   corporate national chair Michael Innes, a securities and M&A specialist, who assists issuers and market participants across such sectors as telecoms, life sciences, mining, tech, food, real estate and media; Jeremy Fraiberg, who brings expertise to transactions involving private equity firms and pension funds; and Alex Gorka, who represents investment dealers in conflict transactions, financial advisory assignments and fairness opinion issues. Other key figures include managing partner Douglas Bryce in Toronto; Frank Turner in Calgary, who advises clients in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa on acquisitions and investments in the Canadian market; and Douglas Marshall, who assists with public take-over bids, share and asset acquisitions and divestitures, and mining sector expert James Brown (both also in Toronto). New partner Brad Newby joined from Farris LLP in February 2023.

Practice head(s):

Michael Innes; Jeremy Fraiberg; Alex Gorka


Other key lawyers:

James Brown; Douglas Bryce; Jeremy Fraiberg; Douglas Marshall; Frank Turner


Key clients

Bank of Montreal


Dream Unlimited


Royal Bank of Canada


Kinross Gold


Hydro One


Microsoft


Drax Group plc.


Constellation Brands


The Estée Lauder Companies


Magna International


Québecor Média Inc.


General Motors LLC


Telus International (Cda) Inc.


Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec


LifeWorks


Stikeman Elliott LLP

Stikeman Elliott LLP remains a market-leading firm with a strong national presence and international reach, utilizing the deep bench strength of offices in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, as well as in New York, London and Sydney, to advise major public and private corporations, banks and governments involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional M&A, private equity and corporate finance transactions. The firm's robust client base spans sectors ranging from energy, mining, real estate, financial services and manufacturing to food, e-commerce, life sciences and health care. Toronto office managing partner John Ciardullo, who brings top-of-the-market expertise to M&A and provides comprehensive support with crisis management and regulatory compliance. A pioneer in the structure and launch of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) in Canada, Simon Romano utilizes over 30 years of experience. Firm chair Jeffrey Singer represents banks, corporates, private capital firms and pension funds on capital markets and private equity matters and M&A. Sean Vanderpol assists with complex joint venture transactions, public corporate finance transactions and public governance issues. The extensive background of Montreal office managing partner Warren Katz includes handling divestitures, private placements, investments and going-private transactions. Unless noted, all lawyers mentioned work in Toronto.

Practice head(s):

Jonah Mann; Robert Carelli; John Laffin; Jeff Hershenfield; Kevin Smyth; Kim Le; Warren Silversmith; David Massé; Keith Chatwin; Michael Urbani


Other key lawyers:

Sean Vanderpol; John Ciardullo; Simon Romano; John Leopold; Jeffrey Singer; Sophie Lamond; Warren Katz; Maxime Turcotte


Torys

The corporate and M&A practice at Torys marshals the combined experience of teams in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary and New York, to advise major corporates and financial institutions (including Scotiabank and BNP Paribas) involved in cross-border transactions at the domestic and international levels. The group’s client roster spans such sectors as telecoms, financial services, cannabis, utilities and energy. The group is jointly led in Toronto by John Emanoilidis, Karrin Powys-Lybbe and Michael Amm, all of whom bring expertise to complex M&A, securities, private equity and corporate governance matters. Other key figures include Adrienne DiPaolo in Toronto, who, in addition to public and private M&A, acts for bidders and targets in both negotiated and contested transactions; Janan Paskaran in Calgary, a specialist in securities compliance matters and corporate finance; and Jennifer Baugh (also in Calgary) who was promoted to partner in January 2023. Another key figure is senior associate Daniel Masliyah in Toronto.

Other key lawyers:

Adrienne DiPaolo; Janan Paskaran; Jennifer Baugh; Ricco Bhasin; Daniel Masliyah


Testimonials

‘Adrienne DiPaolo is fantastic. She is insightful, practical and gets right to the heart of any issue.’

‘Excellent communication, proactive, able to give multiple business points to consider.’

‘They take a business approach and make the client aware of what is important and what is not.’

‘Ricco Bhasin is very deal-savvy and understands business objectives. He puts together great teams.’

Key clients

Rogers Control Trust


Brookfield Corporation


BNP Paribas


The Toronto-Dominion Bank


Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.


Pembina Gas Infrastructure


Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited


Scotiabank


Champion Petfoods


Olympus Corporation


Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited


Canaccord Genuity Corp.


Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec


Home Capital Group


AmeriVet Veterinary Partners


The Bank of Nova Scotia


Qatalyst Partners


Enbridge


AltaGas


Work highlights


  • Acting as counsel to Rogers Control Trust in Rogers Communications’ C$26bn acquisition of Shaw Communications.
  • Advised Brookfield in the spin-off of a 25% interest in its asset management business that resulted in the division of Brookfield into two publicly traded companies.
  • Advised TD Bank, as Canadian counsel, in its $13.4bn acquisition of First Horizon Corporation.

Bennett Jones LLP

Bennett Jones LLP leverages the deep bench strength of offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and New York, to advise domestic and multinational corporates and financial institutions on high-value, cross-border M&A, corporate financings, divestitures, take-over bids, restructurings and leveraged buyouts. M&A practice vice chair Curtis Cusinato brings over 25 years of experience to assisting public and private companies and private equity groups at the Toronto office, alongside corporate finance and securities expert Linda Misetich-Dann and Kris Hanc, who advises on public offerings, proxy contests and special committee processes to clients in such sectors as utilities and cannabis. Private equity practice head John Mercury specializes in the energy, financial services, consumer products and manufacturing spaces in Calgary, where Brent Kraus handles M&A and corporate governance matters across the oil and gas, natural resources and transport industries. Other key figures include Patrick Maguire KC, who manages major purchase and sales transactions in the energy sector, and seasoned senior partner Perry Spitznagel KC in Calgary; and Christian Gauthier, who started the firm’s Vancouver office.

Practice head(s):

Curtis Cusinato; Linda Misetich-Dann; Kris Hanc; John Mercury; Brent Kraus; John Piasta; Jonathan McCullough


Other key lawyers:

Patrick Maguire KC; Perry Spitznagel KC; Harinder Basra; Matthew Hunt


Key clients

Canadian Pacific Railway Company


EQT Partners Inc.


Kissner Group LLC


Zekelman Industries


Riverstone Holdings


3i Capital


Archer Daniels


Nippon Steel


Medline Industries, LP


IBI Group


PNC Financial Services Group


Repsol Oil & Gas Canada Inc.


Noront Resources Ltd.


Champion Petfoods, LP


Lineage Logistics Holdings


CF Acquisition Corp


Equitable Bank


Canadian Utilities Ltd.


Work highlights


  • Acted for Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation IV in its C$1.39bn business combination with Hammerhead Resources.
  • Representing Nippon Steel Corporation in its proposed $1.15bn investment in Elk Valley Resources.
  • Represented Equitable Bank in its C$470m acquisition of Concentra Bank, which has $11.3bn in assets, from Credit Union Central of Saskatchewan.

Fasken

Known for their leading expertise in the mining sector, the corporate group at Fasken brings strength to advising public and private companies, private equity funds, investors, business owners and project sponsors involved in domestic and multi-jurisdictional M&A, private equity transactions, corporate reorganizations and infrastructure projects. The firm’s expansive client base spans sectors ranging from financial services, insurance, energy, infrastructure, biotech and life sciences to real estate, food and beverages, agribusiness and retail. With 7 national offices and a presence in London and Johannesburg, the team is led in Toronto by Sean Stevens, who brings experience to M&A, restructurings and complex infrastructure transactions such as public private partnerships (PPP); and Sarah Gingrich in Calgary, who specializes in securities and capital markets, shareholder activism and corporate governance. In Toronto, other key figures include John Turner, an authority in the mining space, public M&A and shareholder activism expert Brad Freelan and Claire Gowdy, who arrived from McCarthy Tétrault in October 2022. In Montreal, Jean Michel Lapierre assists with corporate finance.

Practice head(s):

Sean Stevens; Sarah Gingrich


Other key lawyers:

Caitlin Rose; Jean Michel Lapierre; John Turner; Brad Freelan; Grant McGlaughlin; Claire Gowdy; Perry Feldman; Zach Austin


Testimonials

‘The Fasken team distinguishes themselves with legal excellence, in-depth experience in the M&A industry and utmost service orientation.’

‘Knowledge, incredible experience, expertise in mining law and M&A, and sage counsel on a day-to-day basis.’

Key clients

Intertape Polymer


Uni-Select Inc.


Rogers Insurance


Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.


Amber Infrastructure


Apollo Management


Base Core Metals


Harbourfront Wealth


Student Transportation of America


Advanz Pharma


Aris Gold Corp


Slate Grocery REIT


Plains Midstream ULC


IAMGOLD Corporation


MTY Food Group


Louisiana-Pacific Corporation


Global Med Inc.


Work highlights


  • Represented Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) in its selling to Clearlake Capital Group at a value of C$3.3bn.
  • Advised Amber Infrastructure Group in being selected by Green Impact Partners as a partner on its GreenGas Colorado, Iowa RNG, and Future Energy Park projects, representing up to C$545m in total for a 50% project-level equity interest in each facility.
  • Advised BaseCore Metals on its sale to Sandstorm Gold for $525m.

Norton Rose Fulbright

Norton Rose Fulbright leverages deep bench strength and global reach (over 50 locations worldwide and offices in Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Quebec City) to advise multinational corporates, major investment banks, financial institutions and private equity players, involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional M&A and corporate finance transactions. The practice’s client roster covers such industries as tech, mining, construction, beverages, transport, retail and aviation. The team is led in Montreal by Canadian national business law chair and corporate securities expert Stephen Kelly and Mathieu Deschamps, who specializes in complex equity and debt financings and who co-chairs the M&A team along with Troy Ungerman, who is based in Toronto, and who also leads the firm’s M&A representation and warranty insurance practice. Other key figures include Toronto office managing partner Terence Dobbin, senior partner Paul Raymond in Montreal, Canadian chair Walied Soliman KC in Toronto and senior associate Eric Malysa in Vancouver.

Practice head(s):

Stephen Kelly; Mathieu Deschamps; Troy Ungerman


Other key lawyers:

Terence Dobbin; Walied Soliman; Paul Raymond; Brad Sollis; Justin Ferrara; Vanessa Grant; Heidi Reinhart; Eric Stevens; Charles St-Pierre; Eric Malysa


Testimonials

‘The Team is technically very strong, always responsive, and provides pragmatic and efficient legal solutions.

‘Hard-working team, great responsiveness, top-quality work product, problem-solving attitude, good under fire, good strategic advisors, looks for win-win outcomes.’

‘The breadth of capabilities amongst both the corporate and M&A team (and the firm as a whole) are outstanding.’

‘In addition to their incredible knowledge and experience, members from the corporate and M&A team truly care about the success of their clients.’

‘Brad Sollis delivers exceptional value and service.’

Key clients

Bombardier Inc.


CAE Inc.


Canadian Tire


Coveo Solutions, Inc.


Enerflex Ltd.


HEXO Corp.


Lithion Technologies Inc.


Macro Enterprises Inc.


Porter Aviation Holdings Inc.


SNC Lavalin Group


TerrAscend Canada Inc.


Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.


Yamana Gold Inc.


Work highlights


  • Advised the Special Committee of Yamana Gold on its $4.8bn cash-and-shares transaction.
  • Represented Turquoise Hill Resources in connection with the C$4.3bn going-private acquisition by Rio Tinto plc of all shares not already held by Rio Tinto, directly or indirectly, by way of a Yukon court-approved plan of arrangement for a consideration of C$43 per share.
  • Advised Newport Private Wealth on its C$4.3bn acquisition by NFP.

Baker McKenzie

The Toronto corporate team of Baker McKenzie draws on the strength of its global network of 70 offices across North America, Latin America, and the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions, to assist domestic and multinational corporates on high-value, cross-border transactions, including M&A, takeover bids, corporate reorganizations and restructurings. The firm’s diverse client base includes tech companies and video game designers, and corporates across the financial services, construction, logistics, natural resources, healthcare and education sectors. David Palumbo, an expert in capital markets and public M&A, heads the team, along with Nancy Hamzo, who specializes in complex transactions in the life sciences and tech sectors. Key support is provided by senior associate Haran Viswanathan. In December 2022, partner Greg McNab departed the firm, and partners Usman Sheikh and Michael Garellek joined from Gowling WLG.

Practice head(s):

David Palumbo; Nancy Hamzo


Other key lawyers:

Charles Magerman; Haran Viswanathan; Matthew Grant


Testimonials

‘Excellent and knowledgeable team providing great client service and advice.’

‘Nancy Hamzo provides a safe pair of hands and a can-do and pragmatic approach.’

‘The global reach of Baker McKenzie is a big positive for significant, cross-border transactions. In addition, they’re always able to meet challenging timelines.’

Key clients

NeuPath Health


Embracer Group


Bloom Burton Securities


Flowserve Corporation


Dexterra Group


New Mountain Capital


Mercedes-Benz Group AG


Thomson Reuters


Accenture


Afry


Embracer


Work highlights


  • Advised NeuPath Health, a provider of chronic pain management services, in the acquisition of HealthPointe Medical Centres, a pain, spine and sports medicine clinic located in Edmonton, Alberta.
  • Advised Embracer Group on the Canadian aspects of the $300m acquisition of game development studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix Montréal, and a catalogue of IPs (including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief and Legacy of Kain) from Square Enix Holdings.
  • Advised Bloom Burton Securities, as lead agent, in connection with the short form prospectus equity offering of 110m units of Satellos Bioscience, a regenerative medicine company listed on the TSXV, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$55m.

Aird & Berlis LLP

The M&A group at Toronto business law boutique firm Aird & Berlis LLP takes a multidisciplinary approach, coordinating with the firm’s real estate, IP, banking and finance, tax and disputes teams, to advise domestic and multinational corporates and government agencies on such matters as public and private mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, takeovers, leveraged buyouts, fund formation, regulatory compliance and activism matters. The practice is headed by Paige Backman, a specialist in data protection, technology and sports-related matters; Jeffrey Merk, who handles cross-border securities offerings and who brings expertise to assisting clients in mining, private equity and cannabis; and Richard Kimel, who draws on extensive experience in public offerings and corporate governance.

Practice head(s):

Paige Backman; Jeffrey Merk; Richard Kimel


Other key lawyers:

Sherri Altshuler; Sean Mason


Testimonials

‘Outstanding domain expertise, with a stellar depth and breadth of knowledge.’

‘Sean Mason provides excellent service, including pragmatic and value-add advice and work product to our group of companies.’

‘Pragmatic and timely advice.’

Key clients

Linamar Corporation


Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade


San Cristobal Mining Inc.


Jade Power Trust


Federated Capital Corp. and Fax Investments Inc.


Wynnchurch Capital, LLC


Zoeller Company


Accolite Digital


TCP Management, LLC


SQI Diagnostics Inc.


Medisun Inc.


StateHouse Inc. (formerly Harborside Inc.)


Thesis Gold Inc.


Work highlights


  • Represented manufacturer Linamar Corporation in its acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Salford group of companies for an aggregate purchase price of C$260m.
  • Acted as general Canadian counsel to the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade in the drafting and negotiation of its winning bid for The Volkswagen Group and its subsidiary PowerCo Se to establish an overseas battery cell manufacturing plant in St. Thomas, Ontario.
  • Acted as counsel to San Cristobal Mining, a Canadian private mining company, in its acquisition of Minera San Cristóbal and all of its associated assets from Sumitomo Corporation under the terms of a stock purchase agreement.

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP utilizes the full bench strength of over 800 lawyers across 5 national locations in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, to advise national and international corporates and financial institutions involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The practice’s client base spans sectors ranging from media, tech, cannabis, infrastructure, energy and mining to financial services, retail and transport. The group’s comprehensive service covers complex M&A, joint venture agreements, corporate finance, corporate governance and shareholder activism. The practice is led by national group head of corporate and capital markets Prema Thiele in Toronto, who brings over 30 years assisting international fund managers, portfolio managers and dealers with legal and compliance issues; corporate and commercial national business leader Subrata Bhattacharjee (also Toronto); and national business leader of securities and capital markets leader Kent Kufeldt in Vancouver and Calgary. Timothy McCormick joined from Stikeman Elliott LLP in June 2022. Jason Saltzman departed in June 2022.

Practice head(s):

Prema Thiele; Subrata Bhattacharjee; Kent Kufeldt


Other key lawyers:

Fred Fletcher; Stefan Timms; Timothy McCormick


Key clients

Pan American Silver Corp.


John Wood Group plc


George Weston Limited | Loblaw | Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation


Guardian Capital Group Limited


Groupe Mach Acquisition Inc.


Mercer Global Investments Canada Ltd.


Independence Pet Group, Inc.


First Citizens BancShares, Inc.


Concentra Bank


CIBC Capital Markets


UMB Bank


Loblaw Companies Limited


Inflexion Private Equity Partners


The New York Times Company


Epiroc Rock Drills AB


POSCO Canada Limited


Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP

The Calgary-based corporate and M&A practice at Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP displays particular strength in the energy sector, advising public multinational corporations, private corporations and private equity investors, involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions, including M&A, takeover bids and plans of arrangement. Edward Brown, who brings extensive experience in M&A, corporate governance, corporate finance and shareholder activism, heads the team, along with Lindsay Cox, who utilizes expertise in public offerings and regulatory compliance. Other key figures include capital markets and M&A specialist Bruce Allford, along with senior partner William Maslechko.

Practice head(s):

Edward Brown; Lindsay Cox


Other key lawyers:

Bruce Allford; William Maslechko; James Kidd; Lonny Tetley; Paul Mereau; Kelsey Clark; Sylvie Welsh; Michael Martin


Key clients

Baytex Energy Corp.


Hammerhead Resources and Hammerhead Energy Inc.


Greenfire Resources Inc.


Cetarus Inc.


TransGlobe Energy Corporation


Northern Mat & Bridge Limited Partnership


Crestwynd Exploration Ltd.


Rolling Hills Energy Ltd.


Dialog Systems (Asia) Pte Ltd.


Work highlights


  • Acted as counsel to Certarus, a privately owned distributor of compressed natural gas, renewable natural gas and hydrogen, in a deal valued at $1.05bn including debt, in connection with its sale to Superior Plus Corp.
  • Acted as Canadian counsel to Baytex Energy Corp. in connection with its merger with Ranger Oil Corporation.
  • Acted as counsel to Hammerhead Resources and Hammerhead Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of HHR, in relation to a business combination with Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation IV, a special purposes acquisition vehicle traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market, and 2453729 Alberta ULC, a wholly owned subsidiary of DCRD.

Dentons

The corporate practice at Dentons leverages the bench strength of its global network and experienced team to advise major multinationals (including Lions Gate Entertainment, Motorola Solutions and Polaris Renewable Energy) involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Assisting companies across such industries as tech, cannabis, mining, telecoms, infrastructure, energy, biotech and entertainment, the group’s full service extends to M&A, restructurings, proxy fights, competition and antitrust matters, joint ventures, regulated industries and transactional tax issues. The practice is led in Toronto by Alex Farcas, who utilizes extensive M&A experience and niche expertise in the cannabis space, and Jason Saltzman, who arrived from Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in July 2022, and who is practiced in share purchases, asset purchases, take-over bids, exchange offers and plan of arrangements. Other key figures include blockchain and mining specialist Kimberly Burns in Vancouver; and corporate finance expert Ora Wexler and senior associate Alex Eckler in Toronto. Grant MacKenzie departed the firm in August 2023.

Practice head(s):

Alex Farcas; Jason Saltzman


Other key lawyers:

Kimberly Burns; Ora Wexler; Alex Eckler


Key clients

Gage Growth Corp


Motorola Solutions, Inc.


The Parent Company


FAX Capital Corp.


American Builders & Contractors Supply Co., Inc.


Bayer


Polaris Renewable Energy Inc.


Energy Fuels Inc.


Starlight Investments Capital


Magnet Forensics Inc.


Saturn Oil & Gas Inc.


Aldebaran Resources Ltd.


Dye & Durham Corporation


Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation


Eagle Quest International Ltd.


Hangry Solutions


Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Services, Inc.


APM Global Holdings Pty Ltd.


Work highlights


  • Represented the special committee of the board of directors of Magnet in a publicly announced C$1.8bn acquisition by Thoma Bravo by way of a plan of arrangement.
  • Represented Motorola Solutions (MSI) on four acquisitions in 2022, including: the acquisition of Australia-based Barrett Communications, the acquisition of Futurecom Systems Group, and the acquisition of Rave Mobile Safety.
  • Representing Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation in a proposed separation of its Studio and Motion Picture business segment and its Streaming and Content business segment into two independent, NYSE-listed operating businesses.

DLA Piper (Canada) LLP

Employing global reach, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP maintains a strong national footprint, bringing strength to advising public and private sector clients across such industries as telecoms, tech, energy, mining, healthcare, cannabis, life sciences, hospitality and projects (P3). The firm’s comprehensive offering extends to corporate transactions (financing, joint ventures, M&A), IPO planning, regulatory compliance, IP prosecution and enforcement, as well as employment advice and environmental and contracting issues. Ted Maduri in Toronto directs the team, assisting with matters ranging from startup planning, equity and debt financings and cross-border M&A to tax-planning, partnerships and joint ventures. Partner Derek Van Doorn joined from Loopstra Nixon  in January 2023. Partner Ian Reynolds arrived from Bennett Jones LLP in March 2023.

Practice head(s):

Ted Maduri


Other key lawyers:

Robert Fonn; Russel Drew


Testimonials

‘Deft touch with owner-manager clients balancing legal, business and human factors.’

‘Ted Maduri understands the business aspects of M&A, as well as the legal end. Shrewd ability to understand tone and approach between counsel and business owners.’

‘The firm has expertise in all areas of our business, whether it be corporate mergers and acquisitions, new incorporations, amalgamations, Russian sanction law, employment, commercial contracts and leases. It’s a one-stop-shop for all our needs and the level of knowledge is excellent.’

‘Profound knowledge, ability to pull in experts from various fields at short notice.’

Key clients

Quipt Home Medical Corp.‎


Tier1 Financial Solutions


Brightworks Interactive Marketing Inc.


High Arctic Energy Solutions


Benford Capital Partners


Rumble Inc.


Acreage Holdings, Inc.


Société Bic


Insightsoftware


Tilray Brands, Inc.


StoreForce Solutions Inc.


ESG Investments, Inc.


FinTech Collective, LLC


Pride Marine Group


Canadian Forest Products Ltd.


Coin-berry


StorageVault Canada Inc.


SE2


Talon Outdoor Limited


Work highlights


  • Represented Tilray Brands in its acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of ‎HEXO Corp. pursuant to a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). ‎
  • Acted for Rumble, the neutral video-sharing platform, and CF Acquisition Corp. VI, in the completion of their previously-announced business combination. ‎
  • Acted for Bond Brand Loyalty, a customer experience, loyalty, and growth firm, with regards to a strategic investment in its business from Mountaingate Capital, a Colorado-based private equity investment firm that partners with founders and entrepreneurial companies.

Gowling WLG

Global firm Gowling WLG leverages the bench strength of its 7 national locations and dedicated general corporate, corporate commercial, capital markets and public M&A, private M&A, and private funds teams, to provide a full service to international and domestic corporates involved in high-value, multi-jurisdictional transactions. The group’s client portfolio spans sectors ranging from food, cannabis, life sciences and tech to oil and gas, manufacturing, software and fintech. In addition, the firm’s offering extends to emerging areas, such as AI, blockchain and cryptocurrency. The practice is led in Calgary by Frank Sur, a specialist in energy and tech, who brings experience to private and public M&A, fund formation, public offerings, regulatory compliance and general commercial agreements. Partner Nurhan Aycan departed in October 2022.

Practice head(s):

Frank Sur


Other key lawyers:

Peter Simeon; Brett Kagetsu; Todd Bissett; Peter Bouzalas; Derek Keay; Sharagim Habibi; Rafal Wrzesien; Linda Hogg; Zafar Jaffer


Testimonials

‘Collaborative and efficient in working with in-house counsel.’

‘Zafar Jaffer is outstanding in covering all aspects of Canadian M&A transactions. A problem solver. Always great to work with.’

Key clients

The Bountiful Company


DECIEM Beauty Group Inc.


Bluma Wellness Inc.


Red White & Bloom Brands Inc.


IM Cannabis Corp.


SOL Global Investments Corp.


Coinsquare Ltd.


The Real Brokerage Inc.


ADCORE Inc.


TickTrade Systems, Inc.


Newlook Capital Inc.


Edge Imaging Inc.


Leading Edge Materials Corp.


Sourced Group


Novacap/FortNine


Miovision Technologies Inc.


Home Hardware Stores Limited


Community Tax LLC


Rugby Mining Limited


Capella Minerals Ltd.


Sysco Canada Inc.


Feenics


PlantX Life Inc.


CPC Pumps


EMERGE Commerce Ltd.


JMB Crushing Systems Inc.


Providence Therapeutics Inc.


The Cadillac Fairview Corporation


NextEra Energy Marketing Services


McRock Capital


Accenture Inc.


Work highlights


  • Acted as Canadian counsel to PerkinElmer in the divestiture of its Applied, Food and Enterprise Services businesses to New Mountain Capital, for an aggregate consideration of $2.45bn.
  • Advised the Bonduelle Group on negotiations with Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) to sell 65% of Bonduelle Americas Long Life (BALL), with an enterprise value of C$850m.
  • Advising Above Food, on its entry into a definitive business combination agreement with Bite Acquisition, a US special purpose acquisition company.

Lawson Lundell LLP

The team at Lawson Lundell LLP brings strength to M&A, corporate finance and securities, corporate governance, fund formations and pension fund transactions, across such sectors as tech, mining, forestry, energy, financial services, manufacturing, transport and real estate. The practice is led in Vancouver by Valerie Mann, who heads the firm’s technology law practice and acts for private equity and venture capital funds; Jagdeep Shergill, an expert in pension plans; Greg Hollingsworth, who draws on a taxation and accounting background, and David Allard, a specialist in corporate reorganizations and restructurings and regulatory and stock exchange compliance. Other key figures include Andrew Robertson, whose transactional experience spans such industries as insurance and food and beverages, and Jack Yong, the leader of the Vancouver office’s Asia Pacific Group. All the lawyers mentioned work in Vancouver.

Practice head(s):

Valerie Mann; Jag Shergill; Greg Hollingsworth; David Allard


Other key lawyers:

Andrew Robertson; Jack Yong