Corporate and M&A in Canada

Maintaining its status as a market leader in Canada, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP has been involved in a wide range of M&A deals across a variety of industries. In the energy sector, Chad Schneider served as lead counsel to Pembina Pipeline Corporation in its proposed C$8.3bn takeover of Inter Pipeline. Meanwhile, in the technology industry, David Kruse served as lead counsel to Nasdaq in its $2.75bn acquisition of Verafin. The firm stands out for its broad national platform, with key practitioners in its Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia offices. Beyond that, it also offers strong international services, with links to the New York and London markets. Calgary-based partner Ross Bentley balances a broad corporate practice, advising a number of energy and airline clients. In Toronto, Jeffrey Lloyd advises targets and acquirers, while Michael Gans, who also spends time in the New York office, is known for his inbound international expertise. Other names to note include Linda Tu in Toronto and Christine Milliken in Calgary, who are also establishing notable practices in this field. Kruse co-heads the team alongside Eric Moncik from Toronto.

A ‘leading corporate and M&A group in Canada’, McCarthy Tétrault is well versed in a wide range of complex, high-value corporate transactions. Operating from its multiple national offices, the team not only has a strong grip on the domestic market but also offers an impressive international presence thanks to its New York and London offices. The team acted for Brookfield Infrastructure in its C$13.5bn takeover bid for Inter Pipeline, as well as advising Endeavor Mining on its $2.44bn combination with Teranga Gold. Shea Small and Jonathan See jointly lead the team out of Toronto, with Small also spending time in the London office and offering expertise in global mining work. Cameron Belsher also co-heads the team, splitting time between Toronto and Vancouver. David Woollcombe offers experience in private equity in addition to corporate support, and Clemens Mayr offers key support out of Montreal. Shevaun McGrath and Patrick Boucher are also names to note.

Trusted advisors to a number of the country’s leading companies, Torys combines its considerable deal-making experience with its strong knowledge of regulatory and corporate governance matters. The team has been involved in several major deals; highlights included firm chair Robert Prichard and Michael Amm's advice to Canada National Railway on its $33.7bn acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway. Though based primarily in Toronto, the team also benefits from the firm's top-tier energy transactional group in Calgary, a domestic offering in Montréal, and a strong New York office for cross-border transactional demands. Amm jointly leads the practice alongside Karrin Powys-Lybbe and John Emanoilidis. Emandoilidis is regarded for his broad M&A experience, while Powys-Lybbe leads on several key client relationships. Managing partner Matthew Cockburn offers advice to pension funds and private equity firms. In Calgary, Stephanie Stimpson stands out for her governance and ESG expertise, while Janan Paskaran is a key name for energy-sector work. Former corporate head Cornell Wright left the firm.

Bennett Jones LLP offers its clients key corporate transactional support, and has vast expertise in the energy, cannabis and retail sectors. Though historically based in its Calgary office, the team also has active practices out of Toronto and Vancouver. In a major highlight, capital markets co-head John Piasta advised Cenovus Energy on its $23.6bn acquisition of Husky Energy. The team has also been expanding its bench strength, promoting a number of associates and hiring multiple new partners. Curtis Cusinato and Linda Misetich-Dann jointly lead the Toronto corporate team, with Cusinato focusing on M&A matters, and Misetich-Dann maintaining a broad corporate law practice. In Calgary, Brent Kraus leads the team, advising on transactional, governance and shareholder activism matters. John Mercury is a key name for private equity work, and Christian Gauthier is a junior partner of note.

Continuing its rise to the top of the M&A volume tables, Fasken offers its clients broad transactional expertise, with recent highlights including its advice to Aphria on its C$5bn merger with Tilray, the largest cannabis-sector merger in history, and its work for the shareholders in the Estée Lauder/DECIEM acquisition. It also has notable experience advising technology, energy and natural resources companies on their corporate needs. Private equity also remains an important area of focus for the team. Sarah Gingrich, Sean Stevens and John Turner jointly lead the team, Gingrich in Calgary and the others in Toronto. Other key names include cross-border expert Blair Horn and promising associate Martin Ferreira Pinho in Vancouver, technology expert Jean Michel Lapierre in Montréal, and private equity team co-head Caitlin Rose.

Based across its six Canadian offices, Norton Rose Fulbright provides a broad corporate law offering to its clients. As part of the firm’s international platform, it has particular strength in cross-border work, advising on key deals including Stephen Kelly's advice on the Canadian National Railway/Kansas City Southern acquisition. The team also has considerable expertise in energy, technology and infrastructure-related matters. Troy Ungerman and Mathieu Deschamps jointly lead the team from Toronto and Montréal, respectively, with both maintaining broad corporate and M&A practices. Toronto managing partner Terence Dobbin has extensive experience in large multi-jurisdictional transactions, while Walied Soliman offers expertise in special situations matters. Other key lawyers include Paul Raymond in Montréal, who stands out for his securities and corporate law experience, and Justin Ferrara in Calgary, who has led two on key Canadian unicorn transactions.

Dentons' corporate practice is known for its broad array of specialist expertise, covering not only established industries such as mining and energy but also emerging ones including technology, telecoms and cannabis. The team offers a strong level of expertise in mid-market M&A, in particular those with a cross-border element. Its bench strength was notably strengthened in 2021 with the hiring of four partners from Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. Dan Shea and Charles Spector lead the national corporate team from Calgary and Montréal, while Alex Farcas leads the M&A team from Toronto. Robert Goodrich retired.

Well regarded for its mid-market M&A expertise, Gowling WLG offers strong national corporate support to its clients. Part of a broad legal platform, the team benefits from the input of specialists in various areas in deals involving companies in the cannabis, life sciences, media and energy industries. It is particularly established in the Toronto-Waterloo corridor, a key area for Canadian technology start-ups. Toronto-based partner Ian Palm is known for his expertise advising private equity and venture capital funds on deals in the technology, finance and energy sectors. Lorraine Mastersmith is also a key name in Ottawa, with considerable start-up and emerging company expertise.

Based in Vancouver, Lawson Lundell LLP offers high-quality corporate support to its Western Canadian clients. The team is known for its sector expertise in the extractive industries, including forestry, mining and energy, as well as financial services, technology and real estate. It often serves as BC counsel for larger Canadian firms. Valerie Mann, David Allard and Greg Hollingsworth jointly lead the team; Mann is regarded for her emerging technology sector knowledge, while Allard offers a broad corporate practice, which also covers securities.