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.
Corporate and M&A in Canada
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Ross Bentley; Michael Gans; Brock Gibson; Jeffrey Lloyd; Linda Tu; Chad Schneider; Christine Milliken
Key clients
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Cenovus Energy Inc.
DECIEM Beauty Group Inc.
Dell Technologies Inc.
Enerplus Corporation
Intact Financial Corporation
Kinder Morgan, Inc.
Nasdaq, Inc.
Pembina Pipeline Corporation
Sierra Wireless, Inc.
Starlight Group Property Holdings
TC Energy Corporation
Torstar Corporation
Work highlights
- Served as counsel to Pembina Pipeline Corporation on its proposed C$8.3bn acquisition of Inter Pipeline.
- Served as counsel to Starlight Group Property Holdings and KingSett Capital on its acquisition of Northview Apartment REIT, valued at C$4.8bn.
- Advised Nasdaq on its $2.75bn cash purchase of Newfoundland-based Verafin.
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP offers broad corporate law support, with experience across all of Canada’s major industries, including mining, energy, technology, telecoms and cannabis. The team is notable for its cross-border work, with experience not just within North America, but also in deals involving European and South American companies. It is also one of the Canadian firms most experienced in hostile M&A, and is knowledgeable in its working with private equity. Vincent Mercier led the transactional work on Kansas City Southern's $33.6bn merger with Canada National Rail, and also advised Shaw Communications on its C$26bn acquisition by Rogers Communications. Mercier co-heads the Toronto office alongside Patricia Olasker and Melanie Shishler. Olasker is known for her shareholder activism work, and Shisler has particular experience in the natural resources sector. In Montreal, Franziska Ruf and Hillel Rosen lead the corporate practice. Experienced partner Richard Cherney is well regarded, as is Brett Seifred, who offers strong cross-border expertise.
Practice head(s):
Vincent Mercier; Patricia Olasker; Melanie Shishler; Hillel Rosen; Franziska Ruf
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Deep bench strength (no B team). Very skilled. ’
‘The team is very knowledgeable and experienced, which they leverage to provide timely, practical and creative advice.’
‘Brett Seifred is an excellent M&A partner with a very broad background. He has been instrumental in guiding us through some very unique transactions.’
‘Davies attracts some of the best talent in Canada. Their quality is consistent across the board from my experience. Very responsive to client’s needs. Seamless execution.’
‘Working with Richard Fridman and his team was seamless in terms of providing advice to the client. Rich is very smart and very skilled at negotiating transactions and contracts. He is typically 2 steps ahead of everyone else in thinking through issues and negotiation game theory. Does an excellent job running a meeting and bringing a group to consensus. Corporate clients know that he has their best interests in mind and he becomes their trusted advisor. Integrates himself seamlessly into the client organization. Ensures that advice is sound, well thought through every time. ’
Key clients
Barrick Gold Corporation
Alstom S.A.
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Premium Brands Holding Corporation
TransAlta Corporation
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
People Corporation
PSP Investments
The Blackstone Group
Kansas City Southern
Work highlights
- Acting as Canadian counsel to Kansas City Southern in its transformative $33.6bn merger with Canadian National Railway.
- Acted for Alstom in its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation, through cash and shares valued at €4.4bn.
- Acted as counsel to SEMAFO in its $2.1bn combination with Endeavour Mining Corporation.
Goodmans LLP
Based out of Toronto, Goodmans LLP offers a broad domestic and international M&A practice, representing clients in bet-the-company level transactions. A key domestic highlight was Brenda Gosselin, Chris Sunstrum and firm chair Dale Lastman's advice to Rogers Communications on its $26bn acquisition of Shaw Communications, which combined Canada’s two largest cable providers. Cross-border work is another key feature of its practice, with US work including Macquarie’s sale of WCA Waste to GFL, and its broader international work including Cineplex’s acquisition by UK-based Cineworld. The team is jointly led by Stephen Pincus, who also heads the capital markets team, Neill May and Robert Vaux, both of whom focus on corporate securities. Counsel Stephen Halperin is regarded for his broad expertise covering M&A, governance and corporate finance. Tim Heeney is known for his public and private merger work, and Brad Ross and David Coll-Black are key rising stars.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Dale Lastman; Brenda Gosselin; Chris Sunstrum; Brad Ross; David Coll-Black; Tim Heeney; Stephen Halperin
Key clients
Canaccord Genuity
Searchlight Capital Partners
Clairvest Group Inc.
Onex
Minto Apartment REIT
Newmont Mining Corporation
OMERS Private Equity
Revera
Northern Private Capital
Coeur Mining, Inc.
Franco-Nevada Corporation
Berkshire Investments Group
Subversive Capital
Bank of Montreal (BMO)
Rogers
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA)
Work highlights
- Acting for Rogers Communications in relation to its $26bn acquisition of Shaw Communications, combining Canada’s two largest cable providers.
- Acted for Dye & Durham in connection with its IPO, secondary offering and bought deal offerings for total gross proceeds of $1.42bn.
- Acted for the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Genworth MI Canada in relation to Brookfield’s acquisition of all outstanding common shares of Sagen MI Canada for $1.6bn.
McCarthy Tétrault
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Shevaun McGrath; Patrick Boucher; Clemens Mayr; Roger Taplin; Robin Mahood; Eva Bellissimo
Testimonials
‘Leading corporate and M&A group in Canada.’
‘Highly skilled team, completely devoted to their clients, who work well together, keeping the team lean, efficient and cost-conscious.’
‘Both Eva Bellissimo and Shevaun McGrath are stars, super smart and cool under pressure.’
‘Roger Taplin is the best mining lawyer in Canada. Robin Mahood is a commercially savvy lawyer who is responsive and provides sound and practical commercial advice. Each are dynamic and are trusted advisors to our business.’
Key clients
Antarctica Capital
Brookfield Asset Management
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)
Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB)
Cineworld Group plc
EllisDon Corporation
Endeavour Mining
Enbridge
Fairfax Financial
Instar Group
InstarAGF
Magris Resources Canada Inc.
Mubadala Investment Company
Newcrest Mining Limited
Novacap
OMERS
Rio Tinto
Slate Asset Management
Slate Retail REIT
Slate Office REIT
TD Greystone Asset Management
Vista Equity Partners
Work highlights
- Advising Brookfield Infrastructure in connection with its takeover bid for Inter Pipeline for approximately C$13.5bn.
- Advised Endeavour Mining in its $2.44bn combination with Teranga Gold Corporation.
- Advised Vista Equity Partners in the $430m sale of Upserve to Lightspeed POS.
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Maintaining a top-tier corporate and M&A practice, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is known for its large-cap M&A expertise, often advising on a number of multibillion-dollar deals. Notable examples include its advice on Estée Lauders' $2.8bn acquisition of DECIEM Beauty Group, Apollo Global Management’s $4.5bn buyout of Great Canadian Gaming, and the $4.9bn acquisition of Northview Apartment REIT by a consortium of investors. The team offers strong private equity expertise, negotiating a number of key buyout deals, and also has significant experience in advising clients in the technology and other high-growth industries. Emmanuel Pressman chairs the national corporate division from the firm’s Toronto office, leading relationships with several key clients. Jeremy Fraiberg heads the M&A group and has an active practice with an emphasis on mining deals. Douglas Marshall offers cross-border M&A expertise, and Frank Turner co-heads the team’s Asia Pacific initiative from the Calgary office. Other key names include James Brown and managing partner Douglas Bryce.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
James Brown; Douglas Bryce; Jeremy Fraiberg ; Douglas Marshall; Frank Turner
Key clients
Constellation Brands
Bank of Montreal
The Estée Lauder Companies
Bausch Health Companies
Magna International
Royal Bank of Canada
Hydro One
Kinross Gold
Toronto-Dominion Bank
Drax Group
Work highlights
- Advised KingSett Capital in connection with the $4.9bn acquisition, with Starlight Investments, of Northview Apartment REIT.
- Advised Drax Group in its $831m all-cash acquisition of Pinnacle Renewable Energy.
- Advised Apollo Global Management in its buyout of Great Canadian Gaming.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Recognized as a leader in the M&A market, Stikeman Elliott LLP offers top-flight transactional support to its global client base. The team is extremely confident working on large-cap M&A deals, with recent highlights including its advice to Hutchinson Whampoa on the $23.6bn Husky Energy merger with Cenovus, one of the largest Canadian M&A deals of the year. It also is known for working on strategically significant domestic deals, advising Air Canada on its proposed acquisition of Transat and Hudson’s Bay Company’s take-private transaction. With an office network including branches in New York, London and Sydney, the team is able to offer key international corporate support to foreign companies looking to do business in Canada. John Ciardullo and Robert Carelli head the corporate team from Toronto and Montréal, respectively. Managing partner Jeffrey Singer advises on cross-border deals from Toronto, while John Leopold offers private equity expertise from Montréal. Other key names to note include Sophie Lamonde, capital markets head Sean Vanderpol in Toronto and Linda Tu in Calgary.
Practice head(s):
John Ciardullo; Robert Carelli; Keith Chatwin; Noordin Nanji
Other key lawyers:
Sean Vanderpol; Linda Tu; John Leopold; Jeffrey Singer; Sophie Lamonde
Key clients
GFL Environmental Inc.
Shopify
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
TELUS
TC Energy Corporation
Airbus
Cogeco
Saputo
Air Canada
Hudson’s Bay Company
Work highlights
- Acting as counsel to the largest shareholder of Husky Energy, Hutchison Whampoa Europe Investments, in connection with the combination of Cenovus Energy and Husky.
- Acted for Detour Gold Corporation in connection with its acquisition of all of its issued and outstanding common shares by Kirkland Lake Gold.
- Acted as counsel to KingSett Capital and Starlight Investments in the $4.9bn acquisition of Northview Apartment REIT.
Torys
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Canadian National Railway
Rogers Control Trust
Norbord Inc.
The Brookfield Group of Companies
Canaccord Genuity Corp.
NRG Energy Inc.
Stone Canyon Industries Holdings LLC
Sagard Credit Partners
Great-West Lifeco Inc.
The Canada Life Assurance Company
The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank)
BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc.
Black Dragon Capital, LLC
Superior Plus Corp.
Riot Games, Inc.
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Village Farms International, Inc.
Pollard Banknote Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Canadian National Railway Company on its proposed $33.6bn merger with Kansas City Southern.
- Served as Canadian counsel to NRG Energy in its $3.625bn acquisition of Direct Energy,
- Advised Norbord on its C$4bn sale to West Fraser Timber.
Bennett Jones LLP
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Stone Canyon Industries Holdings
Riverstone Holdings
Odyssey Capital Partners
Third Eye Capital
Cenovus Energy Inc.
TELUS
OPTrust
Osisko Gold
Lineage Logistics
Bay Grove Capital
Canadian Natural Resources Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for Cenovus Energy in its $23.6bn acquisition of Husky Energy.
- Serving as Canadian counsel to Stone Canyon Industries Holdings and Kissner Group Holdings in their agreement to acquire K+S Aktiengesellschaft’s North and South American salt business.
- Acted for CMG Partners in its historic transaction with Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp., the largest special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in both cannabis and Canadian history.
Fasken
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Caitlin Rose; Martin Ferreira Pinho; Blair Horn; Jean Michel Lapierre; Alexandra Lazar
Testimonials
‘I worked with Fasken on a cross-border M&A deal. I was impressed with their cross-border transactional capabilities as well as by their team’s project management skills, which I am sure contributed to getting the deal done.’
‘Caitlin is a seasoned transactional lawyer, with remarkable people and situation management abilities. I also noticed Alexandra Lazar, who seems like a promising M&A lawyer.’
Key clients
ACL Services Ltd.
Air Canada
ArcelorMittal
AT&T Inc.
Aviva plc
Bank of Nova Scotia
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited
CGI Inc.
De Beers Société Anonyme
E. I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
First Quantum Minerals Ltd.
Frontenac Company
Google Inc.
The Kraft Heinz Company
IBM Corporation
Investissements Novacap Inc.
Nuvei Corporation
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Rio Tinto Group
Starbucks Corporation
Transat A.T. Inc
Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised the selling shareholders in their sale of DECIEM to The Estée Lauder Companies at an enterprise value of C$2.8bn.
- Acted for CDPQ in its acquisition of Plenary Americas.
- Acted as a legal advisor to Aphria in its plan of arrangement to combine Aphria and Tilray, to create the world’s largest cannabis company.
Norton Rose Fulbright
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Troy Ungerman ; Mathieu Deschamps ; Terence Dobbin; Walied Soliman ; Paul Raymond ; Justin Ferrara; Kristopher Miks
Testimonials
‘I have appreciated and valued the quick responses to all my needs from each member of the team that I have dealt with. The team is attentive and their expertise is top-notch. They work closely together as a team to handle all aspects of the client’s needs. I have dealt with many legal firms in my career. NRF is one of the best.’
‘Kris and the legal team are very knowledgeable, courteous and genuinely care about the success of their clients’ success.’
‘I have known Kristopher Miks for years and he has always been a reliable and trustworthy advisor. He has gone out of his way to help me on multiple occasions when it comes to the financing of my business, as well as general corporate law, investor relations and privacy policies. He is definitely my favourite lawyer to work with!’
‘Great client service! Senior lawyers have lots of experience and can help with strategic decisions based on their experience with other deals. The associates I worked with were generally very smart and on-the-ball.’
‘Broad expertise with concentration in proxy battle matters.’
‘I have worked with Kris Miks extensively and his knowledge, responsiveness and legal acumen are some of the best I have seen for someone in his position.’
‘Extensive knowledge, vast experience, quality and availability of resources, communication (verbal and written).’
‘Experienced and convincing, ability to reconcile different views, courage to make strong statements when necessary.’
Key clients
Bank of Montreal
Bombardier
HEXO Corp.
Tervita Corp.
SNC Lavalin Group Inc.
CAE Inc.
Flexiti Financial Inc.
Benevity
Royal Bank of Canada
Nordstar Capital
Mountain Equipment Co-operative
Work highlights
- Advised Benevity on its sale to UK private equity firm HG Capital.
- Advised NordStar Capital on its acquisition of TSX-listed Canadian print and digital media organization Torstar Corporation.
- Advising Canadian National Railway Company as lead Canadian counsel in its$33.6bn merger with Kansas City Southern.
Dentons
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Marisa Coggin; Ora Wexler; Michael DeCosimo; Laurie LaPalme; Derek Levinsky
Testimonials
‘Practical, collaborative, proactive, cohesive advice spanning multiple jurisdictions.’
‘Ora Wexler is responsive, proactive, and always willing to help. She knows how to find the best lawyers to staff a file, provides clear invoices, and goes the extra mile to ensure clients are provided with impeccable value. Ora is genuinely caring of client demands, pressures and dependencies and has the unique ability to empathize and do her best to accommodate which is extremely difficult to navigate given the increasing pace of work. In addition to her client relationship skills which go a long away, she is one of the best technical lawyers with a keen eye for the detail without losing sight of the big picture. And in addition to all of that, she has a keen sense of wellness, family and community which is admirable.’
‘The partner I work with is extremely bright, knowledgeable and experienced with corporate securities and approaches all situations with strong business acumen. The partner always looks for a solution to any problems that arise and will help the company navigate the various options moving forward.’
Key clients
ADRM Software, Inc.
Bayer
Bayer CropScience
Bunzl Canada Inc.
Calian Group Ltd.
Cerrado Gold Inc.
Comet Holding AG
Dow Chemical Canada ULC
Dye & Durham
Fire & Flower Holdings Corp.
Focus Financial Partners, LLC
Groupe Lactalis
Ingredion Canada Corporation
Motorola Solutions, Inc.
Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.
Strongco Corporation
Summit Partners
Work highlights
- Advising Motorola Solutions as international counsel in connection with its acquisition of Pelco.
- Advising Lactalis Canada who entered into a share purchase agreement with Agropur Cooperative to acquire all shares of Agropur’s Canadian yogurt business.
- Advising Bayer agriculture and pharmaceutical sector entities on a full range of corporate matters in Canada.
Gowling WLG
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.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Britannia Bud Canada Holdings Inc.
Ross Video Ltd
Accenture
FORTAI
McRock
Northpond Ventures
Delta CleanTech Inc.
PlantX Life Inc.
Heavenly Rx Ltd.
Phivida Holdings Inc.
Lifted Innovations Inc.
SOL Global Investment Corp.
Alibaba’s eWTP Tech Innovation Fund LP
Newlook Capital Inc.
Cortec Group
Canadian Hospital Specialties Limited
Newark Venture Partners
Innodem Neurosciences
Richardson Wealth Ltd.
Rocky Mountain Equipment Alberta Ltd.
Gyrus Capital
Geeq Corporation
Work highlights
- Served as advisor to McRock on all its M&A transactions and financings.
- Advised DVC, led by Dragons’ Den celebrity and successful serial entrepreneur, Arlene Dickenson, in corporate matters.
- Advising Accenture in connection with its $25m acquisition of Avenai and participation in a $8m Series A financing round for SkyHive.
Aird & Berlis LLP
Aird & Berlis LLP has a particular focus on mid-market transactions, with notable strength in national deals. The team is well versed in deals involving private equity, infrastructure and technology companies, as well as cannabis-sector transactions, in which the firm acts for a number of emerging companies. The team also has experience advising on the Canadian aspects of cross-border deals. Martin Kovnats and Jeffrey Merk lead the team from Toronto. Richard Kimel is another key lawyer; he stands out for his work on reverse takeovers.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Jay-Z
Putman Investments
Parallel
LendCare Holdings Inc.
Keystone Canna Remedies
PsyBio Therapeutics, Inc.
The Jordan Company
Cybin
LYF Food Technologies
Nextleaf Solutions Ltd.
Galane Gold Ltd.
ESW Capital
Sports Entertainment Acquisition Corp.
Shareholders of Bloombox Club
Small Pharma
Work highlights
- Acted as legal counsel to Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter in the completion of a qualifying transaction by TPCO Holding Corp to acquire Caliva and Left Coast Ventures.
- Represented Putman Investments in its acquisition of Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us Canada from Fairfax Financial Holdings.
- Acted as counsel to Parallel in connection with its proposed $1.884bn business combination with Ceres Acquisition Corp.
Baker McKenzie
The M&A team at Baker McKenzie attracts praise for its ‘commitment, productivity and fulfilled deadlines’. It stands out for its broad international office network, with expertise covering a range of specialist areas, with the technology sector, in particular video games, being a key growth point. David Palumbo leads the team and handles a mix of securities and corporate matters. Nancy Hamzo is another key practitioner; she handles a broad M&A practice, with an emphasis on cross-border deals. The corporate team is based out of Toronto.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Global reach and perspective with relatable local, expert talent.’
‘Global coverage, good responsiveness.’
‘I have worked with David Palumbo, always available and fully committed with the work and the clients goals.’
‘David Palumbo always delivers a personalized service tailored to the needs of my business. He has on many occasions provided a perspective leading me to better solutions, saving my business considerable money and creating better opportunities.’
‘Commitment, productivity and fulfilled deadlines.’
Key clients
Snowflake Inc.
Enad Global 7 AB
Associated Foreign Exchange Holdings, Inc.
Embracer Group AB
International Schools Partnership Limited
NeuPath Health
Nors, S.A.
Work highlights
- Advised Associated Foreign Exchange Holdings on its sale to FLEETCOR Technologies.
- Advised Nors in the C$193m acquisition of all the outstanding shares of Strongco Corporation.
- Advised Embracer Group on the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of A Thinking Ape Entertainment for $31m.
Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP has a strong presence in the Calgary and Western Canada markets, with a particular emphasis on deals in the oil and gas. The telecoms and technology industries are also key areas of focus for the team. Shannon Gangl and Jeff Oke lead the department, and managing partner Grant Zawalsky and William Maslechko are known for their work on high-value transactions.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Strongly connected to its US and international offices, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP is known for its vast cross-border M&A expertise. The team is particularly active in the natural resources, real estate and financial services sectors, and in emerging markets. In one highlight, it acted as one of two Canadian counsels on the Aphria/Tilray cannabis merger. Ted Maduri leads the team from Toronto, while Robert Fonn is known for cannabis-sector corporate work. The firm has also recently welcomed three key corporate partners: Denis Silva, Michael Reid and Ryan Black.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Canadian Forest Products Ltd.
Acreage Holdings, Inc.
Aphria Inc.
RocketLab
Canaccord Genuity Corp.
MDC Partners Inc.
DIF Infra 3 Canada Ltd.
Tier1 Financial Solutions
Probenefits Consulting
ProTPA
Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC
Arlington Capital Partners
Intelex Technologies, ULC
Trulieve
Velour Cosmetics Inc.
Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc.
StorageVault Canada Inc.
Granite Oil Corp.
NexTech AR Solutions Corp.
CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd.
CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
Sawafi Al-Jazeera Oilfield Products and Services Co. Ltd.
Work highlights
- Represented Aphria in its recently completed reverse takeover of Tilray, Inc.
- Acted as counsel to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of MDC Partners in the business combination of MDC with Stagwell Media.
- Acted for Trulieve Cannabis in the $2.1bn acquisition of Harvest Health & Recreation.
Lawson Lundell LLP
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.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
SSR Mining Inc.
New Gold Inc.
Canfor Corporation, Canadian Forest Products Ltd
Canfor Pulp Products Inc.
SemiosBio Technologies Inc.
Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised SSR Mining and Alacer Gold on an at-market merger of equals pursuant to a plan of arrangement.
- Acts as counsel to Canfor Corporation, Canadian Forest Products and Canfor Pulp Products on a broad range of corporate law matters.
- Represented Semios with respect to its $68m common share financing.