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.
Corporate and M&A in Canada
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
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