David Lever > McCarthy Tétrault > Toronto, Canada > Lawyer Profile

A destination firm for energy transactions across Canada, McCarthy Tétrault’s national power practice additionally brings to bear significant regulatory firepower. In terms of the former sphere, the group is active across a broad range of corporate, M&A, finance and project-related matters, where it is equipped to represent all key sector stakeholders, including developers, utilities, lenders and industrial users, among others. In Toronto, infrastructure group chair David Lever is widely recognized as a go-to specialist for power transactions; he recently advised Cameco Corporation on its $7.8bn acquisition, together with Brookfield Renewable Partners, of Westinghouse Electric Company. Other recommended transactional partners include Toronto-based Seán O’Neill, who spearheads the power industry group; Toronto’s Suzanne Murphy, whose practice spans M&A, corporate finance, project development and general corporate issues; and Louis-Nicolas Boulanger in Montreal. On the regulatory side, Calgary-based Kimberly Howard is noted for her adept handling of both power and oil and gas work, while Toronto’s Gordon Nettleton covers energy regulatory, environmental and Indigenous law-related matters. In July 2023, commercial energy partner Thomas McInerney joined in Calgary from Bennett Jones LLP.

Demonstrating involvement in marquee projects across Canada, McCarthy Tétrault’s national team is adept at representing private and public-sector stakeholders in large-scale infrastructure mandates. In Vancouver, Linda Brown is highly regarded for her ability to act for the full range of project owners, project developers and lenders; she is acting alongside the real estate group to advise the City of Calgary on the construction of a new event centre which will replace the Scotiabank Saddledome Arena. Additional names in Vancouver include Morgan Troke, who routinely acts for lenders and borrowers on major infrastructure projects; Samantha Cunliffe, whose practice spans project finance and project development; and up-and-coming partner Liezl Behm, who handles a range of project finance, PPP projects and secondary market transactions. A sizeable Toronto bench draws on projects and power specialist David Lever; projects disputes head Julie Parla, who co-heads the department together with Brown and Lever; and senior strategic advisor, Godyne Sibay, who is recommended for project development.