Firm Profile > Fasken > Ottawa, Canada

Indigenous law Tier 1

Fasken's indigenous law practice handles work across the country, with growing activity in resource development projects in the north of the country. The team handles a broad range of work, including advising on consultations, joint ventures, taxation issues and equity participation. A key distinguishing feature lies in the group's litigation work: Kevin O’Callaghan, a respected litigator who leads the Indigenous law group from Vancouver, represents clients in the forestry, mining, and oil and gas sectors in project development matters ranging from Indigenous consultations to environmental impact assessments. Calgary-based Brenden Hunter is noted for his work on renewable energy and oil and gas projects. In addition to its natural resources work, the team also acts for clients in the real estate, transportation, forestry and fisheries sectors.

Insurance Tier 1

Fasken's insurance practice is recommended for its work in complex regulatory matters and corporate transactions. The group acts for a client base of property and casualty insurers, life insurance companies, international insurance groups, reinsurers and major insurance agencies and brokers. Toronto-based Koker Christensen, who co-chairs the firm's financial services group with Nicolas Faucher in Montréal, has a strong reputation for transactional work, including in longevity insurance transactions. On the regulatory side, the team regularly deals with the federal regulator, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, and all provincial regulators. It also provides strategic policy advice to corporates, with particular expertise in insurtech and distribution. Robert McDowell retired.

Labour and employment Tier 1

Fasken's thriving labour and employment practice is recommended for a full range of non-contentious strategic and transactional matters, as well as for complex and consequential disputes, an area where litigator Douglas Gilbert is a key name. In addition to acting for a litany of major domestic public- and private-sector employers, the practice group also stands out for its representation of US corporations operating in Canada; Gilbert and Karen Sargeant (both in Toronto) are members of the American Employment Law Council. Contacts in Vancouver include David Wong and counsel Brian Burkett, who focuses on labour-management relations. Stéphane Fillion is recommended in the Montréal office.

Mining Tier 1

With an on-the-ground presence in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Quebec City, Fasken has a strong presence in the Canadian mining market. In addition, the firm is well placed to handle international work in several key jurisdictions,  working alongside colleagues in the firm's London and Johannesburg offices. The practice group advises on the full range of transactions, corporate governance matters, disputes and project developments. It has also been active in international arbitration and corporate social responsibility; two areas of growth in the wider mining industry. Key figures in the team include corporate finance specialist and global mining head John Turner and Andrew Gabrielson, that latter of whom advises on commercial agreements relating to exploration, project development, acquisition and divestiture of mining and energy projects and commercial operations. Michael Bourassa and Brian Graves are also leading names in the market, while Johanna Fipke and Krisztián Tóth are names to note on the more junior end of the partnership.

Telecoms Tier 1

The telecoms group at Fasken is particularly noted for its regulatory practice, but also has a strong track record of contentious and transactional work. Clients include major Canadian telecommunications service providers and carriers. With practice group members in London and Johannesburg, as well as in Ottawa, Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver, the department is also noted for its experience advising major multinational clients. Ottawa-based Laurence Dunbar has advised domestic and foreign governments on policy, and handles a variety of competition and related interconnection, ownership, licensing and tariff issues. Also recommended in Ottawa is practice head Gerald Kerr-Wilson, who leads the wider technology, media and telecoms group. Stephen Whitehead has retired.

Banking and finance Tier 2

Fasken’s banking and finance team is distinguished by its close relationships with major lenders, routinely acting for domestic and foreign banks and alternative lenders, including private equity funds, in corporate lending transactions and project finance. The firm is also engaged by borrowers, with its notable roster of mining-sector clients supplying a steady flow of borrower-side mandates. The group also sets itself apart through its ability to handle complex international transactions in conjunction with colleagues in its Beijing, Johannesburg and London offices. In a highlight example of its multi-jurisdictional capability, Toronto-based lender-side specialist John Torrey advised private equity fund Taurus Mining Finance Fund No. 2 on the $225m secured financing of Teranga Gold Corporation’s acquisition from Barrick Gold of the Massawa gold project in Senegal; the acquisition financing involved taking security in Africa, Australia, Europe and Canada. Also in Toronto, Thomas Meagher is an increasingly prominent banking expert, with strong skill sets in commercial debt deals and an emphasis on mining-related work. Other contacts in Toronto include Jon Holmstrom and talented associate Daniel Conrad. Marc Novello is a name to note in Montréal. In 2019, regulatory expert Stephen Clark left for Air Canada.

Capital markets Tier 2

Best known for its prowess in the mining industry, Fasken’s capital markets group is also increasingly active in the areas of technology and private equity. The firm is hailed by clients for its 'integrated approach across offices and jurisdictions'. It routinely handles large-scale debt and equity deals, for both managers and issuers, from its network of offices across the country. Further, its London and Johannesburg platforms provide significant support in cross-border matters. In Toronto, global mining head John Turner is recognized for his expertise in resource-related transactions; he advised the special committee of independent directors of Katanga Mining on Katanga’s C$7.6bn rights offering, which represented the largest-ever rights offering in Canada. Calgary-based Sarah Gingrich is recommended for her experience in both debt and equity matters. In Montréal, Jean-Pierre Chamberlain advises companies and investment banks on capital market and private financing transactions. Vancouver’s Blair Horn is noted for his emphasis on the technology, agribusiness and food and beverage sectors.

Competition and antitrust Tier 2

Fasken's antitrust team has extensive experience in all areas of Canadian competition law, including merger control, criminal matters, pricing and distribution issues, marketing and advertising, competition law litigation, exploitation of intellectual property rights and issues relating to abuse of dominant position. The team recently advised BASF Canada on the Bureau’s national investigation of alleged anti-competitive conduct in the agricultural industry and also worked on the sale of Kraft Heinz Co's natural cheese business. Anthony Baldanza is sought after for his expertise in cartel matters, abuse of dominance and other restrictive trade practices, while Huy Do and Antonio Di Domenico jointly lead the wider practice, and are both noted for their work across the spectrum of contentious and non-contentious antitrust issues.

Corporate and M&A Tier 2

Fasken stands out in particular for its work in the mining sector, where it consistently secures a major share of mid-market to premium-sized domestic and global deals. Outside of the mining space, financial services, infrastructure and technology are also core sources of work. Toronto-based John Turner heads the global mining and securities and M&A groups and is highly regarded for complex natural resources-related matters. Turner recently advised the special committee of Continental Gold on the company’s C$1.4bn acquisition by Zijin Mining Group. Other senior names include Blair Horn in Vancouver and Michel Boislard in Montréal. Among the team’s younger lawyers, Montréal-based Jean Michel Lapierre acted in several significant technology transactions over the past year, and Vancouver’s Martin Ferreira Pinho is a promising associate.

Environment Tier 2

Fasken's full-service environmental team has key strengths in contaminated sites and permitting, with additional expertise in environmental impact assessments, climate change issues and disputes. In particular, the team is especially active in matters relating to major infrastructure projects, where it works closely alongside the firm's leading Indigenous peoples practice group. Senior environmental partner Rosalind Cooper co-heads the group from Toronto, and is sought out for her experience defending companies in environmental disputes and litigating contaminated land cases. Joint practice head Pierre-Olivier Charlebois is a contact in Montréal.

International expertise Tier 2

Fasken has a well-established international reputation in the mining sector, working with a range of Canadian and international clients on transactions, equity raisings, and project operations globally. Of particular note is the firm's presence in Africa, where it is active in the energy and natural resources sector throughout the region, leveraging the firm's on-the-ground presence in Johannesburg. Key figures for Africa-facing work include South Africa managing partner Blaize Vance and London-based energy co-head Abayomi Akinjide, who advises on cross-border transactions, private equity investments, and commercial agreements. Also in London, Al Gourley is recognized for his expertise in pure mining transactions, and has also been highlighted for his in-house experience. The firm is also involved in commercial and corporate transactions, and various regulatory matters in Latin America and Europe, fielding Canada- and London-based specialists in these regions. Of late, much of the team's European work has centred around changes in regulatory and trade regimes relating to Brexit. Asia Pacific is another key region for the firm. It has the necessary language skills and jurisdictional expertise to handle transactions and regulatory matters involving China, Hong Kong, India, and Korea. Toronto-based corporate lawyer Mark Stinson heads up the Asia Pacific team. China-facing work is coordinated by Montréal's Ponora Ang, Kathleen Butterfield in Toronto and Vancouver-based Edmond Luke.

Media and entertainment Tier 2

Fasken's entertainment and media team is well known for representing telecoms, broadcasting and internet companies in litigation and before administrative tribunals, including the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In addition, the team has capabilities in copyright, trademark, digital licensing and branding work, as well as various other commercial transactions. Toronto-based Barbara Miller brings her extensive experience of investment deals, M&A and financings of telecoms and broadcasting entities. Gerald Kerr-Wilson in Ottawa co-heads the practice alongside Karam Bayrakal in Vancouver, who also leads the firm's specialized video games sub-group, which acts for publishers and independent developers across a variety of console, mobile and PC-based platforms.

Public procurement Tier 2

Fasken operates nationwide at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, with key offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa. The group is recognized throughout the market for its expertise in dispute resolution, while on the non-contentious side, it is instrumental to the firm's ability to handle public-private infrastructure development matters. It is also unique for its cross-border procurement expertise, especially in US-facing procurement. Practice head Peter Mantas divides his time between Ottawa and Toronto and is noted for his experience in procurement litigation.

Technology Tier 2

Fasken differentiates itself in part by the strength of its emerging company services group, which acts for a range of start-up companies, early stage entrepreneurs, and a variety of financiers, including angel and venture capital investors, private equity funds and institutional investors. A name to note over the past year was Christian Jacques in the Montréal office, who recently advised Sonder Canada on a $225m financing round. Andrew Nunes in Toronto focuses on M&A, joint ventures and outsourcing in the space. Vancouver-based Karam Bayrakal has been active in IT procurement, large-scale joint ventures and a litany of privacy work, with experience spanning quantum computing software, AI and machine learning, and big data analytics. Other key figures include Montréal-based IP specialist Jean-Nicolas Delage and telecoms expert Gerald Kerr-Wilson in Ottawa. The group has also continued a trend of growth at the junior and senior levels. Among the new additions to the team, Tony Morris joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in August 2019, and counsel Brad Schneider followed in October 2019.

Aviation Tier 3

The aviation group at Fasken is highlighted in particular for its advice on sector-specific labour and employment matters, and corporate transactions including debt finance and M&A. Douglas Gilbert is a name to note for labour law advice; he and the federal labour and employment group are regularly representing clients including Air Canada in labour disputes and collective bargaining negotiations. Other key figures in the service group include national product liability head Peter Pliszka and Eric Simard in Montréal, who co-chairs the commercial litigation group. Named lawyers are based in Toronto unless stated otherwise.

Business immigration Tier 3

Fasken's immigration group assists corporate clients ranging from multinational business to start-ups with entry into the US and Canada. Jointly led by Ralph Nero in Toronto and Gilda Villaran in Montréal, the team advises on business travel, temporary resident visas, work permits, special temporary permits, and bulk work permits for projects requiring specialized skills.

Cannabis Tier 3

The team at Fasken focuses on regulatory issues within the cannabis space, but also has capabilities in M&A and financing. Headed by Barbara Miller in Toronto, the practice group provides a full range of advice on matters including marketing, imports and exports, production and distribution, and IP.

Infrastructure projects Tier 3

Fasken has acted for development entities, contractors, lenders and other project participants in energy, transportation and social infrastructure projects across Canada and the US, Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Project finance specialist Ella Plotkin leads the global infrastructure and projects group. Other key contacts include Brian Kelsall and Thomas Barlow. Named lawyers are based in Toronto.

Intellectual property Tier 3

Fasken advises large, well-known clients on a full range of IP matters, from portfolio management to strategic licensing to high-stakes litigation, covering trademarks, designs, copyrights and patents across a number of core industry sectors. The team has undergone an impressive period of growth over the past year. Among the new hires, Tony Morris joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in August 2019; senior counsel Jonathan Cutler joined from BCF Business Law in October 2019; Alain Leclerc (president of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada) joined in December 2019; and Jason Markwell joined from Belmore Neidrauer LLP at the start of 2020. Two contacts for patent litigation are David Turgeon, who heads up the practice group, and Julie Desrosiers, who has a strong record of work in the pharmaceutical and agro-business sectors. Associate Michael Shortt is also recommended.

International trade Tier 3

Fasken's 'trade and customs team is fast and reliable; obsessed with the details and dedicated to the client'. The team stands out in part for its expertise in international anti-bribery and anti-corruption matters. It also has an established trade remedy practice, having been retained in several anti-dumping and countervailing duty inquiries. Co-chair Clifford Sosnow, who splits his time between Ottawa and Toronto, specializes in trade, investment and anti-bribery law. In Montréal, practice co-chair Peter Kirby ('a master for new generations') has a broad practice covering trade and regulatory compliance, trade agreements, trade remedies and customs law.

Oil and gas Tier 3

Fasken has a strong multi-disciplinary oil and gas group that is often retained on infrastructure project development matters, working closely with the firm's environmental law and Indigenous law practices. The department also has experience advising on contentious regulatory matters. Ron Ezekiel and Montréal-based André Turmel jointly lead the team, while energy litigator Matthew Ghikas is a further name to note. Named lawyers are based in Vancouver unless stated otherwise.

Other transport Tier 3

Through its relationship with Canadian Pacific Railway, Fasken has extensive experience handling collision-related litigation and cargo claims, among other commercial litigation. Led by national coordinator Rosalind Cooper in Toronto, the practice lead is broken down further into three regional coordinators: Paul Wilson in Vancouver, Steven Rosenhek in Toronto and Montréal-based Noah Boudreau. The practice group has a variety of skill sets in areas including environmental law, infrastructure project development, and finance and commercial lending.

Pensions Tier 3

Fasken stands out for its strength in pensions litigation, boasting an excellent track record in complex disputes, including class actions. On the non-contentious side, the group handles pension fund management, governance, and issues relating to surpluses and deficits. Ross Gascho heads the team from Toronto; Michael Wolpert divides time between Calgary and Vancouver; and Dominique Monet is a contact in the firm's Montréal office.

Power Tier 3

Fasken has a track record of involvement in high-profile projects, having recently acted for the Government of Ontario in relation to the $1.9bn financing of Wataynikaneyap Power. Noted for its strong regulatory practice, the team has further bench strength in the areas of Aboriginal and environmental law. International matters also make up a key part of the work stream, with the group having recently been involved in power projects in Africa. Managing partner Peter Feldberg is an energy infrastructure specialist based in Calgary, and Ron Ezekiel co-leads the firm's global energy group from Vancouver. Other names to note include regulatory experts Christopher Bystrom and Andre Turmel.

Real estate Tier 3

Leveraging a network of offices across Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, Fasken is well known for its work in commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, financing, and construction. The practice group represents leading real estate companies, as well as pension funds, REITs, financial institutions and public organizations. Montréal-based Richard Clare is highly regarded for his track record in real estate transactions, while Toronto-based Andrea Centa is the name to note for property finance work. Other key figures in the team include Mariella Lo Papa and Sergio Custodio in Montréal and Vancouver, respectively.

Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

Fasken boasts a broad national restructuring practice, with a presence across Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal and Calgary. The department has a strong record representing accountants and lenders, and generates a steady stream of work from its premier mining practice. Contacts in Vancouver include Kibben Jackson and John Grieve QC, who is highly regarded for his work on complex CCAA proceedings. The group is led by Stuart Brotman in Toronto.

Dispute resolution Tier 4

Fasken’s sizeable national practice ranks among the best in British Columbia, where its deep and experienced bench handles a wide variety of civil, commercial and public law cases, both in court and in arbitration. The department also has a robust platform in Ontario, as well as growing teams in Alberta and Quebec. National litigation head Geoffrey Cowper QC sits in Vancouver and is recognized as a leader in complex disputes. The Vancouver group also includes senior litigator Tracey Cohen QC and associate Alexandra Mitretodis. Toronto-based Laura Cooper chairs the Ontario litigation group and is recommended for her experience in class actions. Sarah Armstrong is another key contact in Toronto, and senior litigator Marc-André Fabien Ad E is a name to note in Montréal. Also of note, the Montréal group was recently boosted by the arrival of commercial litigation partner Sébastien Richemont from Woods LLP; and the Calgary office was also bolstered by the hire of Darren Reed from Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.

Tax Tier 4

Fasken is best known for advising clients in the energy and natural resources sectors, particularly in respect of the tax structuring and planning for large public and private M&A. The team works closely with the firm's premier mining group which generates a significant amount of work demanding specialized tax advice. Christopher Steeves leads the tax practice group from Toronto, and focuses on corporate restructurings and acquisitions involving Canadian businesses.