Canada

Blake Cassels & Graydon, a historic member of the Seven Sisters, was founded in 1856. This full-service firm has expanded to five Canadian cities—Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Montréal, and Ottawa—and two international locations in New York and London. Renowned for its corporate and project development expertise, the firm excels in financial services, advising on regulatory and transactional matters, including refinancing and acquisition financing. Its capital markets team handles diverse equity, debt, and structured finance issues, while the M&A team supports strategic acquisitions and reorganizations. The restructuring and insolvency team is adept at managing all sides of restructuring proceedings. 

Highlights 

Blake's advised on a deal notable for its sheer size and complexity, characterized by shareholder opposition, regulatory hurdles, and rare deal protection provisions in the definitive agreement. The firm represented Strathcona Resources Ltd. in its going public transaction through the all-share acquisition of Pipestone Energy Corp. This encompassed multiple concurrent transactions, requiring a blend of M&A and capital markets expertise. The successful execution of this intricate deal demanded innovative structuring and masterful negotiation skills resulting in the combined enterprise value of $6.36B. Blake's also advised Pembina Pipeline Corporation on the acquisition of Enbridge Inc.’s joint-venture interests in Alliance Pipeline, Aux Sable and NRGreen. This dynamic transaction was cross border, involving large scale financing and bespoke legal structures.

Key Clients  

TC Energy Corporation, Pembina Pipeline Corporation, Enerplus Corporation, Strathcona Resources Ltd., Suncor Energy Inc. Sabina Gold & Silver Corp., First Quantum Minerals Ltd., NexGen Energy Ltd., Maverix Metals Inc., Ero Copper Corp. City of Calgary, City of Toronto, Atura Power Green Impact Partners Inc., Enerfin Energy Company of Canada Inc. 

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, a full-service firm formed through several mergers, has grown since 1863 to 10 offices in four countries. In Canada, it operates in Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, Québec City, Surrey, Toronto, and Vancouver, with international branches in Beijing, Johannesburg, and London. The firm specializes in banking and finance, capital markets, financial services, M&A, project development, and restructuring and insolvency. Key industries include mining, infrastructure, life sciences, and financial services, with notable expertise in acquisition financing, debt and equity markets, regulatory compliance, and P3 projects. 

Highlights

In a landmark Lithium deal, Fasken provided legal counsel for Allkem LTD In its $10.6B, all-share merger with Livent Corp. The newly formed entity is set to produce a significant volume of lithium, representing 7% of global mine production. Demonstrating their legal expertise, Fasken also advised on the strategic sale of Uni -Select via a plan of arrangement, where the subsidiary will acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Uni-Select.

Key Clients  

Kellogg, ArcelorMittal, Co-operators Financial Services, Novacap, Investissement Québec

Testimonials

“Fasken handled all the transactions in an efficient manner and provided sound advice on a number of financing matters that facilitated the closings. The level of expertise that Fasken brought to the table really made a difference.” - (Banking and Finance client)

“Fasken's team had depth of experience in domestic and international P3 infrastructure projects and provided a core team that was strategically staffed with lawyers to provide expertise while also being cost-effective. The team was dedicated and always responded promptly as needed.” - (Projects Client)

“Daniel has been a strong partner for our credit agreements. He has demonstrated a strong aptitude in project management and meeting tight deadlines and providing strong recommendations for unique situations. I've developed a strong degree of trust for Daniel Leslie's advice and work.” - (Daniel Leslie) 

Sangra Moller, based in Vancouver, is a Canadian corporate and securities law firm serving local, national, and international clients. The firm excels in capital markets and corporate work, focusing on corporate finance, securities, M&A, strategic investments, takeovers, and natural resources in forestry and mining. Active in capital markets, it handles domestic and overseas at-the-market offerings. In M&A, the team specializes in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, particularly for acquirers in the energy and mining sectors.

Highlights 

Sangra Moller continues to demonstrate its expertise in the legal industry, advising on complex transactions and crafting innovative solutions to challenging issues. Notably, the firm advised Gold Royalty, facilitating their $10 million investment in Aura Minerals to secure a 2% net smelter return royalty on Borborema gold project. They pioneered an innovative gold-linked loan structure linking interest and other payments to physical gold deliveries, setting a new precedent in mining project finance. This transaction also incorporated cross border elements with collateral across multiple jurisdictions. 

Key Clients  

Mercer International, Gold Royalty, Scully Royalty, Uranium Royalty, Conifex Timber. 

Testimonials

“They provide good advice not just on the legal aspect but also from a commercial standpoint. They are on top of everything and keep following up with the seller and its counsel to ensure closing is on time.” - (M&A Client) 

“Always accessible. Practical approach to solving challenges. Very responsive. Proactive – Identified key risk areas.” - (M&A Client) 

“Always accessible. Proactive. Good risk management. Creative problem solving. Always delivered on deadlines – timely.” - (M&A Client) 

“Rod Talaifar is my go-to on every aspect of my business. He’s indispensable.”  - ( Rod Talaifar) 

“Exceptional expertise and service from our partner Rod Talaifar.” - (Rod Talaifar) 

“Seemingly tireless – always available. Proactive. Excellent risk management. Creative problem solver. Calm and reassuring style.”  - ( Rod Talaifar) 

Founded in 1952, Stikeman Elliott has become an international powerhouse, renowned for its capital markets and M&A expertise. With five Canadian offices and three international locations, the firm excels in banking, project development, and financial services regulation. Their banking team handles cross-border and domestic financing, while the capital markets team is adept in debt, equity, and structured finance. The M&A team serves a diverse clientele, and the project development team focuses on infrastructure and energy projects. Additionally, their restructuring and insolvency team supports debtors, monitors, trustees, and lenders. 

Highlights 

The firm served as Canadian counsel for HSBC Holdings plc in the landmark sale of their HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries to Royal Bank of Canada for $13.5B, marking Canada’s largest bank acquisition transaction. The company boasts numerous assets, 130 branches, and 4,200 full-time employees. Concurrently, the firm represents NextStar Energy Inc. in a joint venture to establish Canada's first large-scale, domestic vehicle battery manufacturing facility. This venture will produce leading edge lithium-ion battery cells and modules to meet North American demand, embodying Canada’s clean energy transition and economic growth. This sophisticated project underscores the firm’s role in cutting-edge initiatives, reinforcing their commitment to innovation and sustainability. 

Key Clients 

GFL Environmental, Teck Resources Ltd., Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, TC Energy Corporation, TorQuest 

Founded in 1941, Torys has grown to five offices, including four in Canada and one in New York. Renowned for its M&A and project development work, the firm excels in finance, corporate, and projects practice areas. The banking team handles credit facilities, acquisition financing, and project financing, while the capital markets team supports issuers and underwriters in debt, equity, and securitization. The M&A team represents buyers, sellers, and private equity firms, and the projects team focuses on energy and infrastructure. Torys also addresses restructuring and insolvency issues for a diverse clientele. 

Highlights 

Tory's stands at the forefront of the most complex and impactful matters, both for the market and the nation. This is exemplified by the Wataynikaneyap Power transaction, a groundbreaking partnership between 24 First Nations Communities and Fortis Ontario Inc. The firm provides comprehensive advice on all commercial and regulatory aspects related to the development and financing of a transmission system in Northwestern Ontario which will connect 17 remote communities to the Ontario transmission grid. This pioneering project is the largest First Nations majority-owned infrastructure project of its kind to date in Canada and will significantly impact several indigenous communities. Additionally, the firm manages intricate transactions like the $2.2 billion return of capital and reverse-stock-split transaction where Tory's advised Thomson Reuters, incorporating bespoke features for their client. 

Key Clients  

Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation, The Bank of Nova Scotia, TotalEnergies SE, Thomson Reuters, Superior Plus, Wataynikaneyap Power, Toronto Hydro, Oneida Energy Storage LP, Nuclear Waste Management Organization, Ontario Power Generation 

Testimonials 

“The firm was able to provide a full complement of professional staff that were skilled in the multiply disciplines that were required to bring this transaction to a successful compilation” (Restructuring Client)

“Very good at communications, organizing, planning and strong working knowledge of corporate law. He has a positive personality and is able to work through very challenging issues and conflicts” -  (David Forrester)