Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Rory is the Co-Practice Group Leader of the Corporate & Commercial group in Toronto. He specializes in complex multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, investments, strategic transactions and reorganizations, with particular expertise in navigating transactions in highly regulated fields. Rory’s experience collaborating with, and providing business-focused strategic advice to, private equity and other financial sponsor clients spans a broad set of industries (including agribusiness, financial services, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, infrastructure and technology). As part of his practice, he also provides advice to clients on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including strategic alliances, joint ventures, partnerships, the establishment and structuring of Canadian operations, and other day-to-day legal matters. Rory is a core member of the Firm’s Private Equity Practice Group, where he co-coordinates the Firm’s development of its bi-annual Canadian Private Equity Deal Study publication.

Rory’s corporate and M&A experience has been enhanced by his time working as a visiting lawyer in the Amsterdam office of a major international law firm, as a legal secondee to a foreign investment bank, and as a senior consultant working in the financial advisory group of one of the big four accounting firms (where he earned his chartered accountant designation).

Rory is routinely invited to speak on corporate and transactional matters, including for Canadian Bar Association, Law Society of Ontario and Association of Corporate Counsel. He is also significantly involved in the training of the next generation of legal talent through mentorship (both inside and outside the firm), facilitating seminars for professionals within the firm, and, previously, as an Adjunct Faculty member at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.